If you give a Pig a Pancake

If you give a pig a pancake...

She will probably spot Mommy's eggs.  Mommy didn't make her eggs, because Mommy made her pancakes. 

Spotting Mommy's eggs will remind her that she likes eggs.

So she will ask for them.

If Mommy gives her the eggs, she will probably eat them all.  

If you give a pig left-over chicken fingers, chopped up into itsy, bitsy pieces just the way she likes to take to the zoo...

She will probably spot Mommy's peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Spotting Mommy's peanut butter and jelly sandwich will remind her that she wants some.

So she will ask for it.

If you give a pig your peanut butter and jelly sandwich,

she will probably eat it all. 

And you will have no lunch. 

On the Menu

Breakfast:

2 eggs and an entire banana

Lunch:

Zucchini stuffed with andouille sausage and breadcrumbs, and yogurt

Snack:

Cheese ravioli with peas, and strawberries

Dinner:

OH YEAH!

Homemade chicken fingers, apples and squash.

Mommy and daddy had chicken parmesean, so I made a modified version for Leah.  They didn't go over quite as well as I had hoped, but I think it was because I didn't chop the chicken into itsy-bitsy pieces.  She's very cautious, our little pumpkin (I wonder where she gets that from?!), and if food is too big, she spits it out without a second thought. 

So take that, 9th percentile!

March in Memorium

As the month of march comes to a close, I have to admit: it was a pretty awesome month. 

Although I was totally flipped out by the thought of having a one-year-old, I now know better.  One is fun!  There are about a million things I love about having a one year old, just a few of which include:

Exploring a wide veriety of finger foods, such as lasagne, ravioli, sausage, and toast

Ordering off the menu at restaurants

Actual conversations with my daughter

Her wonderful, tentative first steps

Going to the pool

Watching her interact with the world in new ways every day

...and so, sooo many more!  It's a whole world of possibilities now, where as last year - magical as it was - there were a great many limitations.  Somehow I have this gut feeling that Leah's second year on the planet might be even better, more fun, delightful and more exciting than her first. 

Is that possible?!

Things I Love: Spring Break Edition

Things I love: Spring Break Edition

1. Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt.  How have I been missing out on this until now?  It's a shame when I buy the good stuff for Leah instead of myself.  At least she's expanding my horizons!  The best part?  Leah loves it as much as I do!  Especially with fresh strawberries.  Which leads us to...

2. Fresh strawberries!  For me, strawberries will forever be associated with summer.  Imagine my delight, then, that these are back.  Another of our lunch staples.

3. Planning, planning, planning for a best friend's baby shower.  I get to use my in-my-next-life event planner skills.  I am sooooooo excited!!!!!!!

4. Brightly colored, adorable springtime clothes!



LOVE pink and white!



5. Baby's first steps.  Yep.  She's not walking yet, but we've seen a few, sporatic solo-steps sprinkled in here and there.  She is so cautious, and she absolutely hates to fall, so she isn't really "in" to practicing her steps.  But, in the mean time, there is always her dino-walker, which is almost as fun. 

6. An entire week off - with my husband!  That's practically unprecedented since Leah's birth, and I couldn't be more excited!!!

Being sick kills braincells

Oooh, betcha thought I was talking about me on this one, yes? 

For once, in reference to having no braincells, I am officially not talking about myself.

In fact... I'm talking about Leah.  Because I'm convinced that being sick has stunted her vocabulary (at least for now). 

Here's my total geek-out minute.  Are you ready?

In times of stress, trauma, or - I'm guessing - illness, the language center of the brain is one of the first things to shut down in children.  Well, adults too, which is why when you get really, really angry, you probably aren't very articulate.  It's really clear in kids.  Take a toddler who normally commands a lot of language, get him upset, and he will probably shout something simple like "NO!" while stamping his feet and hitting, biting or throwing things.  Yep.  That's because the rational side of the brain - the one that also controls language - gets taken over by the more primative, emotional side. 

(Turns out I was actually paying attention during my childhood development classes in grad school!)

So back to my point...

Since Leah has been sick, all her amazing language skills have reverted back three months, and everything has once again become "dada." 

Me: "Leah, do you like cheese?"
Leah: "Dada."
Me: "Leah, do you see the doggie?"
Leah: "Da. Dada"
Me: "Would you like a banana for lunch?"
Leah: "Daaaadadada." 
Me: "I love you, Leah."
Leah: "Da."

