Welcome, Little Man!

We have a new little guy to love in our family of friends!  Welcome, beautiful Tyler James!  We have been waiting to meet him and are so excited to see this face. 

Congratulations to Alex, Alicia, and amazing big sister Makayla!

TyTy- just 7 hours old. Does it get better than this?

I love being a Mom with my Leesha

Congrats to the proud parents!!!!

My last Month post before we have a one year old

To my amazing daughter-

At 11 months, you:

- Weigh just over 18 pounds. I just cleared your nine month jammies out. Although you are a teeny girl, you are getting into your 12 month clothes. It is going so fast!

- Have become a little chatterbox! You said "Mama" for the first time (meaningfully, anyway) while reaching for me on December 29, and said "duck" while pointing to your favorite toy on January 7. Since, you say "Dada" all the time when you see your Daddy, and you say "walk" when you walk around using your walker. What will be next??

- Love love love making animal sounds!  When we ask you what the snake says, you say "ssss".  You can also do the kitty, duck and the doggy really well, and we are working on the monkey, bird, and many more.

-  Now do a mix of sniping (so fast) and really crawling, and have been for a couple of weeks. You decide every time which more of transport you should use. Since you have only bee really crawling for a few weeks, but sniping for a few months, sniping is the way you are fastest. We can't turn our backs for a second!

- Love the bath. Splashing has become one of your favorite pass times. The bathroom looks like a water park after you get our of there.

- Have some favorite toys. You love your walker, your Weeble tower, all of our ducks, any and all stuffed animals (especially Minnie and your fish), balls, anything you can stand up on, and a few toys that sing the alphabet.

- Still suck your thumb, without fail, the second you are sleepy.

- Have a few party tricks that your Daddy and I love to have you do. When we say "Nice", you rest your head on your shoulder, do "So Big", and when we ask for a kiss or a squeeze, you lean in for one. Sometimes you come at me with a big, wet, open mouth. Lovely.  :)

- Still eat anything we give you. Current favs are bananas, peas, grapes, wheat bread, chili, blueberry pancakes, and blueberries! We can barely get you to drink 3 ounces of your bottle at a time. I am getting worried that you are not getting enough liquids. Thankfully, though, you are still  nursing great, although you are eating less and less at a time, because you are eating so many solids now. I am starting to get sad that our days with this bond are numbered.

- Imitate many, many sounds now, while we are just talking.  It cracks us up, and is a good reminder to start watching the language...

- Are starting to show more and more fear. You are afraid of this jumping bunny your Glamma gave you, and you crawl into my lap when you see it.  You are also a little freaked out by snow. It is interesting to watch that  fear develop as you learn more and more about your world.

- Still do not sit still for a second. Well, I take that back- you have been sick for a few days, and you want to snuggle more, but unless you feel icky, you are in constant motion. Even when you are feeling icky, you crawl around to get to were you want to go, see me and come back to "home base" for a few, and then you are back exploring.

- Love to play with other kids. You interact from time to time, but mostly, you just wail on anyone who has a toy you want. The big kids at daycare really entertain you.

- Can't stand being groomed in any way, shape or form. Having to get your face wiped is like the end of the world, and the second you see that bulb coming toward your face, you freak! You do, however, enjoy washing your hands. That's my girl!

- Have some favorite songs. Baby Beluga is still holing strong, and you love "ABC", "The Wheels on the Bus",  "Twinkle Twinkle", "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "This little piggy". I still sing "In My Life" and "To Make you Feel my Love" every night as we are getting ready for bed. It is such a great time of the day.

-Giggle your head off when we blow on your belly, splash in the tub or when we chase you around crawling. That is the best sound ever.

- Have 4 bottom teeth, and 4 top ones at this point. They are beyond cute. You actually like it when we brush them, too!

_ Sleep longer and longer at night. On the weekends, you have been sleeping til well past 7, even sometimes past 8. It is great to get to sleep, but it makes me sad that we have to force you up at 5:30 most days. Sorry, baby!

- You love drinking from a cup! Once cup in particular works well (Thanks, SACCO!) cause it has handles and cute animals that you like to point at. Usually, you take a few sips, and then throw it, but you are learning.

-  Stand in your crib and bounce around when you are not tired. In fact, I am watching you on the monitor as I type "napping" while sitting up and playing with your blankie. When we come in to get you, you squeal and beam.

- Are about to have 2very fun birthday parties in a few weeks! We have been busy, busy busy planning them to make sure they are just as special as you! Nonni and Papa are hosting the family party, and the next day, all of our friends, and yours, will be at Portillo's to continue the fun!  I hope it is a marvelous celebration of the end of your very first year. You deserve it!!!

Ummmm.... remember when Leah could sit for 2 seconds for this doggy picture? Haha.

NO MOM!

Minnie kept her occupied for a few seconds!  :) 

"HI"

The "Leah" Butt!

YAY for being 11 months old!!!!

Messier by the day!

 Leah adores raspberries, blueberries, and beets.All of these things happen to be messy beyond comprehansion. It's days like these I am glad I am not anal about cleaning! Haha!

