Christmas Scare

Well we had a very nice Christmas day, however the evening was quite an exception. That night, we were heading homebound with all of our presents & food with Leah sleeping soundly in her carseat. Jarrod and I were in midst of a conversation and noticed it was blowing quite a bit outside. I should have been paying more attention to the road since we were heading over a bridge. When I looked ahead, I noticed a snowdrift partway in my lane and was too late to divert it.  The car ended up spinning a couple times and we hit the barrier. Luckily, we're all okay and didn't collide with another car or go off the bridge. We both thought it could've been a lot worse. Leah actually slept through the whole thing.  Damages include the rear end, front passenger wheel, and our stainless steel crockpot.  The tow company said we were their 9th tow in 2 hours that night!  Now we're just waiting to hear back from the insurance company if the car is worth fixing. Hopefully we know by Monday because it's the only thing on my mind.  We all miss the Impala and anticipate its return. It was definitely a wake up call and makes us appreciate everything life has to offer. So that's a Christmas night we'll always remember. 

Merry Christmas Everybody!

When I woke up this morning, mommy and daddy for some reason were really excited and brought me downstairs. They told me I could open presents. Why, it's not my birthday? But I was okay with that! They told me Santa brought me some for Christmas. I'm still trying to figure out this whole Christmas thing. What is it all about? 

Santa was so nice because he brought me lots of princess things like a table and chairs, Cinderella dress up, sweathshirt (it lights up!), and an ornament! WOW- I was in heaven. I had to put my dress, crown and high heels on right away. Mommy said I walked pretty good with my heels but the kitchen floorwas kind of tricky. I got lots of other neat things too like a vacuum, light bright, candy, and more fun clothes. Christmas is so cool! Daddy and mommy said I can open more presents tomorrow with grandpa and grandma- yeah! 

Hope you all have a great Christmas too and remember the real meaning! I think I know. Merry Christmas!

My 1st Haircut!

Today mommy and her friend Brandi or in my words, "Auntie Brandi" took me to JcPenney to get my haircut for the VERY first time! I didn't want to sit in the chair by myself because it was kind of scary so I sat on mommy's lap along with my baby Adeline then I calmed down a little bit. Auntie Brandi was so silly making funny faces in the chair next to me. Mommy wanted me to sit still so she gave me a yellow sucker! It was SO good. I didn't care that hair fell on it- it was still yummy! Mommy even took a picture of me and Auntie Brandi to remember this special day!

Winter Festivities

Leah has been busy with funfilled weekends that include various types of winter activities to gear her up for Christmas. Last Saturday night, Leah and her cousin Zachary rode the train from Bloomington to  downtown Minneapolis to watch the Holidazzle lights parade. Even though it was a bit chilly, Leah and Zachary were enamored with all of the lights and displays. They kept warm in all their winter gear and blankets. I guess Leah didn't mind because she kept asking for more. What a trooper!

On Friday, Leah rode the train yet again to downtown Minneapolis to see "The Day & Life of an Elf" at Macy's with her friend Ellie. Ellie's mother and I didn't think they would be all that interested but were wrong. They both seemed to really enjoy all of the different displays ranging from a mailroom to Santa's workshop to the bakery. Leah even started up conversations with other kids! After we walked through the North Pole, we waited in line to see Santa. Once we were next to see him, Leah darted off to go tell him "hi" but refused to sit on his lap. She just talked to him from a distance and watched her friend Ellie give him a picture she colored. Leah was even more hesistant of going near Santa after seeing Ellie cry while on his lap.  Mommy didn't want to push her otherwise Leah would possibly have nightmares for many to nights to come of this day. Needless to say, it was easy saying goodbye to Santa and thanked him for the nice button.

Leah partook in one more thing to build up this holiday which was going to Holiday in Lights at the MN Harvest in Jordan. She rode a tractor drawn hayride through the orchard admiring all of the different light displays. It was the perfect night to do this considering it was about 30 degrees. Leah didn't complain once about being cold and just sat nice by dad and mom underneath a warm blanket. There were a couple of kids singing "Jingle Bells" on the ride so Leah chimed in too knowing this song well. We ended the night with a cup of hot chocolate and finally sitting on Santa's lap at the lodge. He lured Leah in for a sucker and she took the bait.

