Author: Carrie Spritzer

Puzzle Addict

I already know that my biggest hurdle as a parent will be to keep Miss Leyba challenged. At two years old, she already speaks in full sentences, shows a strong interest in learning to read right now, and loves her puzzles. Not little 4 or 12 piece puzzles.

16, 24, 35, 63… 100 piece puzzles!


You know, the ones that say 6 years and up on the side:



I should make a movie so you can see her at work. After all, you may need documented proof of her in action to believe me. She’s truly amazing.


And she knows it.

I do think she’s also screaming, “Mom, come on! Challenge me already!”

Sleeping Loves

Frequently we put Miss Leyba to bed and then read for a while ourselves before turning in.

This is a common scene around here:

However, this is an even more typical sight:


Sometimes I even hear them snoring together! (Okay, breathing loudly! Thankfully they don’t snore!) That’s the sign that Mama needs to put away her book or get off the computer and come to bed.

My cuddly and cozy loves!

Hair Clips

I’ve tried to style my daughter’s hair.

She lets me comb her hair every day now, a routine that was a long time coming. No more screaming or crying, she just sits and lets me comb it. Thank you, sweetie.

Man, those curls get so tangled!

She lets me cut her bangs every few weeks. She was so tired of her hair in her eyes. I usually have to plop her down on David’s lap so she’ll face me and sit still and then I try to cut them in about 30 seconds flat.

I think they are super cute even if they are a bit short right now (her hair grows so fast, I’m trying not to have to cut her hair so often).


Here she is trying to comb my hair while I take her picture. Note: she’s also saying “Cheese!”

I’ve tried using bows, ribbons, hair clips, hair ties. I want to braid it, put it in pigtails, and clip it up.

Today she let me play with it and, oh my, ADORABLE!

She looked in the mirror and smiled and posed and LOVED her hair accessories!

But it only lasted five minutes and then they were out.

Her curls of hair down long on her back.

And we headed out.

Come back to our house tomorrow for a repeat performance.

But no clapping or encouraging this behavior, you hear?!

Miss Leyba Says

Recently (frequently?!) heard around here…

“Just one!” Note the important finger placement:

Big announcements: “Daddy, you have brown eyes! Mommy has green eyes! I have blue eyes!”

She’s constantly singing: the alphabet song, “Puff the Magic Dragon,” “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” “Twinkle Twinkle,” and songs from Music Together (especially “She Sells Seashells”). This week she has been OBSESSED with “Honey, Honey” from “Mamma Mia.” (I’m thrilled that she inadvertently changes the words from “honey, honey, how I want you” to “honey, honey, how I wonder!”)

In the car, she likes informing me when the traffic light has changed (“Green light, Mom!”).

She also pipes up from the back seat, after a sharp turn, “Mom, you okay?”

She’s very encouraging with her friends and parents: “Come on, Dad!” “Try again.” “Good job.”

Occasionally she makes cute mistakes. I asked her to point her toes and instead she pointed at her toes:

And she’s all about the “I loves.”
“I love to read.”
“I love this shirt.”
“I love these pants.”
“I love this book.”
“I love to draw.”
“I love my friends.”


And, of course, our favorite:
“I love you.”

The other day she even turned to David and said, “Don’t worry, Daddy, I love you.”

Man, are we crazy about this little girl. She is so much fun.

Morning Craft Time

Miss Leyba surprised us this morning when she woke up at 5 am (yes, you read that right!) and suddenly we had hours until our morning playdate. What better time to practice cutting with scissors and do some crafts together?



With several cups of (decaf) English Breakfast Tea for Mom, it made for a rather perfect morning.