Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Leah's Favorite Tunes

Since Leah loves loves loves music and dancing, I want to make sure that we remember all of her favorite songs... So far:

- Take Me Out to the Ballgame (loved it as a newborn, always calmed her down)
- In the Mood (loved it at 7 months. first dancing tune. http://vimeo.com/7605271)
- Ready for This (loved it at 12 months. http://vimeo.com/10911695)
- Free Fallin' (mommy sings it every night at bedtime, Leah sang "freeeeeeeee" at 13 months.)
- Me and Julio (current favorite... some great great dance moves to this one.)

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Go Cubs Go!

It's been a Go Cubbies kind of week. On Thursday, Leah went to her very first baseball game - Cubs vs Mariners at Safeco. We went with Leah's friend Lilah and her mommy Shaana - the girls did so well. It was a gorgeous day, and a great day because it was a WIN for our beloved cubbies! Leah got a certificate for her first game, and a yummy pretzel. She decided that she really loved dipping her pretzel in the mustard, onion, and relish from my hot dog. What a little Chicago girl she is. :)

Yesterday, while I was eating my bagel, Leah noticed that it looked like a "C". She yelled "Go Cups Go!" I'm a pretty proud mommy.

Over the weekend, we had lots of time with daddy... Leah and daddy hung out while I went to yoga on Saturday, and then we went to a park in Kirkland and grilled in the backyard.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

zephaniah.

Dear Leah Madison,

This morning you asked to take a nap, and proceeded to talk and play for about an hour. Before you fell asleep, I heard you softly singing to yourself about daddy and bikes and bananas and roger and outside. As you sang, you got softer and softer, until you fell asleep. I love you. I love that you're so content to play on your own, and that you sing yourself to sleep. I love how happy you are in every situation, even when I know it's not exactly what you'd pick to do.

Before you were born, I chose Zephaniah 3:17 to be the verse that I would pray for you for your entire life. It says:

"The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

It amazes me how right on it is for you, sweet Leah. It's obvious that God has always quieted you with his love... I remember praying just that part of the verse over and over again during our first few nights when I'd worry that you'd cry when I put you to bed. God obviously heard us, because you didn't really cry much at all. And I know that God must take great delight in you - and very obviously, that he rejoices over you with singing... your overwhelming love of music (and your sort of freaky ability to dance in just the right way to different types of music) is great proof that God speaks to your little heart with song.

I hope that in the coming years, we can start to talk about what it means that God is with you, and that he is so mighty to save. What a cool day that will be. :)

All of my love,
Mommy

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

St.Clairs!

This past weekend, Leah's Grandpa Mark, Grandma Lauren, Uncle Monty, and Aunt Kim came to visit. We went downtown, visited the market, ate lunch at Gordon Biersch, went to a baseball game (well, mommy did, but not Leah), went to UVillage (and Ram, yummy). On Saturday, all of the guys went to another baseball game and we had a girls' night and baked yummy cookies! Sunday was daddy's second father's day! Leah gave him a pretty frame that she painted, and a t-shirt. Leah gave grandpa a mug that she painted. We relaxed most of the day, and had a yummy steak dinner. After dinner, Leah played with Grandma and Grandpa while mommy and daddy went on a date! Everybody had fun :) On Monday, we relaxed, and on Tuesday, daddy went to work and the rest of us went to Panera for lunch and did a little bit of shopping. In the afternoon, Grandma and Grandpa and Mommy worked on prettying up the master bathroom. It looks awfully pretty now. Grandma and Grandpa went home at night, sadly. But we're excited to see Grandma again when it's time for Rory to be born!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

"i pretty."

Today at Costco, the cashier asked Leah what her name was. (I knew she couldn't say her name, so I was anxious to see what she'd say.) She looked at the cashier lady, smiled, pointed to herself and said "I pretty."

Better than great. Leah Madison, I hope that in 15 years you feel the same way. :)

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Dorothy.

Leah found her Dorothy shoes today in her closet. They're still about 1/2 size too big, but that didn't stop her from wearing them most of the day, with her I Love Cheerios shirt, red and blue plaid skirt, and lots of necklaces, bracelets and hats. And of course, a kitchen towel as a scarf, her very favorite accessory.

Monday, June 14, 2010

growing up.

Yesterday we turned Leah's carseat around, and she LOVED it. Gotta say, I like being able to see my little sidekick right behind me too :)

Last night we celebrated the playgroup babies 1st birthday! We had a great time seeing Clara, Noelle, Annika & Jimmy, eating lots of yummy food and cupcakes, and playing on the playground with Annika. It was a great day.