It's a very interesting process, to watch it in action.  I certainly hope she'll start feeling better soon.  I was loving the newfound conversations we've been able to have recently, and calling everything "dada" wasn't exactly what I had in mind!

It's so nice to be a person again

The title of this post really should have read: Congratulations to our wonderful friends, Nick and Ashley, on your marriage!  We loved celebrating with you!

Yes, they're a perfect couple.  Yes, they have a beautiful love story.  Yes, he was handsome and she was radiant at the wedding.  Yes, they are absurdly happy, in love, and hopped up on wedded bliss... blah, blah, blah. 

What I'm going to selfishly write about instead is how ridiculously happy Casey and I were that we had an excuse opportunity to call a babysitter and have a night with the other adults!  (I know - but, it's my blog, so it shall be filled with my memories!)

We had a chance to have a whole, entire, uninterrupted dinner by ourselves.  We went to Maggianos, one of my absolute favorite restaurants.  It was nice to get dressed up and enjoy each other's company!  I love my husband, and one of our biggest adjustments over the last year has been the lack of one-on-one time having a baby brings.

Then, it was on to the wedding.  Our little camera takes terrible pictures sometimes, so you'll have to forgive the horrible photography.

A very pregnant Jessica coming down the isle



The beautiful bride!



Aren't they adorable?!



Casey and John - we tried to keep the heckling from the audience to a minimum.  We're not very good at keeping our mouths shut.

It was a lovely ceremony, and then it was on to the party!  I must admit (and Leah, when you read this years later please remember that Mommy always, always tries to do the right thing.  But honey, there is a time and a place for everything, and this was one of those times!) that I was pretty excited to enjoy some grown-up fun!

It has been nearly two years since I've had a drink (May of '08 was the last time), and it is very possible that I was the happiest person at that wedding to get to have first a beer, then some wine, then a few other choice alcoholic beverages (including something green called an "Alien" something-or-other, put together when I asked the bartender to surprise me!). 

I've never been much of a party girl, but oooooooh is it fun to let my hair down once every two years! I danced, hung out in the bathroom (Don't ask. I assume it was because that's what all the cool kids do!), and laughed. A LOT.

Auntie Jessica and her Shirly Temple.  I was SO glad I got to have something with more of a kick!

 

The girls!




The bride and her cake.  Even brides need a little sugar!


We had a ball.  It was a wonderful opportunity that Casey and I don't take advantage of very often.  I very rarely regret the decision to maximize our time as a family - we don't have much of it to begin with.  But, being out does make me realize that it is important to have balance.  That means time as a family, time with my husband, and time with our friends. 

I think and hope it will be easier to do with a one year old than a brand new baby.

And, of course... Congratulations to a perfect pair on a beautiful day!  We love you both, and couldn't be more blessed than to share in your love story!

1 Year Stats

Little Miss Leah had her 1 year doctor's appointment today.  My, my, how much that girl has changed in just one little year!

Stats at Birth                                           Stats at 1 Year
Weight: 7.12  lbs                                     18.4 lbs (9th%)
Height: 20 inches                                     28 1/2 inc (25th%)
Head:  15 inches                                     18 3/4 in. (97th%  YOWZA!)

The doctor was a bit concerned about her weight.  I got the official okay to give her butter and high-calorie foods to help her pack on the pounds.  I'm torn between worrying about my daughter's weight, and being completely jealous that someone who came out of me would ever be worrying about being too light.

I also wanted to ask: any chance there is a genetic component to her weight?  That girl honestly eats like a horse!  Casey and I often ask her if she has a hollow leg; we can't figure out where she is packing away all her food!!  Not to mention... well, have you seen her father?!

Otherwise, her development is completely normal.  The doctor was impressed by her vocabulary (yay!), and said that all her motor skills look great. 

We'll have to go back to the doctor in a week, because I didn't get her shots since my sweet little pumpkin has been sick.  We'll also have to have an x-ray done to check her hips since she was a breech baby.  Other than that, a great report from the doc! 

And, as an added bonus, we ran into Auntie Jessica completely at random!  Auntie Jess was there getting her own baby check-up, while I was checking Leah in to the pediatrician.  It is going to be so much fun to go back to the hospital Leah was born in to visit Jess and her own sweet bundle of joy!  That day will be here in just two short months... I can't wait!

All in all, a lot to be thankful for.