The results are in . . .

Well according to our recent poll, looks like 88% of respondents reported that Leah resembles her mommy. Sorry dad! I'm sure this will go back and forth for awhile.  But for now mommy will gloat! Thanks to all who participated in our poll and try to stay tuned for the next. Take care!

I'm 2 Now!

It was lots of fun celebrating my birthday. I got to party 3 times! First we celebrated my birthday and my cousin Cale's 1st birthday on Grandpa and Grandma Robran's side Thanksgiving night. I got lots of cool presents like a cabbage patch doll, neat clothes, playdough, princess cups, play food, and a movie. Then we got messy eating cake, especially Cale. He needed a bath afterwards!

Then we celebrated on Saturday with Grandpa and Grandma Loverink, Grandpa and Grandma Thoms, my great grandparents, and my aunts and uncles. I had princess plates, napkins, and balloons along with really cool cupcakes mommy worked hard at. Thanks mom! I got really nice presents from everybody. I think my favorite was the shopping cart from Grandma Diane but all were wonderful! I even got a really cool princess castle clock, thanks uncle B!

My last party was with daddy and mommy. We ate at my favorite restaurant in the whole world . . . McDonald's! I was so excited to be there and I let everybody know it. Then we went home and opened presents again! I got a cool Barbie hotwheel, clothes, MagnaDoodle, and my first game- Don't Break the Ice! 

Thank you everyone for making my 2nd birthday special! 

Crazy Kid!

Leah has been busy this past weekend. Thursday- mommy and Leah went to storytime at the library. Leah didn't seem all too interested in the story being told. She was more interested in the other kids and walking in circles around mommy. Friday- she had a playdate with her friend, Ellie. The girls were busy with their babies for quite a few hours! They'd get their strollers all ready with diaper bags, blankets, and bottles. Then they had to make sure to wear their hats then walk all over the house. It was so cute! Their motherly instincts are already kicking in gear! 

Saturday- the whole family went to the library to check out some books. Initially, Leah was a little spitfire being her stubborn little self with wanting the rocking chair in the absolute perfect position but after daddy's little pep-talk in the bathroom, she came around. Sunday- it was time to find her birthday gift! Daddy and mommy were trying to be as discreet as possible. Whenever Leah was engaged with other things, mommy would quick slip an item under the cart. Looks like Leah is going to get a lot of cool presents! One she hopes to get from grandpa and grandma for Christmas is a big girl jeep! She had lots of fun pretending to drive it around WalMart! 

Speaking of birthday, mommy and daddy can't BELIEVE their little girl is going to be "2" in less than a month! Two parties are planned- one with the Loverink's and the other with the Robran's. Leah is going to have a blast! 

Check out these pics of Leah making silly faces. Jarrod and I were laughing pretty hard!

You Should be Ashamed!

Look what you did to poor little Leah when you voted for Barack Hussein Obama! Now she'll never know what it's like to have freedom of speech, listen to talk radio, shoot a gun (tough to shoot without ammo), earn her education, be responsible for her own actions, or keep her own money. It's tearing her up inside!

SHAME ON YOU (unless you voted for McCain)! All you Obama fans owe Leah a sucker (and a dollar - consider it a taste of your own medicine).

***For those of you who can't take a joke, turn on MSNBC - they'll paint you a rosey picture that won't offend***

Reminder for 11/4....

This is Leah writing to remind you to vote 'right' on November 4th. Think about me and my freedoms before you pull the lever...do you want me to stand in bread lines or do you want me to prosper in a free economy - where I can put my intelligence to good use? It's up to you - I'm not old enough to vote.

Do what's best for the country and ultimately, what's best for me, Leah. But you can't do it if you're a grumpy old grandpa and don't want to vote just to be stubborn. If that's your plan, then just get out there to vote for Leah's sake. As the politicians say, do it for the children.

