So long Sweet Summer

Summer is not really ending, as it is still 100+ degrees here with no end in sight. However, our lazy days are coming to a close as SCHOOL starts on FRIDAY. That means FOUR more days of Freedom for Little Bit. Not that she goes to real school anyway. She tells me she goes to school to--and I quote-- "Play." LOL

Here is a quick recap of our summer and some of the fun things we did. I am not the most frequent blogger so I don't want to leave anyone out.

Played chess on the Strand in Galveston

Chess pieces literally are as big as she is....

Went to dinner with her awesome aunts and uncles... From left my brother Jay, sister Lisa, brother Josh (with Leila), new sister-in-law Courtney, who is married to my brother Jimmy on right

Snacking at the Children's Museum with Kylie (Look at the camera girls!!!)

First Icee ever on the Kemah Boardwalk fountains

On the Kemah Boardwalk Merry-Go-Round with Aunt Lili

Riding "Daddy Deer" (character from Bambi) on the carousel at the Kemah Boardwalk

Leila's new outfit from Vegas just happened to match her first Barbie's outfit. And Barbie has a toy pink poodle just like Leila. Does the obsession begin now??

Aunt Lili came to visit with her cute dog, Lucy (Leila's true obsession... she only asks about that dog, oh, once an hour.)

Taking Lucy on another dog walk, three a day is still not enough apparently for girl or dog :)

All smiles on the Big Girl Bed... Often I find her asleep on top of all of her stuffed animals and books, which she found essential for nap time

Being kissed by Missy, her Nana's dog

Giving Nana a kiss in return

What about Mom and Dad? We went to Vegas for Patrick's birthday, but had too much fun to take a lot of pictures. Here we are in front of the Hoover Dam.

Leila and Ryan hanging out at his bday party in June... We miss you Ryan!!! (And all of our Sienna friends, for that matter.)

Baby Ethan came to visit and see our new house. They were so cute together. There was a little mugging going down, but I didn't get a good picture of it (thank goodness)

Taking Lucy-Goosey on a dog walk in her jammies in San Marcos.. truly the highlight of my brother Jimmy's wedding weekend.

Singing in the Rain...

Elmo Birthday Party

Leila's 2nd Birthday Party was tons-o-fun. She was so excited for her friends to come and play at her house. We had something like 19 babies, toddlers, and older kiddos running around. WOW did she have fun. Thank you to all of her friends and family for sharing her special day.

Little Bit's 2nd Bday

Leila has been telling anyone who asks that she was 2 for quite some time now, and now that day has finally come. Growing up, birthdays were a really big deal in my family, and I can't help but do the same for my own child. We started the day with pancakes per her request, then went to Jump-n-Jungle to "Jump!" for a while. It is a huge facility with several different gigantic moonwalks for kids. There are several slides, most of which I have to carry her up on one hip ala Tarzan & Jane. I have learned to wear pants after burning skin off on those slides. But it is worth it--she had a blast.

For lunch Patrick came home and we had tuna sandwiches (she loves them) and cupcakes. Then we opened presents. I had a feeling once she saw her presents, she would not want to go to sleep, so we figured it would be easier to sacrifice naptime rather than bedtime. And that is how the story played out. I had to carry her crying up to her room, but she calmed down after a story and went to sleep for a short time willingly (God bless her and her McKinney sleeping genes.)

The big present for the big 0-2 was... a bike! A big wheels-type tricycle, actually, in pink of course. She has been asking about that bike every day for the last month and oh, was it worth the wait. The seat lifts up and you can hide your treasures in there (but unfortunately forgot they were there and cried about it when the babysitter couldn't find pink puppy the next day.)

After her nap we met the mom's club for ice cream and then went to Cici's pizza for dinner with her dad, pizza being her favorite food. Then home for another bike ride, of course!

As a side note, she had her 2-yr check up today (day after bday) and took her shots so well the nurse was impressed. But what is really exciting is she is finally on the growth chart like a normal kid, yea!! Height is 50% and weight is 20%. Prayers answered.

Mommy and Leila on the big slide. You can't tell by her face, but she LOVES the slides. She would rather go alone and does not want me to hld her. Fearless.

Packing her big girl bike.

Here I come! Check out my fancy new jewelry.

Wait, where are the brakes??!!

But I don't want to go home and take a nap....

2 Years Old

How have 2 years gone by so quickly? It seems like yesterday I was in my friend Erica's prenatal fitness class, talking to my friends about what it was going to be like once we had our babies. Now those babies are two, and well, no longer babies any more. Bittersweet.

Leila and I have spent the last few days watching all of our videos of her since she was born. She loves to watch "Baby Aya" on the screen and thinks the noises the baby makes are hilarious. Which they are. Gone are the chubby cheeks, the downy dark hair. Gone are the chubby thighs and silly cooing sounds. The little girl that has taken her place is tall, has curly blonde hair, is quite silly and loving, and most definitely opinionated.

Patrick and I were taken aback on Sunday when Leila said--completely unprompted-- "I love you Daddy. I love you Mama." We just looked at each other--where did that come from? I don't know if he teared up, but I sure did. I don't even know if she fully understands what it means, but it sure was sweet.

A little about Leila at age 2:

• She is the ultimate girly-girly: wears her hair up, carries a purse ,wears jewelry, has her toenails painted, loves shoes
• Favorite color is yellow
• Knows her ABCs and can count to 12, though only when she wants to
• Current lovey is pink puppy, aptly named "puppy"
• Loves dogs (and cats, much to her father's chagrin)
• Favorite food is pizza (or so she says)
• Wants to characterize everyone as "boy" or "girl," including her stuffed animals
• Likes to watch Elmo, Baby Einstein with signs, and choice Disney movies
• Has a fierce sense of independence
• Is still v. attached to "pink paci" (this is not going to be a fun battle)
• Current favorite books are Winnie the Pooh stories, and The Three Bears
• Has an amazing memory and is able to make connections that surprise me for her age
• Is quite crafty at delaying bed time: "Milk! Story! Kiss!"
  

What an incredible journey this is. We love you LeilaBug! You amaze us every day.

All growed up

My sister Lisa came to stay with us during the time we have been having all of these thunderstorms. As Leila (supposedly) napped, we watched Friends reruns downstairs and chatted. Then we heard some thunder, only Lisa did not think it was thunder. I listened closely to the baby monitor, and did not hear anything else so I did not go upstairs to check on my sleeping beauty. When I eventually went to wake Leila from her nap, my heart dropped when I saw she was not in her bed. I looked around, and there was my little princess, sound asleep in her rocking chair.

Apparently, Leila either climbed or fell out of her crib and was still sleepy so climbed into her chair for a nap! I have been asking her what happened, and all I can get out of her is that she did fall and her teeth were hurt (UPDATE: 2 year molars were coming in!)

Needless to say, that evening we converted her crib to a toddler bed. We were a bit worried about night wandering in her room, but explained she needed to stay in her big girl bed. She is thrilled to have a big girl bed and climbed in and out over and over. The first evening we both checked on her during the night and she stayed in there. When I went to get Leila in the morning, she was sitting in her bed, playing with her toys. She had brought some more toys into her bed but was waiting for me to get her like I do every morning. Precious!