MLK weekend marked two major milestones for the McCulloughs:

1) Alexandra turned six months old. Yes, really.

2) Lara spent her first night away from Alexandra.

To honor #1, the monthly “bear pictures” follow. She’s actually sitting up on her own now, so we have one of her and Aaron (the bear) on the couch in the “standard” pose and then one of her showing off her sitting skills on the floor.

With regards to #2, I drove to Santa Barbara on Saturday and came back on Sunday. The first hour of the drive was a bit tough, as I was missing my munchkin (and Ian, of course). However, after that, I enjoyed the drive, the quiet and the lack of spit-up.

I headed south for an absolutely amazing yoga retreat, led by the incomparable Barbara Rose Sherman. (Barbara also led the yoga retreat to Italy in 2004, for those of you who remember me gushing about that trip.) On Sunday, she had a day-long yoga retreat in Montecito, focusing on bringing more peace to our lives. There was meditation, hiking, yoga, good food and good people. This was AFTER Barbara’s wonderful hospitality the night before, in which I went to bed at 9:00 and didn’t have to get up until 8:00. Bliss. Many, many thanks to Barbara, the hostess-with-the-mostess, for taking such great care of me.

I’m six months old today! (Or, she was on January 19th, when the picture was taken.)

Sitting up all on her own.

Namaste.

My view at breakfast on Sunday, from Barbara’s house. Did I mention I really enjoyed my visit??