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The princess sat still JUST long enough for a photo with Grandpa and Nama.
Ever since returning from a recent trip to NY, Leah has loved playing under the table.
This is how we clean the dishes at our place. Leah loves to help.
Thanksgiving Day was a bit more subdued than previous years, but equally enjoyable. This year, Scott and I hosted my parents rather than all of us trekking over to my best friend's dad's house, as is our usual custom. Turkey day morning was actually pretty relaxing (well, for me; Scott was working on house projects): I had a chance to watch the parade and lounge about before prepping some of the dinner dishes later that afternoon. (Guess that's what happens when the pies are made a day ahead of time, huh?)
Mom and Daddy joined us about 4, and Leah decided to wake up right about that time, too (could she smell the turkey and fixings?), so we were soon feasting on way too many delicious dishes. After all, how much food could 4.5 people eat?
A Thanksgiving staple over the past couple of years has been homemade macaroni and cheese-- yum! I (and Scott, too, for that matter) thought that Leah would primarily consume mac and cheese, and then maybe have a little bit of everything else. Was I ever wrong! She hardly touched it! Of all the delectable dishes on the table that night, Leah's favorite, by far, was... the canned cranberry sauce. I kid you not.
At one point during the meal, she pointed to the sauce which was on one of Leah's plates. (Hmmm, I wonder if THAT'S why she wanted it.) "Well, if she wants to try it, let her," I thought. This kid tried it and then some! If she hadn't already eaten some of the other foods, she most certainly would've had a cranberry sauce dinner.
A couple hours later, we sat down for dessert: peanut butter cup pie and apple pie. Mmmmm. I gave Leah some of my apple pie, figuring she'd scarf it down. (After all, it IS apple pie!) She didn't want just plain pie, though; she wanted Cool Whip, too. So, since it was the holiday, I obliged her, plopping a dollop of the creamy goodness on her pie. Well, forget the apples! Like the cranberry sauce, the Cool Whip didn't last long. At one point, Leah was actually LICKING her plate clean! Oh my!
Guess if we're ever in doubt as to what to serve her, we know what to pick up at the store: cranberry sauce and Cool Whip, the dinner of champions!
As my favorite holiday rolls around once again, I thought I'd take this opportunity to relate just a few things for which I'm thankful. Have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! And know that even in the darkest of times, there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for!
*Scott: my wonderful husband who always knows how to make me laugh, and who works hard to provide for us
*Leah: my beautiful daughter and her sweet disposition and cuddly nature
*My parents: for nurturing and supporting me in all my endeavors
*My sisters: for all the memories growing up
*My in-laws: for loving me like their own daughter
*My friends: for being there for me in all seasons, for laughing with me, for listening
*Christ: for giving me hope and a future
*For beautiful fall days, perfect for taking a brisk walk and enjoying the colorful foliage
*For a roof over my head and food in my belly
Oh, the list could go on and on, but you get the idea. Happy Turkey Day!
What I'm about to write might come as a shock to all of you (sarcasm intended), but I am not, nor will I ever be, a fashionista. Try as I might, I just don't quite get it.
This isn't to say that I don't WANT to get it; I just don't. Growing up, we didn't go shopping just for fun, and we certainly didn't shop all the latest brands or styles. And for some reason, back then, it never phased me. I was always comfortable in my brandless clothing.
It hasn't been until recently that I've actually been concerned (well, more-so than in the past) about clothes, which isn't necessarily a good thing. I guess it's because I have several well-dressed, stylish, trendy friends who just always look good. Being around them makes me want to look good, too. (Yes, the girl who lives in workout clothes actually wants to look put together, at least on occasion.)
The problem is that I see what others are wearing, or what's in an ad or magazine, and I want to wear the same thing. But then, when I search for such an outfit, I either can't find it, or when I try it on, it just doesn't feel like me. It's almost as if I'm trying too hard. So of course, I resort to the same-old, same-old, which sometimes just seems so "blah".
That's not the only fashion impediment I've encountered in my quest to get it; I also hate spending money on clothes (though I'll spend money on items for the house-- go figure), and I'm not exactly sure of my size.
Spending money: I think because I'm so uncertain about what I should be wearing, I'm really hesitant about purchasing clothing for myself. Maybe it's a commitment issue (who has commitment issues with clothing?!), but I wonder why I'm going to spend $$$$ on something that I think I like, but I'm not overly confident that I do. (Does that make any sense? Or am I just some oddball when it comes to fashion?) Part of that has to do with sizing, though; take, for instance, a couple pairs of pants that I bought at Ann Taylor last year. I bought my usual size, even though they did feel a little looser than I thought they should. (The smaller size was definitely too small.) I really like the pants, but now I wonder if maybe they just don't fit quite right. I don't want to not wear them because I spent some money on them, but on the other hand, do I really want to wear them if they don't fit quite right? Oh the angst! (Maybe this is the heart of my clothing woes!)
