Leah's Professional Portriats

So we did it! We went and got Leah's six month photos taken by a professional.
Sears did a great job. If you see a photo below you would like to have a copy of, email me and let me know:

Everyone gets a turn!

We like to instill good virtues early in our child. This is one of Leah sharing her toys with others! :-)

NEW TOYS!

As Leah gets older, it becomes more apparent her toys need to grow with her.  I searched long and hard and high and low for the perfect baby walker.  “Perfect”, meaning not costing me an arm and a leg for her first “vehicle” of sorts.

Leah got a spiffy 4 wheel drive, “rocket” themed walker a few weeks ago.  She loves it, and it learning what happens when she pushes all the buttons.  She has been seen working her way from the family room, down the hallway, and into the kitchen.   Her favorite place to park this sucker is right in front of the t.v.  What a TEBBE!

 

Leah’s 5 Month Old Picture

Ok, so Leah turned 6 months old on 9/9/09.  But I realized that before I post the 6 month old photo, I need to get the 5 month old photo up.  We were all displaced when Leah turned 5 months old.  It was in the middle of our old air conditioner doing out.  We were staying at my parents house.

Stay tuned for Leah’s 6 month old photo!

 

First Parents As Teachers Meeting

Leah and I had her first Parents and Teachers meeting yesterday. P.A.T.'s is a program funded by the government through the public school system. All cities have this program. City of STL, Crestwood, Afton, St. Peters, etc. It costs us nothing, and is funded through government through public schools. Anyway, these people are trained and pretty much the program is there for parents and children to further educate themselves on the development of their child and how to keep them on the right track with the right timeframe developmental milestones. Little did I know this program can start for parents as early as before the baby is born when mom is pregnant and goes until the child is like 5 yrs old.
They visit 4 times a year.
Our lady's name is Pam. Yesterday Pam, and I sat on the floor with Leah, talked about “tummy time”, “floor time”, the current development for a 5 ½ -8 month old. She pulled out age appropriate toys. Talked about the things we can do to help her with development, both mental, and physical. She pulled out a large like 1 liter empty water bottle with some things that make noise in it and some colorful paper for her to see. Leah liked that toy a lot. It enhances her visual learning, motor skills, and cause and effect learning, (when I shake the bottle, it makes noise). It was really neat to see how interested Leah was with an empty plastic water bottle and household items inside.
So typical.
Just like buying a gift for a child and having them play in the cardboard box instead of the expensive toy within. It became clear to me that we need some baby books. Like the fabric ones, or the vinyl ones. I have had a hard time finding those in the stores. Poor girl…so deprived!
I also learned Mommy and Daddy need to start reading more to her.
I tried a few months ago but she was not into it. The P.A.T. lady read 3 books to her while she was over and Leah seemed to really enjoy them. Of course, we had to “plug her up”, because all she wanted to do was put them in her mouth. But it was neat to see her hold the books in her hand and reach toward the pictures on the pages. I would say Leah’s 6 month birthday, which was yesterday, is a GREAT time to start this healthy routine of READING all the time.

Those Silly Chain E-Mails

Have you ever gotten a chain email? The ones where someone, long down the line, someone you do not even know, took the time out of their day to ask a bunch of questions about you? Then you delete the answers before you and enter yours, and send them off to your family and friends. The people who only care because they are at work and have nothing better to do then read your chain email answers?

Yes? Well, here is another one. Answered by Leah, expecially for you to get to know me!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Not really. But mommy got the idea for my name from J&K+8
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Well, seeing as I am a baby and all…probably last time I was hungry, tried, or pooped on myself.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Well, that depends. Does smearing the slobber on my hands all over the floor & blanket count?
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? MEAT? When will I get that? It sounds like good stuff. If you asked me my favorite mushed fruit or veggie I might be able to tell you. I like the peas, because they make my poop green!
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? What kind of question is that for a baby?
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes, if I didn’t spit up all over myself. Come to think of it, I spit up all over myself now. Hmmm.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? If it gets me what I want.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes. Hmmm… do I have tonsils?
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Only if my mommy was holding me tight. And only if it was up and down on her lap…
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Rice! It’s the only kind I know. But yesterday the doctor told mommy to give me something called oatmeal or barley and mommy asked if that would constipate me. Should I be scared?
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? I don’t wear shoes. I likes my toesies to be free. And like it when people kiss my feet. Mommy likes to eat my toes.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Especially when I am mad!
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Well, if you froze my milk…that kind.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? What I can put in my mouth.
15. RED OR PINK? Pink I guess. Apparently that is what I am supposed it like. It is all over my bedroom, and my clothes.
16. What do you like the least about yourself? How it feels after I poop. Oooooooo. So stinky and mooshy. YUCK!
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Momma when she is at work.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Oh, I guess.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Like I said before, no shoes. And the style for me right now is what they call a onesie. So really, I don’t wear pants much either. Only when it is cold outside, or my grandmas THINK I am cold.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Oh, mushy applesauce. And the corner of my blankie.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Some silly adult talk to me funny.
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Crayons? Can I put those in my mouth too?
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? ME, after a bath. And the smell of my mommy.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Grandma. Well, really, all I did last night was push the buttons on the phone and slobbered on it. But she talked to me.
26. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? Dora and Boots play.
27. HAIR COLOR? I don’t know. I really don’t have a whole lot right now.
28. EYE COLOR? Blue, like Daddy’s.
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Not right now. But mommy said since she got glasses in 8th grade and daddy got glasses when it was little, I will need them too, probably in a few years.
30. FAVORITE FOOD? Hmmmm, that’s a hard one. Prunes?
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Well, Dora always has a happy ending. I like Dora.
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Dora is really long in the mornings, is that a movie?
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? No one knows, it changes all the time. I have learned if I want a different shirt on, I just spit up on it. Then someone changes it.
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? SUMMER!!!! No Shoes!
35. HUGS OR KISSES? BOTH!
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? A frozen piece of fruit I can suck on!
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Last night momma read “Goodnight Moon” and a Lullaby book. She tried to sing the lullaby’s to me. Daddy left the room. I liked it tho.
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSEPAD? Hu?
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Backyardagins
42. FAVORITE SOUND? Anything that makes me happy.
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Sounds dangerous.
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Well, so far, maybe West County? In a few weeks I am going to see great-grandmas farm house. That is far away.
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can melt hearts.
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? In a hospital in Kirkwood. My mommy said she was born there too.

It's Never Too Early For The Sippy Cup!

Leah just gets better every day at holding the sippy cup.

After a few minutes of watching TV and playing around with the sippy cup, sometimes drinking from it, sometimes figuring out how to get it to her mouth, and sometimes chewing on the lid, Leah ususally ends up with a big wet spot from her chin to her belly. Sometimes the water comes out of the cup, goes into her mouth, comes back out her mouth, travels south, and ends up filling her diaper!