Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Leia Week 72: Major Mommy/Leia Time - 11/12/2014

With Dad out of town all week, Leia and I had a long week of intense bonding.  It took her a bit to get over the shock of Dad being gone, but once she figured out that we could still FaceTime with him everyday, she calmed down and started behaving nicely again.  So then began a week of very intense Mommy and Leia playtime.  She was in charge and told me exactly what she wanted to do, where she wanted me to sit, and kept grabbing my hand and dragging me to other rooms when it was time to change it up.  It was so funny!  We did have a great time.  Then on Sunday we opened a package from GramGram and Grandma, and Leia got her first Tea Set.  After that, she didn't want to do anything else but have tea parties.  She doesn't even know what tea parties are, so I guess she really just wanted to play with the cups/saucers/spoons, etc.  It was really cute.

Usually can't get her to cooperate with putting on shoes, but she LOVES her new boots and is happy to put them on whenever!

"I don't know why these spices were under my bed mom."

Happy little goof.

Very intrigued by the whole concept of a tea set.

Dance and tea party.

She's not sure if she likes it when I match it all up...

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Leia Week 71: Leia learns about Trick or Treating! - 11/5/2014

We had a very fun Halloween this year.  Leia was old enough to start understanding a little bit what it was all about.  In the morning she got to go trick-or-treating through the hospital with all the other kids from school in what they called a "Halloween parade," and in the evening we made three stops in our neighborhood: Nana and Poppy's, Linda's, and John and Stacia's.  She really liked that all these people kept giving her little food and toys everywhere she went, and especially liked putting everything in her bag, since that's already her favorite thing to do!  But it was really funny at the hospital because she would have some little treat in her hand, show up at the next collection point, see something else better than what she was holding, and make a "trade" (leave her current treat in the bucket and take the new and better item)!  We've been working so hard at teaching her not to just take toys away from others…I guess it's working!!  She didn't actually eat any of the sugar or treats from either session, but it was all so exciting and exhausting that we had full melt downs at the end of both sessions of fun…not so fun.

Dad left us to go to Colorado for some ski camps, so that has been pretty hard too.  He's never been gone a day in Leia's life (except last year at this time when she didn't really know what was going on), so she's really not happy with his absence.  She's been really moody and difficult, and the whole time change thing isn't helping either.  Luckily we have FaceTime, and she actually has figured out how to use it and loves seeing Josh and "talking" to him, so we get a little reprieve from the acting out and tantrums everyday.  But we do still have to go upstairs and investigate the bed to make sure Daddy really isn't hiding up there waiting for Leia to come wake him up…so cute!

We also had our first snowstorm of the season.  Apparently Leia doesn't remember about snow from last year because she was very surprised to see the ground all covered with snow, and very afraid!  She wouldn't walk out of the garage onto the snow, and when I plopped her down in the middle of it, she wouldn't stop crying! Pretty funny.  Hopefully she figures it out soon.

Fending off an attack from this pesky shark!

Starting off the Halloween Parade in this comfy cruiser with her fellow playmates.

Wow, a tray full of aliens…yep, I'll take one of those please!

Leia the Magic Dragon taking a quick rest and hoping the treats will come to her!

Whoa, those look good…why is everyone giving me all this great stuff today

Yep, I could get used to this little game!

A few other little cuties.

Everyone at the old folks home really enjoyed seeing all the little dressed up babies.

Come on Mom, we have a lot more work to do if we're going to fill up this big bag!

Taking the Mum Mum and trading back the fruit chews…she figures it's pretty even, but really she came out ahead because I'll actually let her eat the Mum Mum!

I just can't believe it…how did this lady know I like Mum Mums so much!

M&M's and Cuties from the ER nurses.

Hey Nana, Trick-or-Treat!

Whoa, who's this crazy witch at my Nana's house?

Oh wow, you guys are giving out treats too?  What a great day!

Not cooperating for the family Halloween picture.

Pretty psyched about the cool ring she just scored from Nana's bowl of treats.

Hey Poppy, check out all this great stuff I've got in here!

Heading across the street to Linda's house.

Yikes, what's going on with that crazy pumpkin!

Wow, a glow in the dark bracelet…I love these!

Absolutely loving all these great treats…Leia thinks this is a great holiday!

A little nervous about having to walk out past the cackling skull!

End of Halloween meltdown with cousin Emmett!

Uncle Josh and the cousins.

Very psyched to put on her new snowsuit and boots…not psyched about all the white stuff on the ground!

Refusing to leave the garage or set foot on any snow!

Come on Mom, this is crazy…let's get back inside!

Alright fine, if you keep me in your arms, I guess I'll try to check this white stuff out.

Fun with selfies!

Leia's even figuring out how to ham it up for a selfie!

No Mom, I told you, get me off this stuff!

Snow clothes outfit number 2 for the day!

