Our Stocking

Easily the idea she was most excited about in regard to Santa coming, Leslie's stocking gets a little lighter.

Our Quotes

Jody said on the way to school this morning that Leslie could see the moon. This is what she said:
"Don't get me moon! Stay in da sky, moon!"

Last night she got back from looking at Christmas lights, and hadn't had dinner yet. Jody took her to the changing table and I followed to tell her hello. She wasn't having that...
"No, mommy. Go COOK!!"

When she gave Amy her Christmas present, she ran over to her and said, "Here Amy! I give you a present!" When she left, she said, "Bye Amy! Merry Christmas!" (it was cute because she said that all on her own).

She's finally getting into the Santa thing now that I've begin emphasizing the candy he will bring. She wasn't impressed by the prospect of presents, but she's amazed that he might bring her some candy. In fact, she said "I not cry," referencing Santa Clause is Coming to Town. I was pretty impressed she put that together.

She remembers who each present under the tree is for.

Her favorite Christmas song to sing is Jingle Bells, and she calls Christmas music "Christmas Tree Music."

She loves the Grinch and Frosty the Snowman. "That mean ole Glinch!"

She has become 100% afraid of the dark :( "I not like dark. Go away dark! Be nice, dark!"

Our Half-Marathon

"Dare Mommy right dare! Dare Mommy right dare! Mommy running!"

This is almost the finish-line dialogue I imagined I'd get from Leslie when I decided to run this half marathon. Rarely do our little fantasies about big moments in our lives play out the way we build them up. This one did.

In fact, it was better, because about a tenth of a mile from the finish, my little girl ran out -- as impulsive, excited two-year-olds will do -- and gave me a hug. My fantasy also didn't factor in the amount of enthusiasm she'd have when she spotted me. Jody was thoughtful enough to video that moment for me.

I feel great after this run. I set an ambitious goal for my finish time -- 2:45, and I made it. It was a little frustrating that the official clock passed the 2:45 point before I got there, but after subtracting my start differential I finished at 2:44:18. If it weren't for the East Broad Street hill, I would have easily finished a whole minute faster.

There were some surprises in this race. I was so focused on the individuality of the run, I didn't realize how much FUN I'd have with my friends. Ashley Long stayed Saturday night with me and went on to finish first in her division, which was so exciting. One anecdote from packet pick-up was Ashley walking up to get her number.

Ashley: "Ashley Long"
Volunteer: (Couldn't find her bib) "Are you fast?"
Ashley: "Ummmm, I don't know."
Volunteer: "What's your anticipated finish?"
Ashley: "1:30"
Volunteer laughs about Ashley saying she didn't know whether she was fast. "Your bib's over there." (with the fast people)

Then there were my training buddies: Ally and Deanna. And their families -- Stephen and Lizzie ran the last tenth to the finish with Ally. I'm not a sentimental person and didn't expect to feel so emotional about these friends with whom I shared this experience.

Another surprise was the number of times I heard, "Way to go, Carla!" at the finish. I saw Deanna first, which is so fitting because I don't think I could have done this without her help. Then Jody, Leslie, Josh, Anniston, Ashley, Derrell, Tommy, Anna, Madison, and Emma were all cheering for me. One of the perks of finishing near the end.

A local guy who's lost like 200 pounds for a reality show finished after we watched Ashley take first place in her division at the awards ceremony. I cried then, too. Nope, don't know the guy. But his wife and newborn were waiting to put his medal on at the finish....who wouldn't cry? I'm pretty sure Stephen did.

As for me, after my race I headed straight for the food table, starving, then found the family. Leslie put my medal on for me with no prompting. I didn't get a medal that my husband made; those were reserved for the first 100 and last 100 finishers. I finished 1,628 out of 1,791 finishers. I love that Jody made the top 100 finishers medal that Ashley now has -- and her plaque. It just makes this event all the more special for me.