So on November 4th....
Vote for the preservation of the Constitution.
Vote for a future where I am not punished for being successful.
Vote for an America that is driven by a free economy.
Vote for national security and winning the War on Terror.
Vote for an America where I will be able to keep the fruits of my labor and not have them stripped from me by an overbearing government.
Vote for an America where I am free to succeed and free to fail.

Vote for an America that makes use of the resources God gave it - both physical and intellectual.

Vote for an America that truly is one nation under God.
Vote for Capitalism.

Vote for Freedom.
Vote for my Future.

Another Day at Minnesota Harvest!

On Saturday we once again got on the apple wagon to pick some super duper delicious Fireside apples. This time Grandpa and Grandma Robran came with. Leah figured she'd get her fair share of apples and muched the entire time we were picking, only stopping to help dad pick the best apples that are too far out of reach.

I was a bit leery of how she'd do since she didn't have a nap all day, but she managed fairly well - but crashed as soon as we got in the car. She wasn't her usual chipper self, but she wasn't a pill either.

This time around we visited the petting zoo - which is crazy because all the animals are running loose! Goats, deer, cows, a llama...yeah, you read that... a llama. Leah called it a camel, but either way I didn't like the way it was looking at me. Llamas always give me that look like they're better than me. I hate that. And then they spit at you just to add insult to injury.

We also saw Kim's uncle Al, aunt Michelle, and cousin Alex at Minnesota Harvest, which isn't suprising since they tend to do just about every activity/event under the sun. Alex sure has grown since Kim and I got married, which makes me feel SUPER OLD!

Another fun weekend with Leah on the books.

Fun at Minnesota Harvest!

This weekend has been filled with fun for the Robran family. On Saturday, Grandpa and Grandma Thoms came up to watch Leah while Kim and I got a much needed night out. We went with friends Brian and Jana to see Rodney Carrington (hysterical comedian) at Treasure Island Casino. The night was a ton of fun and my cheeks still hurt from laughing so hard. 

Today we went to Minnesota Harvest - an apple orchard south of Jordan. If you've never been there, it is a must in the fall. The scenery is breath-taking, the smells are mouth-watering, and the whole experience is just relaxing. We went on a wagon ride out to the orchard to pick apples (Haralsons) and Leah was of great help. Need an apple picked that's 9 feet in the air? Send the littlest Robran. So we picked some beautiful apples. Leah kept busy with her own bag of apples and watching the horses. It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday with the family and we're definitely going back next weekend. 

Interview with Leah

Watch as Kim covers the tough questions with Leah...such as numbers, zoo animals, and her friends. Charlie Gibson - eat your heart out.

What's so appealing about 'No'?

What's with this 'No' stage? Everything is No this and No that...No No No No NO! Even things she wants to do she says no to first and then yes. Crazy kid. Her sentences are coming along as well as her numbers 1-10. She usually skips 5, but I figured 9 out of 10 is still an A.
She's growing into a toddler more and more every day. The way she runs around, sits indian style while she colors, everything she does is just so darn cute (except for the No thing). She can now climb a ladder to go down her slide, is more independent with every day activities, like going to get her spoon out of the drawer for supper time, and makes many of her own choices now (Cheerios or Apple Jacks?). If I could freeze time, I'd hit pause right now. She's just a load of fun to be around and every day brings a new adventure for her.
This weekend she was with Mom down at the Loverinks for a rummage sale. In the mean time Dad cleaned out the garage and found that it does indeed have a floor. But he missed his girls and was glad to have them home on Saturday. Last weekend she was down in AL for uncle Derek's coming home party. It was nice to see the kid made it through basic training and that he actually learned something while he was there (trust me, I know first hand). So she's logged a few hours in the car, which seems to be helping with her whininess on long car rides.
In case you're wondering where the pictures are - we don't have any. Turns out the camera went bust on the Jellystone trip and now we're down a camera. That will change soon and we'll soon have pictures of Leah picking out here pumpkin at the pumpkin patch and helping rake leaves (ok, so I won't rake leaves, but it makes for a lovely picture).

