11 Months and Other Things

Here we are now at 11 months, quickly approaching a year old. It truly seems like yesterday that Leah joined our family-she has brought such joy, contentment, and entertainment to us all. Greg and I aren't sure if she's been so great and easy because it is just one baby this time (and we can sit back and enjoy her) or if she is just the easiest baby on earth - could be a bit of both. Leah is a joyful and silly little girl. She is happy to be in our presence with a basket of toys. She is very observant and likes to know what is going on at all times. Leah has started to point to everything and if we aren't quick enough to look at that object and tell her what it is, she pushes our face in that direction. She thinks her brothers are hilarious. And her favorite activities are reading and eating. 

This little table and chairs were Olivia's - Leah looks so big in it. She had a great time until she fell out of her seat.

Ryan  adores his sister. He is the best babysitter and entertainer. He likes to be help to give her a bath, feed her, and play with her all all times (he even asked to change her diaper). I love that I can count on him when I need help. Luke is great, too, but he has to be asked to come out of his own world to acknowledge any of us. He really is good about showing her things and talking to her about her toys and books-but he has to be prodded to do so. She is a lucky little girl to have such great siblings.

Leah loves to be read to. One of her favorite activities is to turn the pages in her books while we're reading. She can be fairly picky about some books, and if she doesn't like the one you're reading, she'll close the cover on it.

I'm so blessed to have these 3 great kids.

Leah was subjected to a later evening than she wanted while Greg and I watched the TCU v. Oregon game. It was looking like a major blowout in the 1st half, but TCU came back 30+ in the 2nd half to win in triple overtime. She was so ready for bed by this point - but we forced to her stay up until the end.  

Example of Leah's silliness. She had a great time beserking the floor. Be sure to turn the sound up to hear her sound effects.

Ryan loves to play with Leah - she thinks he is the funniest thing ever.

Finally crawling!  Leah is pretty content to stay in one area, so we haven't had to put gates up yet, but she is able to get around. She is now able to crawl in a more traditional manner, but in this video, we were able to prompt her to move with Cheerios.

Future dancing queen!

Joyful baby!

Christmas

We had a great Christmas and I think that Leah thoroughly enjoyed her 1st one. 

Many, many, many pictures were taken - as usual, it is nearly impossible to get all 3 kids smiling and looking at the camera at the same time.

Annual Christmas Eve party with Greg's family - Denver cousins all together.

Santa brought Leah a ball pit.

Christmas was a bit different this year with the boys no longer believing in Santa - but they were thrilled to see that Santa still brought them great presents - a drone for Ryan and a telescope for Luke.

Grandad and Nana arrived in time to enjoy Christmas evening with us.

Leah and her stocking - made by Nana (her 7th grandchild stocking).

It was great to have them visit for a few days - the boys enjoyed many board games and a trip to the pool. Leah loved the countless leg bounces and endless supply of books.

New Year's Eve - only 2 of the 3 were supposed to be awake at 10 - Leah didn't want to miss the party.

Leah's new Owl Rocker - great Christmas present from Papa and Grandma. She loves it.

Thanksgiving and 10 Months

We spent Thanksgiving in Lubbock this year. Ryan and Luke had a blast with their cousins and Leah loved spending time with Nana and Grandad and Lucy.

Dinner with Aunt Jane and Uncle Charlie was great.

Crazy how fast 4 of these kids have grown up.

Leah at lunch while on the road.

Greg and I went to the TCU v. Baylor game the day after Thanksgiving. We stood through a torrential downpour and froze our toes off, but it was totally worth it to watch TCU win. It was a great game and the perfect birthday present from my sweet husband. Thank to Grandad and Nana for keeping the kids while we enjoyed our trip.

10 Months Old!!!

Leah's daycare person sends me pictures every day.. I love them!

She has already turned into a little bookworm.

Ryan built a snowman for his sister.

She has the best brothers.

This picture cracks me up - sledding while in shorts. Crazy Colorado weather.