I must have a pretty darn good self-esteem to be so exited about my finish considering the fast company I've been in today. Both sets of Longs ate with us and I, the slowest finisher, was the only person bragging about her time. Works for me.

Our Doctor

Today I told Leslie we were going to see Doctor Bo, and for first time when I told her we were going to the doctor, she said:

"No Doc Bo, no Cheryl, no bamb-aid, no boo-boo, no hurts!"

So, it seems she's figured out the whole doctor thing.

Our Booty Kiss

Leslie fell out of her chair today. Here's what happened after:

"Mommy I pell down."
"I know you did."
"I pell down right dere." (points to her booty)
"I know, I'm sorry."
"Tiss it, Mommy!"
"You want me to kiss your booty?" (laughing)
"uh huh."
I kiss it. She thinks a minute, clearly realizing there's something to this because of my laughter.
"I tiss Mommy's booty," she decides.
"Okay." I stand up and turn around...she gets up and into position. Then she shrinks back.
"No, mommy. Sit back down."

I think she got it.

Happy Birthday to....

So every night since Collin's birthday in August, Leslie asks to sing Happy Birthday. She usually begins with Collin, but wants to sing to people who are on her mind. Tonight, we went to the Navy School send-off party. She jump on the inflatables for an hour straight -- and was drenched in sweat and exhausted! We had to leave before Blessed Union of Souls or Sister Hazel took the stage. Anyway, tonight, the first "person" she wanted to sing Happy Birthday to was the jumpies.

Oh...And Collin was there also tonight. When she saw him, she screamed, jumped up and down and yelled "Collin Collin Collin." SOOO cute! She also had a blast dancing to the opening band.

Our Pedicure

Our Happenings

So a week ago Leslie said the blessing by herself for the first time. It was such a fun moment for us. Also at dinner, upon Whitney's advice, we've been playing serious theatrical games in an attempt to get her to eat more veggies -- and it's working!!! It's such a relief to get some veggies in that child!

Two months ago I was worried about Leslie's vocabulary. Now, it doesn't seem like there's a conversation she can't participate in. Just yesterday, I was trying to fix her tricycle and it made a loud snapping noise so she asks, "What happened???!!"

At Collin's birthday party this weekend, she sang Happy Birthday so loud! And since then she asks that we sing Happy Birthday to Collin all during the day, and before bed. Her other new songs are Old MacDonald and she fully sings Twinkle Twinkle now.

Our 2-Year Pictures with Michelle

OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's all I have to say.
www.michelleasehephotography.com

Our Night With Friends

Our Bracelet

Like most little girls, Leslie loves putting on my jewelry. Although she usually insists that it's hers.

Our Way

Leslie has been telling us which way to go a lot lately. Even in the car she'll say "Home dat way," "Cool dat way." And of course she also watches a lot of Dora.

Well this morning Jody arrived at the stop sign at 53, on the way to school.

She pointed to the left and said, "Cool dat way??? ... Nooooo."
Then to the right, "Cool dat way??? ... Nooooo."
The straight ahead, "Cool dat way??? ... Uh HUHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!."

Love her <3

Our Morning New

Her sentences are amazing me this morning!

• I found Recie!
• I can't reach it.
• I need that!
• No, hmmm hmmm, no no no!
• Right back, I'll get it.
  

Our Big Changes

My little girl is just that -- a little girl. There has been no sign of my "baby" for some time. I'm astounded at her vocabulary. It seems like there's no word she doesn't understand, and her sentences are getting longer and longer.

It's been fascinating to watch her sentence structure change (can you tell that grammar was my favorite subject?). Her early sentences put the modifier behind the noun (cup me, car mommy, car daddy). She's mostly the same easy going Leslie she's always been, although as the first of her two-year molars is coming in, she's been a bit cranky. Some of my favorite moments:

• She always says goodbye so happily. When I leave in the mornings, she says "Bye Mommy," all happy. She's excited to be going to school with her daddy.
• She loves to dance. She always does the Dora dance, but also loves dancing to any music. Again, the best part is how excited she gets about the dancing.
• Sadly, she's been misbehaving when I pick her up from school lately. I'm not sure what that's about. But she's cried and cried lately when we leave. It's not about her not wanting to leave; I think she's doing it for attention.
  