Fishin for beets

My big baby girl, after a batch of blueberries! 

The famous raspberry shampoo.

OMG

Bath time is MUCH needed these days!!!

Is it normal to have this much fun making a mess? Cause we sure are enjoying it!

This one's for you, Dad

This is my shout out to my dad and Nick, after being told by them that I am not updating this enough! This was the fireplace as of Saturday. Today, the ceiling got finished and all the molding is up!Our room makeover is well underway. 

We are sooooo thankful to these two talented, hilarious, and sweet guys.  

My music lover!

One of LiLi's favorite toys is the radio on her bedroom floor. Not exactly babyproofed, but she loves to touch the buttons and turn it on and off. We play "Rock a Bye" at bedtime very night, ad by Rock a Bye, I mean Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, or the Beach Boys! Paul and I sure hope she loves music as much as we do!

Go Wolves!

Last weekend, we took Leah to her (and our) first Chicago Wolves game for her cousin Lexis's birthday. I was afraid she might get cold and be miserable, but she had a fabulous time watching the guys skate around, and even more fun people watching and flirting with nearby fans. It was a cheap, fun, easy Sunday afternoon, and we highly recommend it!

Glamma pointing out the score

Flirting!

The birthday girl and her pals. How is Lex 12 years old? She was just six months old when I met her. Such a grown up! Thanks for inviting us, Lexie!

Always a souvenir 

The end of the game! We had a great time!

A work in progress

Ever since we moved into our house three and a half years ago, Paul and I have hated the big, brown, sharp, outdated and flat out UGLY fireplace in our kitchen/family room, and have always talked to taking it down or re-facing it. Turns out taking it down was a non option, unless we plan on selling our souls to pay for it. Well, thank goodness for my dad! He came to the rescue, and has been spending just about all of his free time, along with his buddy Nick, at our house remodeling the fireplace. He is unreal. I am so thankful for his talent, time, and generosity!

It is about half way done so far, and we can't WAIT to get the fireplace done, walls painted, new stuff bought, and to get our family back into the family room!!!

Oh, and these are totally out of order, I suck at this.

Before

Drywall starting to go up and tile all set!

This is what the room looked like when we went to bed. Ah! So gross, but it will be so worth it when it is DONE!

Getting there!!!

Paul with his happy grin- done painting! He has been a painting machine today, poor guy.

Getting ready for drywall on the kitchen side

Woops, this is out of place, but this was step 2!  :)

Thanks to my Dad for EVERYTHING! We don't know what we would do without you!!!!!

DUCK!

 In honor of my sweet girl's uttering of "duck", her very first word, here she is in her duck robe that night. We just had to put her in it!

Bigger and Sillier and Busier!

These are all the words to best describe Leah these days! She is so busy, and goes a mile a minute all day long. We DO NOT have an easy  going child in terms of movement, but she sure is a blast, and still such a good baby. No wonder she is so small- she is in constant motion. I might try the "Leah diet" of not stopping the flailing of my arms and legs all day, but that is neither here nor there.

She is now doing a combo of  sniping, really crawling, and walking with support lately. I guess it is just whatever strikes her at the moment, but no matter what, this kid is on the move!

She adores her little walker!

Felt like crawling at the moment. :)

Big girl walking with Papa!

...and the snipe!

Leah is also getting more and more curious and loves to explore everything around her all the time. She has fun pulling herself up and holding on to everything, and is really starting to figure out how to get herself out of situations on her own. Watching her learn has been so much fun already!

Speaking of learning, we have a little talker on our hands! She reached for me and said "MaMaMa" on December 29, and within a week, she said "duck" when I held up a rubber ducky! Now, she is saying "Dada" when she reaches for Paul!! and when you ask her what a snake says, she hisses, and she says "yeow" for a kitty. Eeeee! So fun.

Who knew something so small could make you happier than anything, ever?  I guess that is what parenthood is all about.... and it is only the beginning!!

New Years was double the fun

This New Years Eve was extra fabulous. We (Paul myself, my best buddies,their husbands, and all of our girls) took the kids to the Kohl Children's Museum for their NYE Kid's party, and it was a ton of fun! We got to hang out at the museum, and they had special exhibits and a kids rock band playing. Then, at the late old hour of 3PM, they had a ball drop, complete with a countdown and confetti- EVERYWHERE. We had a great time watching the girls, and this will absolutely be a new tradition for the "friend cousins". 

Everyone, covered in confetti!

Makayla at the water table

Isebella trying to catch some stuff

Leah loving the mirror at the baby play area

My girl!

Our first NYE as a family of three!

The fabulous Spitz family

The girls!!!!

 Later that night, we sent the kids to their respective grandparents (thanks guys) and had a grown up party at our house. We had a small group of 12 this year, but it was nice and intimate, and we had a blast playing games, having drinks, and celebrating the new year. Cheers, 2012!!!

We are welcoming 2 new babies to our group in the coming months. SO EXCITED to meet Tyler and Serena!!!!

2011 was the best year yet, at least for us. Here's hoping it just keeps getting better and better.

Happy 2012, everyone! I hope it is full of joy and blessings for you all.