P.S. that ticket lady told me there was nothing she could do. I asked her if she or I or someone could ask someone to switch seats. She replied that I had two center seats so I had "no bargaining power" to which I replied, "I have the cutest 2 year old on the planet. Oh lady, I've got bargaining power." Please see exhibit A below. (Or maybe I sweetly replied, "I'm very hopeful that someone will be kind enough to move for a mother and her child.") 
Either way, if that ticket lady wasn't going to help me, I was going to plop my two year old in her center seat between two perfect strangers and say, "Have fun! I'll be three rows back if ya need me." I'm pretty darn sure I'da had some takers on switching seats then! Not that she's not the most adorable two year old ever...but there's something about toddlers on planes that stikes fear into the hearts of even the toughest, most unflappable of humans! I'da done it. I would have. But then she helped me. Yay!
And one last helpful travel tip: Do not go grocery shopping at 7pm EST, when you've just been away for 10 days and have just finished a 12 hour day of travel cross country with a two year old. It's not pretty. You will forget what you need and you will buy large amounts of expensive comfort food with the nutritional value of paper in addition to the few staples you needed for the two toddlers that won't care how tired you are tomorrow :)
Check out my other San Diego blogs as I've now added pictures!!!
San Diego Zoo. A-MA-ZING. Ella LOVED it! She wasn't scared at all of any of the animals. She was a peach and did so well even though we didn't leave the zoo until 2:30pm (Normal nap time is 12:30 or 1pm). I got a lot of great photos! Ella picked an adorable stuffed monkey to take home with her. It's arms velcro around to hug her and it has a baby that velcros around to hug it. We also picked up a great children's book about a panda bear and a polar bear (two of her favorites and ones that she often gets confused with each other :) She took a quick snooze in the car and now she's in full blown "over-tired mode" getting one last dip of her toes in the ocean with her Daddy. Early to bed and early to rise for a 6:30am flight tomorrow. Sad to leave but a great finale and Daddy will be home a week after we return so it won't be long now until some normalcy returns to our life!
Then we all packed in for little drive to seal beach in La Jolla where the momma seals birth their pups. The beach was just COVERED with mama seals basking in the sun along side their pups.
Ella made the observation that "they're stinky!" and she was right! I'm not sure if it was fish or poo or what but when the wind blew just right it was pungent! We got quite close and Ella loved it. 
We also saw a VERY preggo mama and hoped we'd get to see her give birth...but no dice. 
Then we hit a local cafe for dinner and had a little frozen yogurt to top off the night. T'was quite a late bedtime for Ella but luckily our little one gets loopy and goofy when she's overtired...not grumpy. Granted, she doesn't listen quite as well in the overtired state but man oh man does she make us laugh! (She hops everywhere and narrates it, "hop,hop,hop,hop...". She sings made up songs that are a mix of all the ones she knows. She tells stories. And she laughs and laughs and giggles and giggles. She talks in funny voices and also gets extra ticklish and loves to tickle us!) If sleep weren't so important for these wee ones, I'd keep her up late much more just for the entertainment! 
Then we walked out the LONG and high Ocean Beach pier. We watched a myriad of surfers, Ella ran and hopped to her little heart's content, then we ate a good ol' fried seafood dinner in the Ocean Beach Pier Cafe (which is literally ON the end of the pier), watching the swells roll beneath us. As the sun was setting we headed home. It was by far my favorite evening yet!
With no clouds, wind or rain in the forcast I felt the freedom to venture Ella even further away from the hotel today! We walked miles along what they call the boardwalk (the two lane sidewalk that lines the beaches). I cannot tell you how many people you see running out here. It's awesome. And everyone is riding the cruisin' bicycles too. 
We visited a new playground and then we went over to the real beach...the big beach. The one that stretches on for miles and welcomes the crashing waves of the Pacific. The one that has Volley Ball court after Volley Ball court and surfers galore. It was GORGEOUS!!! Ella (who was deathly afraid of waves last summer at the ocean in Maine) LOVED the waves and water. She ran into them, splashed in them, ran away from them, even getting TOO brave and not wanting to hold my hand, not understanding that a big one could come and sweep her off her feet any minute. We watched the surfers, made sandcastles and she occupied herself forever, just digging through the sand with her hands and smearing over every surface of her body! 
I saw the NEATEST thing I've ever seen. I saw a school of dolphins swimming parallel to the coast just beyond where the waves were breaking. THEN, three dolphins hitched a ride in toward the coast on an incoming wave. Crisp, clear and close, I could see three dolphins head on, side by side swimming INSIDE the wave, swimming and riding it in toward the beach. When the wave began to end they all gave a leap and swam off down the coast to catch up with their friends. It was awe inspiring. I can't even describe it. One of those things you'd have loved to have captured on film, but it's just as great to have it tucked away in a special part of your memory! (Jason asked around and it doesn't seem like this is an ordinary thing to see. I think God gave me a real gem!)
We stayed at the beach longer than I'd planned because Ella and I were both having such a blast. And when we finally had to go Ella had a full on, belly down, appendages flailing tantrum because she didn't want to leave (and this momma clearly let her get to the overtired stage!). It was rockin'. I just had to laugh. Then I told her she could walk or I'd carry her and up she hopped and away she went. Done. Love it. We got ourselves an overpriced but delish smoothie for our walk home and Ella devoured much of it. I could do this all day, every day!
She loved dipping her toes in the water and running away squeeling! 
She likes to lay out on the chair. I think she could get used to this life :) 
She adores the ducks and wants to play with them. Unfortunately they don't want to play so much when she goes running after them or makes many large, loud, sudden noises and gestures!
Jason got home early and I started my spring 5k training on the gorgeous miles of sidewalks that make their way around the entire mission bay right at the sands edge. I finsihed my run with a barefoot walk on the beach, listening to my worship music. So perfect. I think I'd run a lot more here :) I did some research last night and this morning we hoofed it a bit to try out a local coffee shop. It turned out to be only like 1/2 mile walk on those same glorious beach side walkways and the place was awesome. Great surfer vibe. Very local. Friendly. And great coffee. I met a lovely lady, who is a nanny, at the park and we had the nicest conversations I've had with a local since we've been here. I got a little color on this super white bod whilst Ella napped. We took a dip in the pool and voila...J's home early again. I could really get used to this! And tonight, a BBQ where I'll actually get to meet people he works with (GASP)! Should be fun!