Our Clean

Have I mentioned how obsessed Leslie is with cleaning????? She seriously is. When we thought she was napping after church, we instead found her in her bed, meticulously polishing her blocks. Note that big white pile in the middle is her used wipes, not her dress.

Our Fun in the Pool

Our Action Shot

Did I mention Leslie's new favorite thing is to jump into the pool?

Our New Phrases

Oh my gosh....my child who never spoke talks all the time!!!

• Watch this!! -- she loves saying this one. She can finally finally jump off two feet. Her playmates at school have been able to do this forever, and she finally can!
  
• She sings the tick tock song and jumps for the cuckoo part now!
• She counts to FOURTEEN! Genius! :)
• I cut her hair today. I know that has nothing to do with the title, but what's a mom to do?
• She ran in front of the TV to get our attention today and said READY??? GOOOOOO, and she jumped!
• Help, mommy
• Nunu, peas (translation: paci, please)
• COOOOL COOOOOOL (when she wants to go to school)
• Hold white (hold wipe)
  

Our biss (almost)

Leslie has enjoyed the beach and the pool -- jumping in without fear! But she went two days crying every time she stepped onto wet sand -- she didn't like the way it felt moving underneath her feat. Finally, I got her out there in her crocks and she had an absolute ball! Then she took her shoes off to bury her feet in the sand. She later wanted to wash her hands, and walked straight into the water barefoot to wash her feet! Every time a wave would comes she would say "a big one!!!!!!"

Our babinsuit!!

Our lunch line

So some days I check the daycare webcam right after nap/before snack. The normal procedure is that once all the kids wake up, they line up by the door before going to the lunchroom for snack.

Leslie in invariably standing at her spot in line by the door waiting for them to get in line -- sometimes for more than five minutes -- while all the other kids are playing and waiting to be told that it's time to go. :)

Our First Pool Day

our "T" sound

Too funny...Leslie has always said "ea ea" when she wants to eat. This weekend, she said "ea-tah," making certain to emphasize the "T."

"Leslie, you pronounced your 'T'," I said.

She looked at me and pointedly said, "tah, tah, tah!"

Our Fabulous Mothers Day

Leslie has been sick all weekend, but she was up to a visit to the park for a while. We got some great pictures :)

Our Funny Stuff

This is my attempt to cover some things in the last few months that made me think, "I've GOT to write this down!"

• Have I ever mentioned that Leslie says "bye" to EVERYTHING? It's always been my way of helping her let go of something she's not willing to let go of...like "bye bye bubbles." We've been doing that since she was a year old, but for the past three months or so she's really taken off with it. When we go inside she says "bye bye outside, bye bye trees." When she gets out of the car and takes out her paci that's attached to her car seat she says, "bye bye nunu, bye bye car."
• Her enthusiastic "uh huhs" often get us laughing.
  
• Ever since about 9 months, when Jody would button her pants, he'd make an "uh" sound, as if the pants were too tight. She started doing it herself at about 15 months. Yesterday she was watching me dress....as I went to button my pants she said ,"UH mommy, UH mommy!"
• I tried to get her to hold a caterpillar the other day, and she screamed "no!" Apparently she's more like Aunt Trish than her mommy.
• When you change her diaper, she says "hoo weee" or "hoo weeee, cici (Leslie)". Even funnier, she often says that while she's pooping. And she used to say it like, "ah wee"....very French. I miss her saying it that way :)
• She has two words that she pronounces with her mouth closed. She still doesn't say Walker, but "hmm hmmm" (the way should would say woof woof as a baby). It's always, "bye hmmm hmmm," "mi (move) hmmm hmmm," and "hmmmmmmmmm hmmmmmmmmmm," while holding her hands to her face to call for him. Also, when she asks for Sprinkles, she mumbles it as if she has her paci in...every time!
• She gets so excited about visits from Kyler, it's hilarious! If she hears the front door open, she assumes it's Kyler, and stars screaming "KAKA!!!!!!." If Kyler ever falls, she walks over very concerned to check on her, saying "uh oh Kaka."
• She sings along to Lady GaGa's Paparazzi!
  

