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!!