YouTube Addiction

Yes, Leah is currently exploring the wonder that is YouTube. What does she watch? You guessed it - The Wiggles!

There are a ton of wiggly videos out there, and seeing as how we only have two of their DVDs, Leah is in search of new material. And she's getting acquainted with Greg, the former yellow Wiggle. As you may have guessed, Leah can be quite picky about which videos she wants to watch at any given moment. She has a fairly short attention span and is usually ready to switch to another video while in the middle of the current one. If all else fails, and she becomes completely bored of The Wiggles, she resorts quite happily to watching videos of herself that have been uploaded to the computer. But watch home movies on the TV? No! Are you silly? The TV is for Barney. ;)

Leah just spent her first full week at home with Momma. It was pretty lovely, really. The weather cooperated, so a good deal of time was spent outdoors. Dodge had to be taken to the vet on Friday (and that's a whole other story!) so a little adventure ensued. Leah was lucky enough to be given a couple lollipops, so she barely noticed that Dodge was bumping into her and generally acting like, well, like himself.

As Leah approaches her second birthday, she is talking in LOTS of two-word sentences. It's exciting! For a couple weeks, she would do it here and there, but now, this skill is in full force! Some sample phrases include: "Baby cry", "Daddy work", "Doggie ball", and "Momma sit". It is so amazing to see her putting thoughts together and coming up with explanations for everything. I think I speak for Daddy too when I say we are SO thankful to have reached this big communication boom!

One, Two Punch

After being sick for over a week, Leah saw the doctor again on Monday only to find out that she has a sinus infection AND a double ear infection. Yikes!

Thankfully, she's on antibiotics now and already seems to be perking up and acting more like her usual self. For several days last week, she was lethargic, whiny, and miserable. Fun times. Definitely the worst illness we've seen her experience yet. Momma caught the same cold, and was out of commission for much of Saturday. It seemed to work out OK, as Daddy was Leah's favorite person all weekend long! She loves taking him by the hand, or even putting him in a headlock, and dragging him around wherever she sees fit. And if you try to interrupt their Daddy/Daughter time, look out. Leah will wave you off without a second thought.

We expect Daddy to come down with this cold any day now. ;)

Snow in the South

We received approximately 4 inches of snow on Friday! It may not have been Leah's "first snowfall", since we had that freak 8 inches last March, but it was definitely the first one she could explore and experience. Leah was fascinated! As she walked around in the snow, she was a little chatterbox. One can only guess what she was saying, but clearly she was enjoying herself and had a great deal to comment on.

Since it's been entirely too long since we've updated the blog, here's what else is new with our little monkey:

--Her vocabulary is growing every week. She may not say words perfectly, but she certainly tries to say just about anything you ask her. She can say between 50-100 words, though she's not quite at the point of stringing 2 or more words together yet.

--She IS a monkey! She has mastered climbing up onto the couch, climbing onto the chair in her bedroom, and walking up the deck stairs ALL by herself - no help from Momma or Daddy.

--Her newest obsession is The Wiggles: 

They're corny but actually a lot more fun to watch than Barney. Momma & Daddy even sing and dance to their DVDs. ;) Her favorite song right now seems to be "Dr. Knickerbocker", and she even tries to imitate the moves.

--Leah LOVES to take a bath. She has bunches of bath toys (mostly animals/fish) that she likes to line up along the edge of the tub and speak to. It's hysterical. She could talk to them for hours, and often protests when she must be taken out of the bathtub. Hey, at least the girl is clean.

--She's becoming a pro at using her spoon and fork and eating WITHOUT MAKING A MESS! It's amazing. Yeah, sometimes the bib doesn't quite catch everything or her face is a little saucy, but for the most part, she does a great job. Not much clean-up on her hands, unless it's something sticky like maple syrup. Momma is impressed (and glad).

Hard to believe Leah's second birthday is just around the corner! She's becoming such a big girl. :)

Forget New Year's Resolution

The time to make changes for the better is when you find yourself with a two-and-a-half foot tall shadow.

While feeding the dogs peanut-butter, Leah watched Dodge attentively and once done, she asked him, "Was. It. Good." Just like her momma and daddy say almost nightly to the dogs after dinner. She said it. We both heard it. Uh oh.