Leah gets a daily report from daycare - each week has a theme and we know what books she read, games played, and songs sang. One report stated she had "free choice toy basket." Greg and I got a kick out of that-all Leah has at home is free choice toy basket.

Leah picked a night when Greg was out of town to have a party from about midnight to 2am.

She was wide awake.

And in a great mood.

I'll never get tired of this sweet face.

The Santa Talk

I will always love this picture - it captures the last day that the boys believed in Santa Claus. The conversation started when Ryan told me that he wanted to believe in Santa, but he really wasn't sure if it was true. For example, it doesn't really make sense how he is able to visit every house on Christmas Eve and why do all of the Santas look different. Luke started trying to explain that he thinks that the way Santa visits every house is through his elves and it's not really him going down every chimney. Ryan then said "I will be disappointed if Santa is not real, but I'll really be disappointed if I'm forced to believe something that isn't true." After some back and forth of saying that Santa is real when you want to believe he is real, etc. Ryan said that he gets it, but he still wants to know because he doesn't want to be "stupid" if Santa is not a real person. Greg finally told him that Santa is not 1 real person, but that there is a little bit of Santa in all of us. Ryan thought that meant that Santa told us what to get him and then we got it. Luke said, "No Ryan, Mama and Daddy order our gifts from Amazon. They are Santa." After the revelation, Luke pointed out a few times that he had found evidence that we had bought his Santa gifts (blue duct tape in the trash can from his R2D2 costume, a calendar that was left in an Amazon box that he later got on Christmas morning). We had been expecting anger or tears from Ryan, but he was fine with it. When I tucked him into bed that night he thanked me for telling him the truth.

Now there are 4 of us in the house who get to keep Santa alive and fun for Leah. Ryan and Luke are excited to get to help out.

Halloween and 9 Months

We had a wonderful Halloween - the weather was perfect, and the costumes were a success. Luke came up with the idea to be Voyager 1. I told Greg that I was out of this one - so he worked hard to come up with Luke's costume. I think it weighed 15 pounds and we ended up having to tie the satellite dish down to the box in order for Luke to be able support his head. But it was a success - and he got many compliments from the adults at the school parade for his awesome costume. Ryan chose to be alien-which I appreciated the ease of his costume. Leah's 1st Halloween was great - she didn't mind her costume at all. She's a lamb, even though one of my friends suggested she looked more like a Shamwow.

I can't believe I have 3 kids this Halloween!!

We tried so hard to teach Leah to say "Baa" before Halloween - but to no success. Maybe next year she'll be more cooperative.

9 months old!!!! How did that happen so fast?

Leah continues to be an absolute delight. She is a happy and silly little girl. She's recently started some stranger danger, but for the most part is super social. She's a "healthy" little girl and has already outgrown most of her 6-12 month clothes. Leah is following after her brothers in the exceeds expectations weight department - she was 21 lbs at her 9 month check up, a little bigger than Ryan at this point, but lighter than Luke.

Her daycare location has been fantastic and I've loved getting daily pictures of what she's been up to.

In October we took the boys to the Corn Maze - it is super helpful to have a map. 

I didn't get any pictures of us in the maze, but I took this one of the 3 kids afterwards.

Leah loves her swing and especially loves swinging with her brothers.

I went with Ryan and Luke on their Cub Scout hike a few weeks ago. It was a gorgeous day in the foothills.

 

Pumpkin patch pictures!

Pumpkin carving time. The boys get so grossed out by scooping the seeds out of the pumpkin.

Nana and Grandad visited during Halloween and stayed a few days longer to help us out while Greg was out of town.

Leah loved watching Grandad carve her pumpkin.

It's a sheep!

Leah had more fun eating the leaves during our photo shoot than looking at the camera or Nana and Grandad.

And then we had snow! After a very mild fall, it finally cooled off. Leah wasn't too impressed with her snow experience - not upset, but not really interested.

Videos:

Jumping fool!

Leah thinks Ryan is the funniest person in the world.

First sled ride!