Leia Week 47: Visit With PapPap and GiGi - 5/21/2014

Despite being in better spirits this week, we could tell Leia's ear infection was still bothering her, so we decided to go ahead with starting her medicine. Hopefully she'll be all healed up soon.  On the adventure front, we had a good hike up Shirley Canyon, and discovered that she really won't fall asleep on hikes anymore, so that will have to be a between nap activity only. We also headed over to Incline Beach for a fun afternoon and BBQ with Ryan and Biby. Leia had a blast at te beach despite the high winds and chilly temps. Needless to say we didn't get wet, but she liked eating dirt and being outside. But the biggest event of the week was a visit from Leia's PapPap and GiGi (great grandparents from PA). Despite not having seen them since two months old, she warmed up to them instantly, and had a blast playing "Give and Take" with her toys and teasing PapPap with fake kisses.  It was very cute.

Modeling her new nautical suit and headwear.

Hey, who turned out the lights?

Get this thing off me!

What is this thing anyway?

Uck, be gone with you!

Ha Ha Mom, I win!

Fun hike up Shirley Canyon with her personal chauffeur.

Hi Mom, Did you get a load of all this pretty scenery?

Leia with her riding crop, "Faster Daddy, faster!"

Sorry for hurting you Dad.  Here, let me rub that!

Finally warm and light enough for our first date night out on the deck!

My little baby is growing up too fast!

Post nap sweetness.

Our little Coppertone Cutie.

Leia was very serious about skin protection.

Playing on the shores of Lake Tahoe.

So happy to be outside and on her own two feet.

Yum, dirt and sand taste good!

Beach picnic.

Double date at Restaurant Trokay with Sarah and Josh #2.  The food was amazing!

Shrimp with Corn Foam.

Our private presentation of the art of Siphoned Coffee.

Poached Pear with Lychee Ice Cream.

This day we found her talking on her phone and darn proud of it.

Wonder who she learned that trick from?

Making acquaintances with her PapPap.

This dress was almost too small, but that turned out to be better for crawling since dresses in general are not good for crawling, but "long shirts" work out ok.

Walking alone is still a little too slow for her, but running along with Dad is fun!

Josh and I really want to bring back the leg warmer fashion for adults.

Big laughs!

Chillin' with PapPap is fun.

New favorite place to read is Mom's lap…so awesome!

Colors and textures from Shirley Canyon falls.

Finding Her Voice Movie

Leia had been trying to communicate with us from very early on.  Her baby babble was so cute, and her first "babble word" was "cookie." Never really got her to say it again.  Her first real word was DaDa, and she loves to call out to Josh, "Hey DaDa."  And he replies, "Hey Leia." MaMa came later, and unfortunately it always seems to be called out in a cry for help when she's not happy, "MaMaMaMaMa…" While her words continue to develop, we are teaching her sign language.  We have definitely identified her signing "milk" and "all done," but that's about it for now, so I guess we have more work to do.  Anyway, without further ado, here are some of her first attempts at speech and communication.

Finding Her Voice from Katharine Transue on Vimeo.

Leia Week 46: First Mother's Day - 5/14/2014

We had so much fun playing this week and celebrating my very first Mother's Day!  Leia was still working on her standing and was really perfecting her balance.  We finally got our new baby bike seat in the mail, so we took that out for a spin and had lots of fun.  Josh picked up a little golf set for her, and with daily practices already beginning, she is well on her way to the LPGA.  We had a little setback on the illness front…after a few days of unusually aggressive crying and screaming, we headed to the doctor to discover that Leia has her first ear infection.  Apparently they are very painful, so now we understood why she was making our lives more painful too!  Last but not least, we celebrated our first Mother's Day.  Josh made a lovely breakfast and Leia gave me many more snuggles and hugs than ever before!  Then it was a family dinner with my mother. It was a great day!  Also this week we have a special showcase of some of Leia's first artwork…she is so advanced and clearly inherited some art skills from her mother and Great Grandmother Lange.

Good balance workouts going on here!

Leia is always trying to steal Mommy's water bottle, so we decided to get her a matching one of her own...

Little Bear says this one fits just right!

Practicing her tee shots with Daddy.

Her very first work of art was created for Valentines Day in February.

Another masterpiece for St. Patty's Day in March.

Spring has sprung in April.

She's just about grown out of her first Biby Beenie.

Great new seat front and center of Dad's bike...now we're really having fun!

Measuring her putt...already taking the game to the highest level!

Oh yeah, sunk that little putt! I love ths club!!

Putting practice with Mom is maybe not the best idea if you saw my last few games!

Best Mother's Day present ever...finally looking cute in a picture with me!!

Hot new bikini from Gram Gram!

Talk about a bathing beauty!

Hot tub time is the best!

Definitely the best one yet...my perfect little flower child!

So fun how she actually likes to sit in my lap now.

Growing into another cute new outfit...

Crumpling up one of her report cards that she apparently didn't care for!

On Daddy Daughter Wednesdays, Leia gets to wear pink and stay in her pj's all day...can you tell they have some fun?!

Who could say no to that sweet face?

Rockin' out at one of her dance sessions...she's definitely got rhythm already!