And in super great news, yesterday marked Leah's 14 month birthday, and 3 months until her baby sister Rory Kate is born!

Today we woke up, ate breakfast, and took an early trip over to the zoo with Lenna and her mommy Mallory. We got there so early that not too many other people were there, so we got to have the whole zoo mostly to ourselves! The girls loved seeing the meerkats. Super cute.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Bargain Hunter.

After discovering at Paige's birthday that Leah loves loves loves beanie babies, I took her to a garage sale featuring lots and lots of them. When we got to the house, we were sort of disappointed to only see a couple of them on the table in the garage - I told them we were on a beanie baby hunt and the woman said "oh, you want to go INSIDE then." She took us inside to a room with hundreds and hundreds of them, all on shelves, organized by style and color (mommy loves organization. leah loves beanie babies.) Leah squirmed out of my arms and instantly found a monkey, and two Winnie the Poohs. She never put those three down, even when we handed her lots of other ones to snuggle test. Leah gave the man a Lincoln, and he told her she could have AS MANY AS SHE WANTED! It pays to be ridiculously cute. :) Amazingly, with hundreds of possibilities, Leah found only 4 more that she wanted (total of 7). They kept trying to give her more, but she kept saying "I done." She proudly walked out of the house with her new friends, and the couple gave her 4 quarters back, "to get some gumballs." So for $4, Leah had a really great afternoon. But she didn't get any gumballs. We'll put the quarters into her piggy bank.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Little Painter.

Today we went to work on Daddy's father's day gift at a ceramics painting shop, with Clara and Lilah and their mommies. We can't say right now what we painted for dad, but we can say Leah did it almost all by herself, with only a little help from mommy. We squirted paint on her hands and she went to town. She got to try a paint sponge, some brushes, even a toothbrush (which she stuck in green paint and then brushed her teeth with. yum.) She had a really great time painting, and then ate a yummy lunch at the table while I cleaned up. We can't wait to pick up our pieces next week and see what they look like!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

"I want a yucky yucky."

I've been chewing a lot of gum recently to curb my sweet tooth, which has gotten a little out of control this past months. Leah's been very interested in my gum, constantly wanting to stick her fingers in my mouth to get it, or prying my mouth open to see what's inside. Whenever she does that, I say "yucky yucky," (either in regards to her hands or my gum. both yucky.) This morning, when I got her up from her nap, she saw me chewing, pointed in her mouth, and said "I want yucky yucky." And then made a chewing face. She's way awesome.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Zoom zooms.

Leah had a blast at her daddy's race yesterday... At first, she thought every man in cycling gear on a bike was her dada. She even walked right up to a guy on a bike near us and said "hi dada." He laughed. Once she figured out which one was really her daddy, she was confused (and a little sad) that every lap she saw him he'd go speeding away without stopping to say hi and hug her. But she loved the bikes - she called them "zoomzooms."

She also got to see and pet a lot of "goggies." One woman mentioned that her doggy Molly was very friendly. Leah responded "I gentle," and petted the doggy very nicely.

After the race, Leah finally got her big squeeze from daddy, and he carried her all around the race to meet people. Pretty great night :)

Saturday, June 5, 2010

great week.

We had a really great week. Last weekend, we saw lots and lots of friends. On Saturday was Paige's 1st Birthday. Leah got to see lots of her old friends from the westside :)

On Monday, we went over for an impromptu BBQ with the Lundells... Leah ate her weight in berries, hung out in Lenna's rocker, played with toys, and practiced running up and down their hill.

The rest of the week was easy peasy. It was pretty rainy, but we managed to sneak out for a couple of trips to the park.

On Wednesday, Clara came over to hang out, and the girls wore their raincoats outside and played in the grass. Pretty fun.

On Thursday, we celebrated Noelle's 1st Birthday! She had a garden party, and Leah had a blast planting her own tickle-me-plant. Of course, everytime I said "tickle-me-plant," Leah thought I was saying "tickle me land" which is her favorite song. It confused her a bit. :)

On Friday, we did lots of shopping and lots of crafting. Leah found a $10 rocker which we made-over in raspberry pink. We'll add a cushion later this weekend. We're also working on Leah's friends BIG first birthday party - should be a blast.

Today Leah hung out with daddy in the morning like she does every Saturday, while mommy went to yoga... she took a big nap, and then showed dad how much she loves the park. Tomorrow we're headed to the U District for Daddy's race.