So its time to take stock of some of our lesser habits. The ones we don't want her to pick up and demonstrate at daycare, pre-school, a friend's house, or (lets hope not) in front of child services someday.

1. Burping. That's how we say it was good.
2. Eating ice cream during the Biggest Loser.
3. Slapping. This house is like a professional baseball team with the random acts of way-to-go slappery. The dogs get it, the parents get it. If only it actually translated into being good at sports.
4. Nothing. Imagine sitting in front of the tv for hours. Doing nothing, saying nothing, learning nothing, gaining nothing but a wider load.
5. Use of certain words. However this conflicts directly with number 4. If dad attempts to actually do something, a less favorable word will almost certainly escape his lips at some time.

These resolutions may actually last beyond March, as those little eyes are always watching. That little, growing brain is always soaking it all up. We have to be careful about everything. No more inappropriate scratching. No more wind-breaking. No more watching....Oh no! She's here. She's looking at me. . .

Daddy's Dream Come True

Leah is in love with Superman. :)

Dan was unpacking his Superman collectibles to go on display in a new curio cabinet that we purchased earlier this month. Leah, as you can see, took a particular liking to this larger statue. She hugged him, patted him, gazed into his eyes like a school girl, and, when asked, kissed him square on the lips!

Leah also tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to carry Superman away from the evil clutches of her father, who only wanted to see if this one would fit in the cabinet. Much to Leah's delight, this Superman is a little too large for the display piece... could more stolen kisses be in their future? Only time will tell.

I love you...

...You love me.  This is what Barney's taught me:

For those of you who ever watched Boris Karloff play Frankenstein's monster, you really didn't appreciate it until you saw Bela Lugosi try the same.  When greatness is mimicked, you really only then understand the subtleties and the effort that go into creating that greatness.  Sesame Street is great.  It caters to all ages, breaks ground, and stands the test of time.  Barney is Bela Lugosi staggering around with his arms outstretched and an unexplained smile on his big monster face.

You can make a television show, DVD, and music video without so much as sound editing, select camera angles, or rehearsing.  

Barney is the soy of the kid's programming world.  Empty substance.

Barney is a rule-breaker.  For example, the statement was made (and firmly believed) that "Leah is not going to be put in front of the t.v. We're going to interact with her, and let her explore her environment...blah, blah, blah."  Now, we eagerly pull her little chair in front of the t.v.

Leah is a great dancer.

Leah sitting in front of the t.v. does not necessarily mean laundry is getting folded.  In fact, laundry may need folding, dishes washed, dogs fed. Mom and Dad are slumped on the couch.

Baby-Bop has a really annoying voice.  Its like someone crammed Fran Drescher into a four-foot tall dinosaur costume.

Leah will learn the words for what she really likes, exceptionally fast.  Ranking them, Barney is second only to candy.

Barney does not have to be watched.  He only needs to be "on."  Then everything is right in the world.

And lastly, for now:

It doesn't take long to learn the words to the songs.  For example, without looking: "Its cold, burr. I wish I was a bear. I wish had hair like a furry, furry bear."

All I need for Christmas

Dear Santa,

I've been looking at all the holiday circulars in the paper, and paying real close attention to all the commercials during my shows.  I really enjoy the playsets I've seen.  The attention to detail is uncanny, and the realism in these toys is remarkable.  I gave a great deal of consideration to the vacuum cleaner toy, and of course the wide variety of kitchen playsets are tough to choose from.  Of course, how could I forget the mini ball bounces, sand boxes, jungle gyms, and all those great toys to climb on.  

However, I will forgo the lengthy list of toys from your work shop in the North Pole. I'm going to request one thing; padding.  Lots of padding.  Not for me. For my daddy, my doggies, and my mama.  They are much more fun for climbing and playing on than any toy.  So, please Santa, provide my family with all of the extra cushioning and protection your little elves can load on that sleigh. 

They need it.  

With Warm Regards, Leah.

P.S. Dad wants a cup.  What is that?

P.P.S. Why is your work shop called "China"?

(posted by Dan)