Someone crawled over to the laundry basket before we were finished getting dressed.
I recognize that look.
Mom, I got away from you! Ha ha ha! See, we don’t have to put my pants on!
(Thanks to Alice for the babylegs! Aren’t they adorable?! Miss Leyba’s thighs are so chubby that they only fit as leg warmers! I think they are more cute that way anyhow.)
From my blog in college:
“There is nothing like bouncing around the biology building in spandex to set the tone for my day! Gardening and dancing: the two things I want to wake up to every day of my life.”
January 30, 2001
When was the last time you danced and gardened all in one day?
Better yet, when was the last time you danced around in public wearing spandex?
(photo of Carrie circa 1985)
I rarely make New Years Resolutions. Partially because everyone seems to make them and no one seems to keep them. Partly because I think January 1 as the start of the year is pretty arbitrary.
My goal for 2009 is really more of a challenge for me to meet by the time I turn 30 (in approximately 13 months) than a New Years Resolution.
I want to lose 15 pounds.
I’d like to lose closer to 25, but I think a goal of 15 is more realistic.
I don’t know if it’s going to be possible while I’m breastfeeding to do this. My appetite is ferocious and my daughter’s need to suckle is great. And my breasts are huge right now while she is breastfeeding. My nursing bra cup size is a G/H, despite the fact that I have been back to my pre pregnancy clothing size since the spring.
I don’t know if I am going to be able to find the time to exercise and eat the way I want to.
But I’m going to try.
Stick around and cheer me on during this journey.
Here’s to a great 2009.
This is the first in a new feature here: books that we love.
From the very first day (literally!), we have been reading to Miss Leyba. David and I both love to read ourselves and sharing books with our daughter has been such a blessing for our family. We’ve so enjoyed watching her develop a love of books:
We have found that board books are a godsend. No paper cuts. No tearing (though she’s only done this a few times). No bent pages. No ruined pages because of all the drool. And the occasional bites.
Board books are (more) sturdy.
Nowadays most baby books come in this format and I strongly recommend you search them out when buying presents for little ones. After a few months, we packed up all the non-board children’s books –because she terrorized the hell out of them–and have only now (at almost a year old) started reintroducing them to her.
There are also small, thick, sturdy board books which are especially good for teething on, if you can get paste the whole baby chewing on cardboard (which I personally prefer to baby chewing on plastic–eck!). We especially like these Eric Carle ones
They feature words from some of Eric Carle’s books like The Very Busy Spider
We like these because we can read (or tell!) the longer story that these words were excerpted from while Miss Leyba plays with the smaller book; they are highly portable (I always have a few in my purse); the pages are extra thick which makes them very easy to turn; and they are fairly hard to rip apart, though after about 8 months of use ours are finally starting to beat the dust.
With them we practice animal names, animal sounds, colors, and spelling (i.e., D-O-G). We stack them up like blocks and knock them down. They are endlessly fun to play with.
The original books are pretty great too.
Dear Miss Leyba,
You are eleven months old now!
And this is my last monthly letter. (Look, I am so excited about this that I even wrote it early.)
Not that I haven’t enjoyed writing them, but from here on out I am going to write to you at a minimum every year on your birthday… but more realistically I am going to write when I feel inspired to do so: when you have a new accomplishment or I have a cute story about you that I want us to remember.
And let’s face it: this whole blog has morphed from Carrie’s daily happenings to MISS LEYBA’S FAN CLUB! Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I honestly can’t remember the last time I wrote a post just about me. And mama deserves a little blog face time too, don’t you think?
Before I start rambling about this past month, I have a little catch up to do. In the last letter I forgot to write about what a cuddly and affectionate girl you are becoming. You give us giant hugs and super wet kisses every day. You are also so very smiley and happy these days. Oh, your cute laughing and happy shrieking! (Especially when Daddy is playing with you!) I think you are coming into your own.
The big development this month is that you are teetering on the edge of walking by yourself! All month you walked around holding our hand (yes, one hand! how do you balance yourself?!) and took the occasional steps by yourself. When this happened you almost immediately squatted down and clapped for yourself (and we cheered!).
Earlier this week though you started really taking steps on your own. Last night you took 9 steps in a row and it went something like this:
Step, step, pause. Step, step, pause. Step, step, pause. Step, step, pause. Step, pause… Cheer and clap!
Sometimes you are so excited that you are walking that you start cheering, waving your hands and clapping for yourself while you’re walking and then you almost always wipe out (i.e. sit down). We’re thrilled that you’re so proud of yourself and, my god, is it cute when you cheer for yourself, but it really can be hard to multitask. Especially when it messes with your balance and everything.
And I almost forgot — you now have teeth! Not just one tooth, but FOUR! Despite this, you have been incredibly smiley and happy. You’re continually breastfeeding though: evidently I am the ultimate comforter. There is no thumb sucking or a special favorite toy (yet!). There is mama. And boy do you love me! (I love you too, sweetie!)
Things that are big this month: clapping, waving and saying “bye bye.” You’ve been doing all of the above for a while, but now you are REALLY doing them. I know I say this a lot, but just when we thought you couldn’t talk more or clap more and wave more, you surprise us. What can I say? You continually amaze us.
You continue to love knocking down towers of blocks, reading books, singing songs (you even do the hand motions for “If you’re happy and you know it” most of the time!), dropping objects (off the high chair, off the bed, off the changing table), and following after us. You like to be in the middle of the action. And doing everything we’re doing. (Hence, the above photo where you are evidently working on our grocery list.)
I am getting very good at cooking while holding you. And unloading the dishwasher. And even doing the dishes. And loading up the laundry.
If we can’t find the remote (or a book or shoe or cell phone), chances are you’ve hidden it under the couch. You love putting things under there.
Sweetie, we just keep having so much fun together. And just when I think we couldn’t possibly have more fun together or you couldn’t possibly get any cuter, you blow me away and prove that we can and you are.
Life with you and Daddy rocks. We are all so happy.
2008 has been my favorite year ever.
I love you, little one.
Love,
Mama