Catching Up

We've had a good and busy past couple of weeks. Leah continues to grow and we've become more used to her being a part of our family to the point now that we'd be lost without her. She's an absolute delight and has had little problem going with the flow around here. 

Ryan and Luke completed their first year in Destination Imagination. Greg was very involved in a similar program called Odyssey of the Mind when he was in middle school. He has thought that the boys would really enjoy a similar program that would allow them to show off their creative tendencies. I ended up as Team Manager, along with one other mom (the only other working mom of the group-somehow the stay at home moms were too busy) and we've been meeting with a total of six 3rd graders every week since the beginning of November. Overall, the group did great. They all got along and created their own creative Feary Tale (a fairy tale about a phobia). For their first year (and with 2 inexperienced Team Managers) they ended up in 11th out of 23 teams in the elementary school level. 

Fortunately, Nana was able to be with us during the DI competition day. She came back to help me while Greg was gone for a week in New Orleans. She was a super big help the whole time - but especially on that day which allowed me and Greg to spend the day with Ryan and Luke - it was almost like old times.

Nana was even kind enough to text me several pictures of her and Leah's day.

Leah is a girl of many faces. She reminds us of Luke in that way. But once Luke hit about 6 months old to about a year and a half  he only had 2 faces - stoic and a smile. We hope that Leah will keep her many expressions. She hasn't really started smiling on purpose yet - but when she starts, she is going to have a very cute one once she really means it. My mom claims that she got a genuine smile out of her, but I didn't see it, so I don't believe it (really, I'm wanting her to smile for me first).

Ryan set up a Hot Chocolate Stand a couple of weeks ago. He saw a story on the news about a boy in Denver who had done the same to raise money for Children's Hospital. Ryan was determined to create his own. By the time I got up the next morning, he had already taken out his table and chair to the curb and Greg had given him a thermos of hot water and hot chocolate mix. I texted some of my work colleagues and one of them came over to buy some hot chocolate - it totally made his day. I've decided that from now on, I should always stop for any kid who has a lemonade or whatever stand. Overall, Ryan made $10 - half of which was from me and Greg buying cups of hot chocolate from him. I think he was pleased.

We've tried to continue the Sunday night cooking classes for the last few weeks - it doesn't happen every week, but we've done our best. Ryan selected homemade pizza a couple of weeks ago. We made the dough and the pizza sauce together and Ryan then added the toppings.

Luke created a centerpiece and personalized nameplates for our dinner last week. 

Leah has her own nameplate, as well. She joins us at the table in her high chair when she is awake. She likes to be around everyone else.

Above is a great example of how completely different these 2 boys are. Ryan is playing soccer again this season (yay!) and Luke spent his time during the game writing poetry next to the little river. 

Davis has also accepted that Leah is here to stay. He is the most tolerant cat ever, but he also isn't willing to give up our laps just because she is around. 

Spring Break started yesterday and I successfully took all 3 children on an outing by myself. We spent the morning at the zoo without any major problems. Leah slept most of the time and the boys were very helpful and patient while I maneuvered her and the crowds. When we got in the car to come home, Ryan said "Good job, Mama."

A moment of zen: a video of Leah and her pacifier. She is quite talented.

One is never too young for a cool pair of sunglasses.

A Girl and Her Brothers

 Leah is one very lucky girl to have 2 great big brothers. The nearly 9 year age difference between her and them seems a bit much at times - but the huge benefit is that she has 2 extra people who can help to take care of her.  Ryan and Luke now look so big to me-especially in their faces, but I love how much they want to be a part of her life and I love how much they can do with her. They have both been such huge helpers. They are great at jumping in to fetch things and to entertainer her. I also love how sweet and tender-hearted they have been. They were so excited to learn that they were going to have a baby sister and that excitement hasn't diminished.

Luke is so good at talking to Leah. I can always count on him to attend to her when she is getting fussy or I need a minute to do something else. He really has the whole "motherese" way of talking down perfectly. He has even gotten on to Ryan for not paying attention to her.  He said to Ryan one day when I was in the kitchen, "Ryan, what is more important, Leah or Minecraft?"

Ryan adores his sister. He doesn't always want to be interrupted with what he is doing to deal with Leah, but he is truly in love with her. He said to me last week, "she is just so adorable. I have seen other babies but they just aren't like Leah." 

Sept 2014 - Ryan and Luke announcing the news of an upcoming baby sister

The First Month

We made it through the first month. Leah has been a delight. We've had a handful of not great nights-but for the most part, she wakes up only once and lets me sleep in after that. She even gave us a full 7 hour stretch one evening-but we know that was a fluke (but it was a glorious night). It is crazy how fast the time has flown by already. 