Vacation Getaway

This past week we went to Jellystone Park in Warrens, WI again to wish for better weather and fun! Luckily, we had beautiful warm weather and had a great time. 3 nights doesn't seem enough for a getaway. Oh well- back to reality! Anyways, here's a recap of what we were up to on our trip:

Day 1 (Saturday)
We arrived at the campground around 4pm. Leah had to scope everything out in our quiant little cabin. 2 sleeping rooms was about it! We then walked around the park, taking in all the sites. After our supper of hot dogs and carrots, we went to the outdoor waterpark, only to find that the water was freezing!!! YIKES! Poor Leah looked so excited! Well maybe the next day we'll have better luck, so we thought. It was fun to see Leah with her 1st campfire! Daddy tried so hard to get it going, dang wet wood!

DAY 2 (Sunday)
We started the day going on a train ride throughout the park. Leah LOVED this! She kept saying "choo choo" the whole ride, while waving at people we passed. We then joined "Tot Time" to play with side walk chalk and bubbles. Leah (and daddy) especially loved the chalk! (You'll have to check out the pics!) After lunch, Leah took her 2 hour long nap then we headed to the outdoor waterpark, again only to find the water was freezing! So we decided it was best to go to the indoor one and pay a small fee. Once there, Leah was in heaven!! Her favorite slide was the Boo Boo slide, which was the perfect height for her. We ended this night with a paddle boat ride, a campfire (daddy had to get Lighter fluid), and Cow Tails!

Day 3 (Monday)
This was our last night there, so we wanted to live it up! So we again, went to the indoor waterpark. Spent part of the morning there and then the evening. We couldn't believe how much fun Leah was having. She was very gutsy and seemed to prefer the bigger slides with mommy and daddy! She took a few tumbles but that didn't seem to stop her! We had to take another train ride through the park and join the other kids singing and dancing with Cindy bear. Leah was a little hesistant being near her but was comfortable in mommy's arms to get a picture with her. Our night ended with another campfire (lucky for more Lighter fluid).

Day 4 (Tuesday)
Leah decided to wake us up at 630am to start the day! So we decided to pack up and head for breakfast- guess where? McDonald's! Leah can even say this now, isn't that sad? So we said our goodbyes to the cabin, waterpark, and Yogi. After breakfast, Jarrod so badly wanted to go tour Leinenkugel's in Chippewa Falls. Leah did a great job during the tour thanks to her new stroller! The rest of the ride home, Leah took a nap along with daddy while mommy had a relaxing drive! It was sad to be back home but good to be back on a schedule and to a comfy bed!

Weekend at Bernies...I mean...GRANDPA ROBRAN'S!!

In an effort to break her of her attachment to M-O-M, Leah will be spending Saturday and Sunday at Grandpa and Grandma Robran's farm. Will she warm up to Grandpa? Will she come home unscathed? Will she eat more than just ice cream and Cheerios? God only knows. We can just pray that she gets along with Grandpa, otherwise it could be a long weekend.

Grandparents are a funny creature. They know full well what is good for the kid, but they go against better judgement and do something just the opposite. Like naps. 'Ah, the kid doesn't need a nap, back in my day..' Blah Blah Blah. Back in their day they told us to nap every hour on the hour. Their craziness either comes from one of two places - either they could care less how crabby the child is when they send them home because she's not THEIR kid, or...they truly ARE crazy. My money is on the latter.

Now before any of you grandparents get all pissed off and scratch me off your Christmas list(by the way a new St. Croix rod would be nice), keep in mind I'm just making generalizations here (I was actually talking about the OTHER grandparents *wink* *wink*). When they become 'grand' parents, they seem to graduate to a level above the lowly 'parent' and are now considered 'EXPERTS' in the field of child rearing. Had you or your siblings not had a child, they would have no one to exert their vast amount of parenting knowledge on, making them just 'parents' and subject to the ridicule of THEIR parents. Therefore, by you having a kid, the monkey is now off their back since they have proven they can produce offspring that are capable of procreating. The torch has been passed, and a tradition continues. I've already determined that when I'm a grandparent, I'm going to be the nuttiest SOB on this side of the Mississippi..."Hey kids, ever have a whiskey sour?" "Let me show you how to make napalm out of a marshmallow..." and so forth.