What it all comes down to, really, is this: learning to be comfortable again in my style choices, regardless of whether or not they're on trend. After all, I know for a fact that my friends aren't friends with me for my style!
In honor of Leah, who is now closer to two than one, I thought I'd update you with some of her habits, quirks, and the like. Yes, that means that any Halloween update will be postponed even further, but a 20-month post will help you know her all that much better.
*Vocabulary: This has improved greatly since her questionable 18-month appointment. Some of her new words include Grover, Elmo, please, thank you, help, and Cheerios. The last two she learned in about a day. (Funny moment: Last night after dinner, Scott was making his lunch, which includes packing up trail mix-- made with Cheerios. Leah came racing over for some, which, of course, Scott gave her. He left the room to do something, and when Leah finished her Cheerios, she RAN across the room to the pantry, patted the door, and said, "Cheerios." Silly girl. I don't remember the last time I saw her run THAT fast!)
*Seats: Leah loves sitting in baskets, trays, well, just about anything. She even tipped over the puzzle rack and sat in that last night! Sometimes she's not as successful as others, like when she tried sitting in the little tray that holds my face wash and lotion. It really doesn't matter what size the container is; Leah will empty it out and then crawl in. She's even been known to watch her show (Blue's Clues) while sitting in a basket. (Apparently this can be advantageous; last week, at a friend's house, Leah climbed into a toy wagon that's used to hold giant Legos. Her little friend Morgan (who is 10 days younger than Leah) then pulled her around the kitchen.)
*Doxology: Leah has a book of prayers that Scott's parents gave him when he was two. Among the various prayers is the Doxology, so I sang it to Leah one day. Ever since then, she will deliberately pull out that book and turn to that page so that I'll sing. She points emphatically to the picture, as if that gesture is sign for "sing". If I'm not in the room but she's reading the book with Scott, she'll point to the kitchen, as if telling him that I'm supposed to sing. (And yes, I usually comply. I never knew my daughter's favorite song would be the Doxology!)
*Pretend: A couple weeks ago, I was lying on the floor, and Leah was sitting on my stomach reading a book. When Scott told her it was time to clean-up, she immediately dropped to my chest and pretended to sleep. (She'd never done this before.) When she picked her head up, Scott or I would say again, "Time to clean-up", and again, just as quickly, she'd drop her head to my chest. I almost cried I was laughing so hard! This happened a few more times, before I finally picked her up and pointed her in the direction of some wayward toys. But oh, how funny to watch her!
Found it!
Going for a hayride. I just kept hoping that the back gate wouldn't open up and drop us!
Feeding the goats (do you know how hard it is trying to hold a feed cup, take a picture, and keep an eye on Leah all at the same time?)
The weather was unseasonably warm, but considering we were outside for a couple hours, it worked to our benefit. I expected Leah to go ga-ga over the animals, partially because I enjoy them, and partially because she loved seeing them at the fair in August. Boy was I surprised, then, when she chose the outdoor toys (ride-on cars and the like) over the animals! I pulled her along on one briefly, and then managed to re-direct her attention to the animals. (Of course, the other kids' excitement and interest helped, too.)
One of the workers came around with feed for the animals, and despite trying to get Leah to feed them, I was unsuccessful. One particular goat was rather greedy, so I guess it was a good thing that I held the cup. The goat would've knocked Leah down! Leah did try to help; I'd pour some feed into her hand, and then she'd put it in my palm. At least she tried.
At one point, we started making our way to the barn to see the ponies, donkey, and llama. (Let me pause here to interject: Leah loves exploring the outdoors. Our neighborhood walks are more like nature strolls, allowing her the chance to pick up leaves, rocks, and acorns.) Obviously, since this was a farm and many of the animals roamed free, you can imagine what littered the ground here and there. And wouldn't you know it, but my kiddo found some, and before I could stop her, picked it up. Gross! I know, she didn't know any better, and she probably thought it was a pebble, but ew! (At least she didn't fret when I knocked it out of her hand, and then whipped out the wipes.)
The rest of our visit was uneventful (but enjoyable). We took a hayride around the farm, and then Leah had a chance to decorate her own pumpkin. When she saw the cart of pumpkins, she marched right up to it, climbed atop a hay bale, and then selected hers. After decorating it (markers), she was ready to choose another one! Ahh, the budding artiste!
The princess sat still JUST long enough for a photo with Grandpa and Nama.
Ever since returning from a recent trip to NY, Leah has loved playing under the table.
This is how we clean the dishes at our place. Leah loves to help.
