We are thankful for tolerant kitties.

Or maybe a musician?

For so long we thought Leah would be a soccer player, or an athlete that uses a ball of some sort. She just loves balls!

Well...as of late, we are wondering if perhaps she'll be a musician instead. Or both?!

Under a Shady Tree

Lesley has a great video by Laurie Berkner. If you have kids and haven't seen her videos, you need to get one, they are super cool! I actually ordered another video hoping it arrives before we leave on vacation. One of Lesley's favorite songs is "Under a Shady Tree..." Lesley will randomly break out with this verse.

Since it was relatively nice Sunday evening, we made a trip across the street to use the neighbor's swingset. And, it was under a shady tree....perfect!

She first had to call Katie and tell her about her day. Katie is her current favorite person to "talk" to on the phone. She will walk around talking jibber jabber to Katie and then hold the phone up to Leah's ear and say "Leah, it's Katie. Do you want to talk to her?" Good thing we have free minutes! I hope Katie does too. Ha!

Leah was cracking up on the swing. My picture card was full and by the time I cleared some space, she had mellowed out and was just relaxing while Daddy pushed.

So serious!

Love those piggy tails!

We hope you enjoyed some time under a shady tree this weekend too!

Keeping Cool

The weather cooled off a little Sunday - the high was like 95 degrees instead of 105 which we've been reaching for several days. So, I wanted to try and get outside for at least a little bit. I have been searching for a splash park and had heard about this one that is pretty close to our house. I drove by it one morning on my way to work just to verify it was there. I couldn't get close enough to read the sign on the gate since the park crew was mowing, etc. in that area. But, we took a chance and headed over after somewhat unsuccessful, very short naps by both ladies on Sunday.

Leah wasn't too sure at first but soon she was "marching" all over the place and couldn't get enough of the water. It was a workout for me to hold her little fingers, bend over to walk with her, AND avoid being dumped on with water.

Her other swimsuit has been getting harder and harder to squeeze her into, so I pulled out one of Lesley's old ones from last summer. Perhaps a little big...but super duper cute!

It didn't take Lesley more than 5 minutes to figure out how much fun all this water was going to. The area was small enough she could run around on her own and we didn't feel like we had to be 2 feet from her. She was hilarious though after she'd get her head all wet, she'd run over to the fence and grab our towel to dry her face off. Then do it all over again! A few other mommies even commented how Lesley had to dry her face off each time, but went right back for more water.

Jason did a great job with these photos and keeping the camera dry! Don't mind the squinting, that wasn't his fault. It was the perfect outing for this late afternoon. And, I think we'll have to make a trip back again before the summer is over.

We better hurry though...it's going way too fast!

Wonderscope

We finally made it to the Wonderscope children's museum! We especially enjoyed it because there was so much fun stuff for Leah to do to. It seems lately our choices for family events revolve around Lesley and a lot of those things just aren't interactive or enjoyable for Leah. But, at Wonderscope, there was plenty for both girls to do and they thought it was pretty great!

There is an exhibit that consists of tubes that go every which way along a wall. Air blows through the tubes and at a couple different places, you can open/close the tubes so the air will blow a different direction. Then, they have all these colorful scarves that you send through the tubes and they fly out at different places, depending on how you have tubes open or closed. Leah thought it was hilarious when Daddy would send a scarf through and she could watch it fly through the tubes and then blow out right at her and Mommy.


They had one room with a "garden" and farmer's market, along with some animals. We gathered vegetables in the garden, put them in our basket and then a shopping cart and ran them up at the cash register. We also took time to pet/groom the cow, gather eggs, and stack hay bales.


One room was dedicated to golf balls and all sorts of contraptions to test their speed and direction. Below you can see Daddy and Lesley dropping a ball that would then travel up and down until it "spit" out at the end of the roller coaster race. I will say that Lesley enjoyed this room, but her Daddy could have spent ALL day there. It felt like I had 3 kids in that room.


The best and simpliest room for Leah was the "Small Wonders" room which was designed for the little ones. Leah could crawl around and try to follow big sister easily. We spent 30 minutes in there at first and it was just the two of them. We also ended our 3 hour visit to the museum in that room but there were a lot more kiddos around so it wasn't quite as fun since they had to share.

Lesley must have seen something appalling!

We had packed a lunch not really knowing how long we'd spend there, and also hoping we could avoid going back home before we headed to Aunt Aimee's house. They had a small area inside with little tables that worked out perfect for a lunch break. After lunch, we were able to spend another 50-60 minutes at the museum before we headed to Iowa. Both girls slept the entire way to Aunt Aimee's house so I think they used up lots of energy at the museum.

Even with spending about three hours at the museum, we didn't go into the H2Oh! room or the art room. Daddy didn't like the idea of water or paint so he kept them distracted from those doorways. Next time, we'll have to check those rooms out too. The Wonderscope Museum was definitely another fun adventure for our family!