Our First "Hang!"

Leslie held on and hung from the bar at the park for the first time today! I was so proud :) I was so excited I call Jody and made him meet us out there so she could show him her new trick. And now I need to spend hours noting her other accomplishments that I haven't been blogging :)

Our Drama

So today Leslie was eating her snack. The TV was on mute, we hadn't been watching it, and there was some cartoon on neither of us had ever seen before. Then she started saying "whoa" and "oh no," "uh oh," and even "tick tock" when she saw a clock. It took me a minute to realize she was narrating what was happening on the silent TV. So I grabbed the camera to catch what I could.

Our three-word sentence

Leslie's been saying more and more two word phrases lately. Then today, she was playing with her baby and her baby's arm was stuck underneath its body. So she said, "Where other arm?"

Our Attempt to Catch Up

I'm so far behind in documenting Leslie's milestones that the job has become one of those huge projects you start to dread. So I'm just gonna start writing and see how much I can accomplish. No pressure (yes, I'm talking to myself).

• She finally says some words! I have counted about 50 words at this point. Her newest word is "heart." I got her a Valentine placemat, and have been showing her the hearts. She finally said "heart" March 1.
• She's been saying "no" for about two months now. Her yes is still "uh huh."
• She has turned into a work-in-progress at playdates. My easygoing baby has turned into a toddler who tells her friends "no" when they touch her stuff.
• She went back to gymnastics yesterday after missing a month due to my surgery. She does great when no one is watching her. She is finally starting to grab the bar and slide off the trampoline. She still hasn't mastered the jump, though! But she loves to say "jump jump jump" as she bounces.
• She's so cute saying Elloree's name. And she calls Kyler "kaka."
• She started saying her first two-word phrase about 1.5 months ago..."'mon mama." She still can't say "mon dada." She says "da da da" instead. She knows she's not getting it right and gets a confused look on her face! She calls all other people "nona," and tells them to "non nona."
• Some notable notes from daycare have been that she knows all the hand motions to their songs, and sings herself to sleep every day at naptime. They say "she's definitely the musical one in the class!" You know I'm all over that!!!!
• She has gotten even better at stacking things, although I didn't even know that was a milestone.
• She has discovered pockets and LOVES them. It's her favorite thin about her coat.
• She's into everything about her clothes. Shoes, "soes," socks, "caca," "bow," coat, "coco," and her hat "haaa."
• The folks at daycare laugh at how southern she sounds when she says "bye." She makes it at least two syllables.
• She has started pretending alot more. She feeds sprinkles and her dolls food, and the other day she decided to change the diaper on her doll. When she took off her pants she blew to dry her off, haha! I know that sounds weird, but I try to get her dry so that diaper cream will stick better.
• She has completed the months-long process of figuring out what each item in my makeup bag does. When she was about a 15-months old she would pick up my powder pad and pat it on her face, and the last thing she did was lean forward and close her eyes when I picked up my mascara tube!
• She LOVES brushing her teeth, and gets angry when I take away her tooth brush.
• She's been sick a lot this month, so we haven't yet schedule her surgery. I hope she'll soon be well enough to get that over with.
• She started signing "more" the correct way. After a couple months of not signing because she can say more, she all of a sudden broke out the correct sign.
• She's CRAZY about bubbles.
• We got a golf cart, and she asks to ride it every day even though it's freezing.
  

Our SNOW SNOW SNOW!

Our Photo Update