Regardless of the craziness that will ensue on the Robran farm, Leah will undoubtedly have a blast. She's looking forward to playing with cousin Allie and getting dirty in Grandma's flower garden. Maybe Grandpa can con her into going for a ride on the tractor - who knows what's in store. All I know is the Kimmer and I get a weekend of peace and quite, which will probably be filled with conversation about how much Kim misses Leah. So my hope is that Kim makes it through the weekend, Leah comes home alive, and we all get along in the end.

19 Months of Terror!

Well it's been 2 months since our last post, which is probably indicative of how busy Leah has been keeping us.

At the end of June, Leah completed her Water Babies class and is now as comfortable as a sea otter in the water. Baths are a lot easier now that she's not afraid to get her head wet. She'll be taking her 2nd Water Babies class the end of this month.

The past 6 weeks were filled with fun, tears, and mud as Leah kept busy with our neighbors' twin great-grandchildren. Check out the pictures on Picasa for pics of the pizza party and pool pictures (http://picasaweb.google.com/jkrobran). She had a lot of fun with Alex as they exchanged girl talk and played with their dolls. It was sad to see them go but our neighbors' can now sleep easy.

July 4th weekend was filled with tears and laughter. Our cousin Jason died in a motorcycle accident on July 3rd, so the Robran family was together for yet another funeral. However, as Jason would have had it, we had fun on July 4th by firing off fireworks at uncle Kevin's farm. Leah was glued to the display of fireworks as Kevin avoided injury.

As far as terror goes, she is getting slightly better. In the most recent weeks she has been extremely attached to Mommy, screaming bloody murder if Kim is not within arm's reach. However, being the strong parents we are, we have laid down the law and are not picking her up whenever she raises a fuss. So we have to put up with a bit more screaming, but it is starting to subside. Someday, maybe someday, she'll be a well behaved, productive member of society. Someday...

On a more positive note, she is getting smarter by the day. She's putting together many two-word phrases (i.e. Daddy Work, Mommy Work, Kacie Poop). It isn't even worth listing all the words she knows because she's picking up more and more every day. We can go through a book and she'll label just about everything in it. You say it, she'll say it too. Which tends to be a problem in some situations (who would have thought 'Ass' would be such a popular word among 19 month olds?).

Little Miss Attitude

Well, it has been a long time since the blog has been updated, and for good reason. If you were the parents of Miss Leah Gwen, you wouldn't have time to update a blog either. As she approaches the 18 month mark, she also approaches a new milestone - getting her own attitude. Yes, it's true, our sweet little girl has a naughty side. She whines, she cries, she throws things, she hits the dogs...she's ready to be a major league baseball player. We're hoping it's just a phase, but if her mother is any indicator - this will be a lifelong trait. Just kidding Dear!

As far as accomplishments go, she's beginning to say thank you and please appropriately (after the tantrum, that is), pray at supper and bed time, and learning new words every day. Some more recent occurrences are being able to put two-word phrases together such as 'one more', 'hi mom', 'come on', and 'where'ditgo'. She has become more daring at the park and is no longer the big pansie we always thought she was. She'll go down the slides and go up the stairs to get to those coveted slides. She has also overcome her fear of the merry-go-round. Swings are still a work in progress.

To keep her entertained at home, Leah got a new Turtle sandbox (thanks Wal-Mart) and a new bike trailer (thanks Target) so mom can tow her around town. She loves going for rides around scenic Le Sueur, Minnesota. It's always a great day in the Valley.

Some fun upcoming events are our trip to Jellystone park in Wisconsin (which is NOT Wisconsin Dells I've been told) on June 6th - 8th. Be prepared water parks!!! Then as soon as we get back from the cheddar state, Leah starts Water Babies three times a week, so dad and her will be in the tank two days out of the week and mommy gets to splish and splash one day of the week. Within a month she'll be doing laps!

