Loving Me Some America!

I woke up early on Saturday morning, snuck out to our balcony storage, and dug out this gem of an outfit Sam donned for Halloween a couple years back. I was thrilled with myself as I neatly laid it out on our bed next to my peacefully snoozing husband and waited for him to wake up. It was clearly the PERFECT outfit for him to wear to our Independence Day festivities but he refused... Apparently Sam's not very patriotic. 

On a different note, we did have an excellent 4th.  We took dinner to Sam's grandparent's house in Davis and had a great meal with them. They're the peachiest McPeachys ever. Grandpa can barely hear and Grandma can't see a thing so they make a lively duo!

Leah was the biggest wretch and would scream bloody murder every time I tried to set her with either of them. Gma kept saying, "Doesn't she even know her own Grandma!?" Broke my heart. Here are the only two halfway decent shots we got:

Their back yard is a wonderland with just about every kind of fruit tree you can imagine. They even grow pomegranates, much to my delight. Grandpa's latest treasures are his two 12 foot sunflowers you can see to the right of Leah.   

It was 107 degrees in Davis yesterday and Sam and I were both sweaty and mangy after 5 minutes outside. Hence the greasiness in this photo. 

When we sat down to eat, Gma and Gpa were both thrilled to offer Leah the use of their high chair. Little did we know it was actually the first high chair ever produced. It was no less than 117lbs.

Sam and Leah after a healthy helping of Grandpa's home made strawberry ice cream. My husband is hot.

Honestly, there's not much that can lift your spirits like a visit with tender grandparents. I loved listening to Grandma's encouraging words about moving to Chicago. In 1943, they met and fell in love there where they were both stationed during WWII, so of course they have great memories to share. 

Grandpa told us that every time someone visits, he/she says something to the effect of, "We wanted to make it out here to see you one last time." So, here's to hoping that wasn't the last time we, or Leah, gets to visit with Francis and Pauline.

After dinner we went to the local Davis 4th of July fiesta. Aka white trash fest. Sorry folks. Nothing like a free public gathering with food and "entertainment" to bring out the high society. Sam snapped some pics of two of the sweetest she-mullets I have ever seen. Much to my dismay, the pics didn't turn out so instead... drum roll please.... LEAH!

Another signature prom shot. 

You would have thought collecting leaves off the ground and handing them to Sam was the most exciting thing going on at the park that day. Personally, I thought it was the 50 year old Davis High School Alumni rock band ensemble singing a heavy metal version of the school fight song that was the real high point. 

I love the 4th!

This was just a quick shot I took at church today. Leah was all joyous and gleeful here because she had just snagged the little morsel she's hoarding from a much younger, smaller playmate. We've taught her well. 

The only other pic I took. I just like the way she looks here for some reason. Stinky little girl. I love her. 

Another Trip to the Beach.. and a little of American's Favorite Pass Time...

******UPDATED******Just pics today, folks. I'll prob update with thrilling stories a little later.

She's becoming quite the beach bum... our little beaut!

YES! One of us both paying attention and smiling. A rare sight, indeed

Running towards each other.... slow motion... music playing...

The water is freezing... just a toe will do.

Pure Calvin and Hobbs face. She was charging towards the water so hard I could barely contain her.

More sand eating. Seriously? So annoying.

Went to the A's vs Giants game last night. Leah was thrilled for the first half with all of the new sights and sounds. Then overstimulation kicked in and she zonked out for the rest.

Sam explained each "going on" of the game as if Leah was hanging on every word. 

Every time I looked at her she was making this face at the people behind us.

Nothin' like a good ball game!

**********A few more for the road************

 Ahh.... the inhibitions of baby-hood. Leah relishes any and all chances to be free as a bird.

Whenever in "the buff" she does the funny little march captured here... back straight, arms out, left, left, left, right, left.

She was particularly delighted to be in front of the camera this day....

Can I'va hug?

That's actually a little cardboard roll she was dutifully gnawing to pieces.

Orange creamsicle! 

A Lil' Family Outing...

S000... Sam and I ventured to the zoo on Saturday. Not that Leah cared much, the trip was mostly for the two of us. Whenever I go to the zoo I get super hyped up about it and I always end up convincing myself that my last visit was way cooler than it was.  