Awww, snuggles with cousin Emmett!

Figured out how to play the kazoo with one simple instruction…blow!  So advanced!

Happy as a clam to walk around pretending to drink an empty box of juice all day!





Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Finding Her Stride Movie - 11/5/2014

Leia started walking at 11 months old, but even from 1 month old, she always loved to stand, so we were pretty sure that walking would come early for her.  It's been so fun to watch her figure it out!

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Leia Week 70: 3rd Annual BaconFest Mini - 10/29/2014

The last couple years we've enjoyed some pretty amazing BaconFests, but it's always so much stress and work for me and Josh.  This year I just couldn't stand to see that happen again, so I put my foot down…I only let Josh make two things, we invited a small crew of people with a strict RSVP so we actually knew the numbers, and we required a potluck contribution.  It actually wasn't going to be BaconFest at all, just a fall gathering, but when I made the bacon theme optional, everyone pulled through!  Unfortunately, true to my "no stress theme," I did not do a good job documenting the day, but we had a good time and enjoying some fun food.  

On the Leia front, she's getting more interested in trying to do things herself, like putting on shoes and socks.  Unfortunately, she still can't really do it, but she does like trying.  And she loved playing with all the Babies at BaconFest!

The shoe fettish continues, and Mommy's are way easier to put on all by herself!  She even managed to walk all the way across the room without losing it!

Josh was psyched to see that little KZ came out to support the team today!

Calling up Nana to thank her for the great pack.

Onion goggles really are a life saver when prepping a big batch of BaconFest Chili!

Showing all the little babies how to have fun in the yard!


Leia Week 69: Getting Very Dexterous - 10/22/2014

I went through all of Leia's clothes this week…boxed up the stuff that's too small and put out a whole slew of new clothes the next size up…can't believe how much she's growing!!  Plus, Gram Gram sent us two new boxes of clothes, so this week has been all about having fun with new outfits.  She's very authoritative these days as well…pulling on your arm or your leg to make you go where she wants you to go!  We had a really fun day at the Regional Park in Truckee, where they have a much better play structure than our pathetic little park in Squaw.  But what was really fun was that we were able to go on a little nature hike through the park, and she just kept trucking along in a forward, destination driven direction.  Of course, when it was time to turn around and go back, she did NOT want anything to do with that!  The fall weather has been really spectacular, so we had a lot of really fun days playing outside, including a fun day playing in the creek with Nana and Poppy, recently home from their big vacation to Croatia.  Finally, Leia's manual dexterity is really improving by leaps and bounds.  She is getting so good at feeding herself with a spoon and keeping the spoon level so that all the food stays on it (especially Rice Krispies with milk).  And she's starting to enjoy using the colored pencils a lot, and I even saw that she was holding the pencil exactly the way a properly trained adult would!  She doesn't do it all the time, but I've definitely seen it more than once…so amazing!

Our little Fox!

Vitamin model!

I love it when her hair gets those cute little curls!

Peek-a-boo, I see you!

80's fashion show day!

Testing out her new Leia sized table (and I do realize she's not holding the pen properly here, didn't get a picture of that yet).

Wearing her pretty party dress from her friends Brit and Ari to celebrate Poppy's birthday.


She really loves to sit in all of Emmett's baby stuff!

Finally some soft, stretch, and comfy jeans for her to wear!

More with the baby toys…she never really cared about Sophie until now!

So good at those endless squats!!

Who's that pretty girl looking at me in the mirror?!

Fun day checking out the Truckee Regional Park.

Mom, check out this frog…it's bigger than me!

Uh oh, she's starting to figure out how to climb!

More slide please!

Yeah, that was so fun!

Fun with our new slow-mo video application.

Very into Rock Climbing!

Carefully side-stepping down the train tacks like they were a balance beam!

Big smiles on our nature walk.

Hey, check out these cool pine needles I found!

Doesn't allow Dad to do the steering…prefers to take matters into her own hands!

Roller bag - check, safety helmet - check…see ya later!

Catching leaves in the creek with Nana.

Cracking Poppy up with her signature dance moves!

Stepping into the creek…oh yeah, it's cold!


Loving her new water shoes…protects the feet from the rocks but toes can still get wet…what a concept!  Where were these hiding all summer Mom??

Beautiful fall day in Nana's garden.

Fun time playing in the water.

Picking out the perfect pumpkin!

Loving her new back pack from Croatia.

Mom, look what Nana gave me…it's got my name and everything!


Little goof.

Uh huh, with a look like that she's simple irresistible!

Love that smile…she's happy with the tomato creation she just cooked up!

Happy Halloween!

I'm talking to you!

This is going to be trouble, I can already tell…she's already got a major shoe fettish!

Showing off more of those signature dance moves.

Life is good when you have a backpack and a monkey.

Still loving her gift from Nana and Poppy's trip to Croatia.

I'm outta here, see you next time!