That's about it for the world of Leah Gwen. We'll try to keep things a little more up-to-date with pics and happenings in the upcoming weeks and months.

A Baby No More...

Leah is now 16 months old and growing more and more into a little girl and out of the 'baby' stage. She now has more teeth than most elderly people, and is learning almost a new word a day. While she doesn't necessarily have a flowing head of blonde locks, she does have enough so mommy can play around with it either with barettes or pig tails.

I've also noticed it now takes a lot more to keep her entertained. We used to be able to just put her in the middle of the floor and look at her and she'd be happy. Nowadays she wants to go outside and run across the street to the park. Toys get played with half as much as the stuff in cupboards or drawers, and the dogs have no escape from her undying affection for them.

The baby stages will be missed, but there is so much to enjoy right now that we hardly have time to reflect on the way things were a year ago. Someday when we're old and talking about how we survived without a tele-portal, we'll look back at the messes, the stress, the bumps and bruises, and the occassional tantrums and want those times back. Funny how we always want things the way they were but are always looking forward to the next milestone. Sometimes we just need to enjoy the now, and the moments spent with Leah at the top of a slide, building a chair, or having her help me pick up sticks in the yard make me realize how special the time I spend with her really is.


For all the skeptics who thought teaching your kids sign language will slow down their speech development, here's a list of all the words that Leah can say. This puts her in the top 25% for speech at her age. Can someone say Dr. Leah Gwen Robran M.D.?

1. Dada
2. Mama
3. Kace (Kacie)
4. Book
5. Milk
6. Baby
7. Puppy
8. Peek-a-boo
9. Eyes
10. Shoes
11. Pants
12. Socks
13. Cheese
14. Car
15. Cat
16. Hippo
17. More
18. Bear
19. Bumpa (grandpa)
20. Girl
21. Duck
22. Please
23. Bee-bo (belly button)
24. Dance
25. Rock
26. Raffe (Giraffe)
27. Hot
28. Cold
29. Coat

Happy Easter!

Another Easter has come and gone. In looking back at our pictures, it's amazing the difference one year can make. Here's a picture of Leah on Easter 2007 one from Easter 2008:

Today we had a revolution that never would have happened a year ago - we made it through one whole church service without an 'incident'! She was a perfect angel through the entire service, perhaps thanks to the little girl sitting behind us - but we'll take it whenever we can. She loved showing off the dress that Grandma Thoms made for her (the pink dress show above). Thanks Grandma!

After church we went to the big city of Albert Lea to have lunch with Grandpa Loverink, uncles Josh and Brandon, and auntie Chelsea at the Green Mill. Grandma Loverink had to work, sure sucks to be her. We then went back to Grandpa Loverink's house where Grandpa Tom inundated Leah with M&Ms. Great Grandpa and Grandma Peterson also made an appearance, which always spurs a spirited debate between Gaylord "the Crazy Liberal" Peterson, Josh "Everyone's Out to Get Me" Loverink, and Jarrod "Mr. Right" Robran. As always, Mr. Right was the voice of reason. By the time Leah finally warmed up to everyone, it was time to make the trek home.

Hope everyone else had a great Easter. Here are all the pics of Leah's Easter get-togethers.

In Memory of Great-Grandpa Cecil

On March 6th, Great Grandpa Cecil passed away at the age of 83.

You will be missed Great-Grandpa!

She's Growing Fast

Parenting Lessons Learned

Well, despite our best efforts, Mitt Romney dropped out of the race for the presidential nomination. As political pundits look back and try to determine where Mitt Romney went wrong and what he could have done better, I can't help but think the same about this rollercoaster ride we call parenting. So I've put together a short list of things that we've learned along our 14 month journey with Leah.