To the farm

I had to work over the weekend earlier this month so Jason decided to take the girls to the Deanna Rose Farmstead for part of the morning. It was hot as has been the case in Kansas for quite some time, so they only stayed for a short time. Lesley enjoyed it a lot! She especially enjoyed the playground (go figure!) and the trip to Sonic afterwards.

Grandma Cheryl met them at the Farm too. What a nice treat!

I think this is a great photo of Lesley and the cow. Love it!

I'm still trying to get caught up on my blogging and photos. Between starting our new exercise routine which pretty much takes up all my free time in the evenings, and the internet that wasn't working for a week at our house, it's been difficult. The Sprint aircard Jason has for work just doesn't cut it for connection speed. Hopefully soon!

Impromptu Trip

In an attempt to beat the heat, we made an impromptu trip to Iowa to visit Uncle Mike, Aunt Aimee, and Lilly. And, of course, Grandma Nancy and Papa showed up too.

Lesley gets so excited to go to Iowa but she also gets so confused when we say we are going to Iowa but not to Grandma's house. She thinks that Iowa is a town and not a state. I tried to explain that we live in the state of Kansas but a specific town. Nope, that did not help her understand either. Maybe I should get maps out to help with this geography lesson...

The girls first had to take care of their babies. Lilly kept calling Leah "Baby Lela". I thought it was pretty cute but hopefully she works out the pronunciation at some point.

Pedro! Pedro! Come here Pedro!

Hmmm....what's up here Mommy? You must be looking for something when you check all the horses and cows while working.

I guess you should not expect anything less from the daughter of a veterinarian.

And of course Uncle Mike got a load of hay that particular day...so everyone had to pitch in and help out. Push!

Someone had to keep Leah company. Of course Mommy volunteered for that job.

Showing Papa the train video.

When we were eating our treat of ice cream, Grandma told the girls "Papa is the best ice cream scooper." Well, Lilly tried to repeat what Grandma said only it came out as "Papa is the best pooper." Ha! I am still laughing about that comment. Papa's only response was, "Please don't put that on my headstone when I die."

The girls even used Lilly's swing...at least until the mosquitoes started attacking.

They also spent a LOT of time in the pools. I found the slide just the day before for $2 on a garage sale. We already have one, so we thought Lilly could use one in her yard too. It was an awesome addition to the pool fun. The pools were basically empty by the time the girls were done sliding down over and over again making the water splash out.

The pool seems so much smaller this summer.

Lilly had to show us her lilies.

The girls wanted to go for a walk so off they went. Jo, Aimee's dog from college and Baby Leah in the stroller, even joined in on the trip around the house.

The next morning we all went to church, then out for breakfast at a near by state park with a lake. After eating, Grandma took the girls to the beach to walk in the sand. Before we knew it, the little ladies (not Grandma!) had their clothes off and were swimming in the water. Surprisingly enough, Lesley was loving it and did not appear scared one bit.

Although I'm not sure we "beat the heat", we did have a lot of fun at the Anderson farm. Thanks for letting us come up for the short visit!

Fail!

What I thought would turn into a relaxing night by the swimming pool didn't so much.

Notice that no little ladies are actually in the pool...

Still not in the pool, just observing the view...

Getting closer...

Okay, we'll at least check the water temperature...

Then, she proceeded to spit up in the pool and we had to dump the water, without any girls swimming. Oh well, maybe next time.

So, we went inside and put together our grocery list. Lesley enjoyed looking through the ads and saying 'I need this, and this."

Leah's First Yogurt Pop

I think she liked it!

Messy girl!

I realized after she ate it, that it was strawberry yogurt. Oops! She's not supposed to have strawberries until after she is 1. Oh well, no skin rashes or other reactions. We must be good to go with the strawberries for Leah!

And, Lesley helped Daddy make chocolate chip cookies tonight. She knew exactly what to do, and even told him "we need vanilla" when he was getting the ingredients out. Pretty sure she helps Chris make them at daycare frequently. They were yummy!

But, they aren't helping my attempt at getting healthier. We've added a structured workout/weight lifting routine to our nightly schedule. This has been tough because I find my free 45 minutes a day now gone. So much for doing anything fun or relaxing anymore! Bedtime has now become 11-11:30 for me. Hopefully my body doesn't shut down one of these days.

3/4

July 7, 2011

Dear Leah,

I swear that I'm going to blink one day and when I open my eyes you'll be packing up for college. How can it be that you are already 9 months old!? You have gone through so many changes the past month sometimes it does seem possible that things like kindergarten, getting a driver's license and even that fear of you going off to college might come true before I am ready. But...until that times comes, let's try to cherish every minute we have together.

Let's begin with some of your new "tricks". You are crawling around like it's no one's business. Fast! And, so efficient…I mean who would even think you could go around something when you can go right over it. You haven't yet mastered the stairs, but have been trying from time to time. Luckily Daddy finally fixed the baby gate so we can breathe easy that you'll only be climbing under our supervision.