Anyway, as we meandered from exhibit to exhibit I started musing about my many trips to various zoos across the country and it occurred to me that my experiences have, for the most part, all been very similar... I'd spend 5 hours walking around in the blazing sun only to have every third exhibit displaying a cutesy little sign, written in first person by the animal no less, saying his "home" was "under construction." Then, about half of the ones that weren't under construction didn't have anything in them at all. Of course, there's still a sign telling you all about the exotic animal that supposedly lives in the enclosure, so you and every buffoon in the park stand there for 15 minutes staring blankly, only to walk away with the same conclusion, "well, the animal must be hiding... or maybe sleeping inside." Yeah. Turns out the zoo keepers are all just kicking back behind the one way glass, watching all the tards staring hopefully at the bushes and shrubbery, fanning themselves with the $30 I just dropped to get in. 

Of course, every once in a while you do run across an actual live animal but it's something lame like a gazelle or ostrich that just stands there, frozen in fear because, well, you might be planning on attacking it. Bottom line, at the end of the day all you've seen is the equivalent of an African barn yard... which is pretty much the same as the ones we've got here, except everything has bigger horns and looks all mangy and emaciated. 

After all of that, you may think I hated our trip to the zoo... but you'd be wrong. I actually had a great time with my little family!  Which is why we'll be visiting again next weekend... 

I realized after we got to the zoo that the turkey sub and I were matching. Although I have to say Leah rocked the outfit a little bit better... a little bit.

Sam and Leah... not matching, but nicely coordinated... I love them.

We attempted three times to take a suitable family photo...

Leah was having none of it....

So we gave up....

The very best part of the trip was the petting zoo. Leah was dubbed the "sheep whisperer" by all in attendance. 

You can see me standing close by, minding my own business. What you didn't know is this pic was taken just as that goat was turning to attack me. Stupid one-horned goat. I'll kill you.

We took an impromptu trip to the beach after the zoo. It was a beautiful day, indeed.

Leah thinks she's so cool in her sunglasses. Sam does too, for that matter...

Leah was so enamored with the sand that I couldn't get her to look up at me once for a photo.. regardless of the hulaballoo I was making to get her attention. I felt a little sheepish as I realized I was high pitched screaming her name no more than two feet from her face... to no avail. 

Sam had to hold Leah hostage because every time either of her hands got free she would thrust herself forward, grab a handful of sand and stuff it into her mouth. If you look closely you can see sand remnants around her mouth. What a fatty. Our fun day at the beach was short lived for the sake of her digestive system. 

Just enjoying the view. I didn't get many cute pics because our camera died like five minutes after we got there. I was so bummed. One thing that was left undocumented was a huge dead seal beached about 100 feet away. So gross, yet so fascinating. 

Yay for a day well spent!

Happy Birthday, Little Girl

Dear Leah Mae, 

On May 11th, 2008, your dad, Grammy and I were at the Oakland temple when I started to feel a strange aching in my right leg. You were 1 day overdue and I was LARGE... as your Aunty Bethany put it, "I was no small kitten." It was a beautiful mother's day so I wasn't too concerned that a day of walking around had caused some new aches and pains. We went home to our apartment in Walnut Creek and settled into a game of rummicub when the aching in my leg intensified. When Grammy's leg massage didn't ease the pain, I called my doctor. She immediately told me I needed to come in. I remember feeling a wave of panic upon hearing the concern in my doctor's voice. Grammy was very excited when I looked at her with tears in my eyes and told her we had to go. Your dad turned white, but in true daddy form, remained calm, kissed me on the head and said, "let's go baby." 

The drive into the city was quiet, with an occasional shout of excitement from Grammy. When we checked in to the hospital I had to get an ultrasound on my leg to make sure I didn't have a blood clot. The ultrasound tech told me I had "beautiful veins" and that everything was fine. I was elated when my doctor told me, "everything is great with your leg but there's no need to send you home, I'd rather deliver this baby!" I can't even describe the tender feelings that overwhelmed me as I pictured seeing your face for the first time so soon. Your dad and I shed many tears that night as we waited for you. 

You were born at 6:09AM on May 12th, 2008 at UCSF. You had the most beautiful little face I've ever seen and a head full of dark hair. You won't understand until you hold my grandbabies in your arms how overwhelmingly happy, scared, protective and in love I felt the first time I held you. I kept imagining you leaving Heavenly Father to come down to me, and how much He must have already missed you. I felt so unequal to the task of being your mother. You were so divine, so close to Heaven. 

You have been such a good girl this year. You bring joy to everyone who sees you. I have never met such a bubbly, outgoing baby. You make me burst with joy every day and your dad's eyes light up whenever he's watching you. Only you. I love you more than I can say. Happy Birthday, little girl. 

Love, Mom

Little Miss Mae, 3 months

6 months

9 months

And Now....