Parenting Lessons Learned

1. Never turn down hand-me-downs. Unless they were YOUR hand-me-downs.
2. Breastfeeding. It's free. Enough said. Actually, statistics show that breastfed kids are 7-8 IQ points smarter than formula kids. So yes, my kid really IS smarter than your kid!
3. Stay clear of any orifice. Some fluid or matter will shoot out eventually. You'll be glad your spouse gets hit instead of you.
4. Don't buy crap you'll never need: Diaper Genie, bottle warmer (warm water works better), wipe warmer, and a changing table with a seat belt (you're dealing with a baby, not a wild cheetah).
5. Crap you'll never have enough of: diapers, wipes, kleenex, onesies (they crap all over them when they're little), hand soap, nasal aspirators (they have a tendency to get lost) and laundry detergent.
6. Diaper changing - it's not as bad as they say. So guys, buck up. We gut deer for Pete's sake!
7. Doctors are expensive, so unless she's bleeding or unconscious, she'll get over it.
8. Pacifiers are like crack, if you don't start them on one, they'll never be hooked on one.
9. Don't buy anything that requires batteries. They're annoying, require recharging, and have minimal versatility. Blocks and puzzles are quieter and will get more use. Besides, grandparents will buy them plenty of annoying toys.
10. Your parents don't know crap. Remember, these are the same people that had you ride on your dad's lap while driving 70 mph down I-35, while you held your old man's Busch Lite. You already gave them 18+ years to screw you up, don't let them do it to your kid.
11. Even though your parents don't know crap, don't overlook them as potential babysitters. You can undo a couple hours worth of grandparent corruption in about a week.
12. Always keep at least one hand on your kid while she's sitting on an elevated surface.
13. If she can stand, it's time to lower the bed in the crib from bassinet-level to regular crib level.
14. Don't under-estimate the entertainment value of bubbles, a cardboard box, or a newspaper.
15. Teach your baby sign-language. You'll hear a lot less screaming when she can tell you she wants a banana or a stuffed bear instead of just crying for one.

This Week in Leah:

• Leah just got two more teeth, for a grand total of 16 chompers!
• Leah has been talking a lot more in recent weeks. Some recent vocalizations: Girl, Ba (sheep), shoes, and Case (our nickname for Kacie the dog). She also makes sounds for dog, horse, monkey, and a cow.
• New signs: Girl, daddy, water, milk, bird, shoes, and mouse.
• Walking has improved to the point where she falls down only occassionally.
• She has become more proficient at stacking blocks. Six blocks high is quite common with her new-found sense of coordination.
• She was able to put together a puzzle from start to finish without the assistance of mom or dad today. See the picture below of her finished masterpiece.

Leah at the Rally for Romney

She WALKS!!!

I realize it's been a while since the blog has been updated, mainly due to monitors blowing up, increasingly busy schedules, and plain old laziness.
Since the last post, Leah has begun taking her first steps (this week actually). Mom is always her motivation for walking, so she gets very excited when she makes the trek across the living room into Mommy's arms.
Her vocabulary (both sign and vocal) have also been developing rapidly. She can now sign 'Daddy' as well as say 'Da Da' and 'Pa Pa'. Jarrod prefers 'Pa Pa' but Kimberly is not very fond of the hick vernacular. She also signs 'Fish' and is starting to connect the sign with the word 'ish'. Her early fascination with fish just may be an indicator that the Pro-Walleye Trail lies in her future. She has been saying 'Ma Ma' for a while, but that's attributable to the brain-washing Kimberly does on her days off! The word 'Bear' is in progress, thus far she says 'Beau' when she sees a picture of a bear. Animal sounds are her favorite; mimicking a horse, puppy, cow, and monkey (ooh, ooh). Many of her other signs are:

• Banana (loves those 'Nanas!)
• More
• Eat
• Puppy
• Pig
• Mouse
• Please
• Help
• Folds her hands at supper to pray
• Thank You
• Baby
• Puts finger to mouth and says "Sssh" when dogs are barking

The tooth tally continues to climb, now totally 14 Teeth! Needless to say, there isn't much she can't eat.

Leah has also taken a big interest in taking care of her babies. Rocking them in a crib, putting a blanket on them, and feeding them a bottle are a regular part of her routine nowadays. Where she learns to do things like that, I'll never know. But it is quite interesting to see how her little mind works.