Pulling up and cruising along things is something we are accustomed to now. Walking along the couch, a chair, your kitchen set, Lesley's table and chairs, the baby stroller, whatever…. You are getting pretty brave and I catch you letting go from time to time. Just last night you took a few steps to get from Daddy to Mommy. Granted, we certainly aren't claiming that you are walking yet, but I have no doubt it won't be long before you are chasing big sister.

You also acquired TWO teeth this month – on June 8^th and June 20^th! It seems that the teething process bothers you a bit more than it bothered your sister. Diaper rashes and rosy cheeks, along with hysterical crying during the night with frequent waking. I guess we will manage, but it would be great if you got those darn teeth in multiples to limit the frequency of these stressful and tiring days/nights. It's the best thing to see those two shiny teeth peaking through when you smile. Love it!

With these new teeth, I am hoping you will get the hang of eating solid foods a little better. Your gag reflex is quite strong and although you love cheerios and most finger foods we allow you to try, we often get to see it go down, and then come back up again. I will say you are getting better as you experience more textures and really start to move things with your tongue in your mouth.

You're also a huge fan of your sippy cup. Or Lesley's sippy cup. So far we have only put water it in for you, but hopefully you will be a pro at drinking from it before we start taking the bottles away. Right now you drink a bottle about 5:15-5:30am, again mid morning and mid afternoon, and then one in the evening before bed. I think Chris might give you one another one while you are at her house, but for the most part you eat when we eat and bottles supplement between meals.

With the heat of the summer, we have gotten the swimming pools out a handful of times over the past month. You really, really enjoy sitting in the pool and playing with the toys. I think you are actually a bigger fan of it than your sister is right now. We have yet to attempt a trip to the neighborhood pool. That just sounds like a lot of work for Mommy with both you girls and a Daddy who doesn't like to get in the water. Maybe before the summer is over we will take a trip there and see how the family handles it.

You continue to love your sister so, so much. Your face just lights up when you see her and you absolutely love when she comes into your room in the morning to wake you up. "Wake up Leah, it's time to get up and get dressed." But, the other night Lesley and I were talking about who she loves and she said the usual names, i.e. Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Papa, etc. but then also said "Baby Luke" from daycare. She proceeded to say that she wanted another baby. I asked her why we need another baby when we already have Baby Leah. She said she wanted to give you away. "She's mean. She steals my toys." Oh boy, you better be careful what dolls you are stealing and how often you pull her hair. I think she's less than impressed these days. Despite this, she will ask where you are if you aren't in the room with us or if you are sleeping and she forgot it was your nap time. Last night, she asked where you were after you went to bed. She got upset and said (in a very whiny voice), "But, I want to play my little sister." So, I am pretty sure she probably loves you just as much as you love her, she just loves her toys too.

Tantrums - that's a new thing for you! We notice them frequently when we take Big Sister's toys away from you, or move you away from where she is playing. Squealing and arching your back is how you try to get your point across. It makes your mama laugh!

Just the other day we had to make a quick stop at the grocery store. Lesley wanted to ride in the "car" shopping cart and we thought it would be fine since it was just going to be quick. So, she jumped in the front to "drive" the car and we put you in the seat up top. You got all upset and kept spinning around and trying to get out. I finally just picked you up to carry you thinking that would help, but not so much. You were even more upset then! Since you kept lurching forward towards the car, I figured, why not give it a shot? Lesley slid over and we strapped you in. Oh my goodness, did you ever love that!? It was a very enjoyable shopping trip once we had you situated and happy.

Snack time for Lesley is now snack time for Leah too. :) Cheerios! You were throwing a small fit not long ago when Lesley was having a snack at her table. So, I plopped you in one of the chairs with a sippy cup and cheerios and you were good to go! Although I didn't trust you sitting there without falling, you looked like such a big girl enjoying yourself. I'm sure it won't be long until you can actually sit on your own. That will be awesome! Lesley will love it too, she is always so happy when someone is sitting with her.

We don't have your 9 month stats yet since your doctor's appointment isn't for a couple more weeks (we are a little behind schedule). Although I don't think you are quite over the weight limit for your carrier, we decided to move you up to the big girl car seat. Honestly, the carrier was just too much to drag around and this mama's back was done. Thankfully, you seem to have adjusted to the big carseat fast and easily. All set for our trip to Colorado!

You still don't say much. Really, you don't say anything at all. Mommy has been encouraging all sorts of sounds, but no luck yet. We can usually read your signals even if you don't vocalize things, but it would be nice to hear "ma-ma" or "da-da". Even a "ba" or "ga" would be acceptable! Hopefully your slow(er) vocal development is just as a result of the fact you are making so many strides with your crawling, pulling up and now attempts at walking. We're going to ask the doctor if any hearing tests would be suggested.

To summarize: You are BUSY. Busy growing and changing!

Love you little miss! And, remember...don't go off to college this month! Mama just can't bear the thought of that....

Mommy