Leah wishes you a Merry Christmas

Nostalgia

Last month while visiting my parents, I had a strange sense of familiarity as I watched my daughter play and learn inside the very walls where I had done the same as a small child. She played in the same room of my parent's basement with the very same toys I played with when I was her age. She went to Sacrament Meeting and nursery in the same rooms of the same church building where I attended them as a child (In fact, nearly two years ago, she was also blessed in the same chapel that I had been blessed in 22 years earlier, and in the presence of many of the same people). I sang her the same goofy bathtub song while she took a bath in the same tub where I learned the song myself so many years ago. Very nostalgic, no?

Here she is singing along to "The Bathtub Song"

Teaching and Learning

What a fun age Leah is right now! Everything we teach her is new and exciting. We got her a play kitchen with her birthday money from Lola. It is so fun to see her explore and make believe! Thanks Lola!

Leah doesn't remember her last birthday, last Christmas, or last winter, so for everything we teach her, it's like she's learning it for the first time. I imagine it will feel this way again next year. How exciting is it to teach your little one about the birth of Christ and what snow is and to see the comprehension on her face several years in a row! She's learning so much...new traditions, new songs, new stories.

Here's a list of some recent things she's learned for the "first time":

Snow (and cold)

The Christmas tree and its twinkly lights

Blowing out birthday candles and opening presents

Not opening the presents under the tree

"Ring around the rosie"

Baby Jesus

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

Make-believe with her play kitchen

Winnie the Pooh (and his friends, of course!)

The bathtub song

...and so many more.

She always likes to sing along to songs she's heard. At 6:00 yesterday morning I heard her shout "Let's go fly a kite" and in the car she sang "You've got a friend in me!" This morning I heard her chanting something about Jesus, then I realized she was signing "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam," which she had to have learned at nursery, because I don't remember singing it to her. What a great feeling it is to realize that she is learning things at home and away. She is a very perceptive little girl.

I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home!

The Highs and Lows of Being Two

Leah had a relatively tear-free birthday; no major owies, no time-outs or spankings. We were busy partying, so she didn't get to bed until 10:00 last night, which made for a not so happy toddler today. The poor girl was under-rested from the start, and thanks to two different doctor's visits and an afternoon in the car, didn't get more than 1 hour of nap time. Chris came home at lunch time and was witness to Leah getting knocked in the head as she stepped in front of a door as it opened. Then when he came home from work, within an hour she pulled a chair over onto herself, getting a nasty forehead bruise, and in her traumatized state wouldn't eat dinner. By this point in time, we couldn't yet tell what part was hurt, so in case it was her mouth that hurt, I gave her ice to munch on...and she choked on it. I did a finger sweep and made her gag and it was actually quite scary. Yeah, it wasn't such a great day.

We were all a little traumatized by the time bed time rolled around. We are glad for the perspective that life is fragile and are appreciating our little girl so much right now despite the grumpy moments, or should I say days (we just don't want to be reminded of that fragility every day...).


On a good note,

the Dynamic Duo has been reunited!

Leah and Ophie are together again at last! Our friend at the Conoco in Laramie followed through on his promise to mail Ophie to us, and she arrived today! Here is Leah beaming as Ophie's return was revealed! Any ideas what to send this guy as a token of our appreciation?

2nd Thanksgiving and Birthday Pie

Leah was so happy on her birthday yesterday! She somehow knew that it was a special day because we were so happy and kept singing "Happy Birthday" to her. At first when I asked her what day it was and how old she was, she responded with "Elephants" and "Monkeys." Hmmm...obviously, we've programmed certain answers into her.

After church, she took a four hour nap during which the proud parents created a Thanksgiving dinner. We had some of our good friends and neighbors over to share it with us. Kudos to David for being willing to share a birthday bash with Leah. Dinner was followed by presents and a dessert buffet, then a rambunctious game of Balderdash. (Picture of candle-blowing coming soon...)

She really enjoyed opening her presents:

"Where the Wild Things Are" and a giant picture frame for her Pachyderm Painting from Grandma and Grandpa
A portable booster seat from David & Michal (we can take it to their house!)
From Mommy and Daddy: a plush Nemo (should have opened this one last), "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?," a Winnie the Pooh video, and a new shirt.

She also got cards with Target gift cards from Lola, and cash from Aunt Joy and Great-Grandma & Grandpa Fosdick in Savanna. Thanks everyone!

Here she is with her spoils (click on a picture to see it bigger):