Breakfasts are the BEST! Peanuts are not the best.

This was a super fun weekend because I got to see my Lauri!!!! YAAAAAY!!!! Lauri and I were neighbors in PA when we were younger, and we've been best friends since elementary school. However, because we live on opposite sides of the country now, we don't get to see each other as often. (I know, it's very sad, and Lauri is one of my top reasons that I want to live in PA again some day. It's true, girl!) But on Friday, Lauri was on her way from L.A. to Las Vegas for a photography convention (she owns her own business, called Lalee Photography, and is ridiculously talented), and I got to see her again! Hooray!!

We ended up going out to breakfast at Marston's, which was introduced to me by a few girlfriends several months ago, and which is super yummy. Lauri's friend Cathy, who was visiting from Australia for the same convention, joined us, and we had such a nice time! (Cathy also owns her own photography business, called Beautiful Moments, and is also crazy talented!) Lauri and I got giant egg-and-meat-and-potato breakfasts, and Cathy ordered blueberry pancakes because, she said, they were so American and she had to have blueberry pancakes while she was in the U.S. :-) Haha!

Jean and Lauri, being smiley and proper:

Jean and Lauri, being cute and cuddly:
Cathy, the Australian photographer extraordinaire!!

Afterwards, we took some pictures out front (next to the American flag, which Cathy wanted in the shot -- she's so cute!), and then visited the grocery store so they could stock up on food for their drive to Vegas. So, that was fantastic, and although it was sad to say goodbye, I already can't wait to see my Lauri again. :-)

It was a little rainy later that day, so Weston and I headed to the mall while Tim was at class. Weston loves the kids' play area there, and mostly he just follows around the bigger kids and tries to smile at them. He also tries to step up onto things, even though he's not yet able to step up onto things. I didn't take any pictures (doh!), but it's rather comical watching him play and explore. After the mall, we visited Art Center to surprise Daddy at class, and Weston stormed up and down the hallway, yelling "DA!" over and over again. Needless to say, it was not very subtle. I sure love that crazy kid.

On Saturday, we went to a Valentine's Day / Welcome New Bishopric! / Goodbye Old Bishopric!-themed breakfast at church. Weston explored the hallways a little bit:

His walking continues to improve, and apparently so does his drool production:

Later I asked Tim to smile and look very nice for the camera here, but the photo turned out much too dark:

So I asked him to do the very same thing, sit still and smile, so that I could take a picture without the flash. Guess what he did:

That afternoon, we all visited the playground, where Weston stomped around and explored and tried to walk in the street several times. He adores animals, so he really liked watching the doggies run around and play with each other. Then later, thanks to our handy babysitting exchange (our substitute for actual family babysitters), Tim and I were able to go on a very very very wonderful date for Valentine's Day. We ate at Buca di Beppo (thanks for the gift card, Maw!), strolled around Old Town, and thoroughly enjoyed the non-baby time together. It was very nice. I've decided that Tim and I need a proper date night more frequently than once every two months. (Note to people who don't have kids yet: GO OUT ON DATES. LOTS OF THEM. RIGHT NOW.) :-)

Then on Sunday, we had a crazy encounter from our past. (Attention all Wymounties!!) We ran into Mel Sawyer at church, here in Pasadena! Bishop Sawyer was the first bishop that Tim and I ever had as a married couple back in Provo. He and his wife were at our ward here because they have friends who are moving in soon. Bishop Sawyer remembered us and was very excited to see us again (in his cool, nonchalant way). He was happy to say that he officially retired on January 1st from his job, so I congratulated him on that. Small world!

Anyway, seeing as Weston is almost a year old, I decided that Sunday would be a good day to give him an itty-bitty peanut butter sandwich, to see if he likes peanut butter. And guess what! He loves it! And guess what else? He's super allergic!! Okay, not super. But after lunch, part way through his naptime, he started screaming and crying, and we discovered that his left eye was really swollen. We called the doctor, but since he wasn't having any other problems, she just prescribed a small dose of Children's Benadryl, which Tim ran out and bought. Poor little guy! Here are some photos:

Weston's puffy eye (his left eye, which is on your right):

Another view of the puffiness:

The pediatrician informed me on the phone that you're actually supposed to wait THREE years, not one year, to introduce peanuts. Whoops. Now at his next appointment, he'll probably have to undergo some tests to find out how allergic he is to peanuts, and if he has other nut allergies. Oy vey. And plus, this morning he woke up with red bumps all over his body, so apparently the peanuts are still running their course. Blarg! No more peanut butter for Baby!!!