 ONE YEAR OLD! Appropriately, in her birthday suit!

And a couple more for the road...

Baby kisses and watching Leah and Sam together... these are a few of my favorite things.

In the foyer at church...

Go Get It!!

We spend hours playing fetch in our house... merely for the joy that watching Leah's obese woman waddle brings to her mother. I can't get enough. I'm a woman in love... what can I say?

Much Needed Rendezvous

I'm teetering on the edge of a severe depression. I call it my just-got-back-from-a-trip-with-my-sissys-and-now-I-have-to-wait-a-few-more-months-to-see-them depression. It's inevitable. I knew it was starting when I found myself daydreaming this morning about loading Leah into Bethany's van with her 4 munchkins and Meradith's little Lucy. Who daydreams about that?! I do. For the next few days I will, no doubt, binge eat and refuse to leave the house--wallowing in self-pity about how glorious life would be if we could only live next door to each other. The depression will peak when it turns into anger toward my husband for having a career that requires us to stay near financial centers--which, of course, makes my sisters' homes of Phoenix, AZ and Provo, UT pretty much out of the question...EVER. In a few days time everything will start to settle.... anger will fade to resentment, resentment to irritation, irritation to acceptance, acceptance to gratitude for my husband's hard work and great career, and then I'll be myself again. But until then, I plan on being a complete wretch.

NOW! Let me tell you about what a great trip we had!!! It started out this last Tuesday in glorious fashion. Mera told Bethany she wouldn't be able to make it but secretly plotted to meet me at the airport to surprise her. We are often mocked by our spouses for always surprising each other this way but the tears and blubbering that results is always well worth it! SO, Mera met me inside and when Bethany came to pick me up, we switched babies so Mera hid with Leah, and I waited on the curb holding Lucy. Beth got out of the car and stared back and forth at me and Lucy with the most confused, crusty look on her face until it dawned on her, that was MERADITH'S baby! And if that was MERADITH'S baby, than MERADITH must be near! Her arms flew up in jubilation! I sent up the requisite smoke signal and Meradith came running out the door. We all hugged and jumped up and down squealing with delight. Needless to say, our babies were all bawling in terror at the hullabaloo. We were quite a sight to behold. Once we collected ourselves, we noticed the group of seniors standing nearby, watching us with glee. Oh, how I love my sissydoodles.

Over the next few days we shopped and swam and got pedi's and tended our herd of littles and laughed until we cried and had pillow fights and tag team wrestling matches. On Thursday we bid Meradith adieu and Sam and Walid (Bethany's hub) joined us for the weekend (Sam from San Fran, Walid from Pittsburgh where he works every other week.) It was a delightful trip, indeed!

Leah and Lil' Loofy sportin' the same swimwear! Have you ever seen anything cuter? No. No you haven't. 

 

Bethany left us alone one of the mornings to go to the gym... hence all the pics of just Le and Lu. We had to dump them in the tub for the photo op.

Leah and Isaiah spent most of their time together in general mayhem. These pics are of Isaiah showing Leah the dirty ropes. 

Right before I punted her into the pool

Aunty Bethany teaching Leah how to write in cursive. This is pretty much the only pic I took with an adult in it the entire time! Except a few unfortunate shots Sam took while I was sleeping. They were immediately deleted when I saw them on the big screen. 

The general feeling in our house right now after such a splendid trip! Now I begin counting down the days till next time....

I'll Go Walkin' After Midnight....

The following clip will most likely only be thrilling to Grammy and Poppa, Grandma, Aunties and SLEs (Serious Leah Enthusiasts), but Big Girl has started strutting her stuff on two feet. I love how wobbly she is on her fat little footsies. Anyway, captured this little morsel last night.

And, I'm including this clip from when she was almost 6 months old (can you tell I just finally got my video camera synched up with my 'puter?) because, while I understand fully that Leah is still pleasantly plump, I see now that I entirely underestimated her rotund figure as a wee lass. Never before has there been such fatness...

Leah Illustrated--Swimsuit Addition

Today we geared up for summer with the ceremonial swimsuit purchase. We couldn't decide (Sam picked out the first, I the second) so we ended up with these two little scrumptious numbers. Leah was absolutely thrilled wearing them... strutting around the living room, displaying her voluptuous figure. Seriously, is there anything more delectable than little rolie polies in swimsuits? Aside from maybe ME in MY swimsuit, I think not....

You can't really tell in the pic but the second one is a little blousey top with separate little blue bikini bottoms. GLORY!!