Ryan and Luke have really enjoyed their new sister. They've been a great help to all of us. 

Greg was gone for a couple of days this week. Dinner would not have occurred if they hadn't been willing to take over at times. Leah was learning a bit about Sim City or Minecraft in the above picture.

It snowed while Greg was gone and they didn't hesitate get outside in 5 degree weather and shovel our driveway so I could take them to school.

Grandad got Leah this cute little butterfly outfit back in September. It somewhat became the color scheme I was looking for with her nursery.

No outfit is complete without a great pair of shoes.

And a wonderful Daddy to go along with it is a must.

This is Leah's post eating pose. She typically crashes.

Davis is has been great with the new baby. He is generally great with anything (except for my parent's dog, he really hates her). He was even willing to share my lap one day with Leah. He initially wanted to sit on her head, but did settle on sitting on her legs instead.

We've had a couple of outings - besides a trip to Target, Leah, Nana and I headed out to a local jewelry store one afternoon. We loved her little outfit-there are so many more options when it comes to dressing a little girl than a little boy.

Grandad is the best baby holder ever.

Papa and Grandma visited recently. 

And now a slew of family photos - because as Greg would say, we take a lot of pictures.

Leah made a very unlady like noise at this point, which cracked me and my mom up.

This family photo includes my attempt to crop out the pajama bottoms I was wearing - which is pretty much what I wear every day.

The boys had a biography presentation at school. Ryan chose the Wright Brothers and Luke chose Theodore Roosevelt. They did a great job-and we loved their costumes.

The snow and cold have not bothered the boys at all. They have created a tree fort and even added their own list of rules and nailed it to the tree (I believe Rule #1 is Be Nice - I'd like that rule to pertain to the house, as well). They have plans to add a rope ladder and a seating area in the spring. Ryan really wanted to do all of that on a day when it was about 15 degrees outside-it took some convincing that this would be a warmer weather project. 

Video of Luke of sledding with his snowman. He is such a goofy, good-natured kid.

Video of Ryan pushing his snowman down the hill. He didn't make it one piece-which really ticked Ryan off.

Three weeks with 3 kids.

And lastly, a video of Leah. This is a job in which we need to greatly improve. Ryan and Luke love to watch videos of themselves growing up. So far,we've taken one cell phone video of Leah - and it was during her midnight feeding. Perhaps if we were to get a real video camera, it would remind us to video her more. In the meantime, this is all we got. She doesn't do much as this point, but she is still cute.

Leah's Room

I love Leah's room. Hopefully she'll start liking it more, too, and will want to sleep in it at night. Greg seems to think that we went way out on her room over the boys - my dad and I reminded him that the boys' room was worked on just as much-but in different ways (like the bead board wall that Grandad installed). When I found out I was having a girl, I knew I didn't want all pink. Greg requested that he not have to paint anything that color. I'm not a fan of pink and I think there is way too much of it out there (and sometimes the only option). I had originally planned on an aqua and red room, but when my mom and I started looking at fabrics, I was drawn to purple. Being a TCU alum always draws me to purple. Plus there are so many different shades of purple, and they all go together. I think her room is perfect and will grow with her as she gets older.

My mom and I selected the fabrics for the bedding. My Aunt Jane made the quilt hanging on the back of the crib. Jane gave me the quilt the same night we told her that Leah's middle name would be Jane, in honor of her.Above her crib is a bird mobile - it was originally going to hang over her bed, but I sawed the branch off an aspen tree in our backyard and found it was much easier to mount to the wall. I found the pattern for the birds, and Nana sewed them together. Next to that is a portion of a sheet that my great grandmother embroidered, likely sometime in the early 1920s. Her name was Rosie-thus the R, but it goes with our last name, as well. The tatting around that was done either by her, my grandmother, or my grandmother's step-mother. Nanny's mother died when she was 5, so this was always special to her as one of the few things that she had to remember her mother by. Nanny passed away one year ago yesterday, so it means so much to me to have something in the room to remind me of her. Nanny would have been so thrilled with another great granddaughter. She always said that she didn't know anything about boys.

My dad made the tree bookcase. I found an example of it on a website several months ago. I was shocked at the price of $900 and sent a picture to my mom-jokingly asking if Dad could make it. He started it that weekend. It took many months and countless hours - and in the end he said he can understand the price - but now Leah has her very own custom made bookcase. As my mom has said, it will be a family heirloom. Dad has said it isn't very practical - but we've all told him that isn't the point.

Overall, everything came together great. I think it is the perfect purple nursery for a sweet little girl.