Backyard Pool Fun

Leah really enjoys the backyard pool now. Her favorite part is filling it up (high!) with water and jumping in the water (with help from Mama). She also likes to dump bird seed into the pool and watch (from upstairs) while the squirrels try to get to the seed. We saw one in the water, and Lili thought it was hhilarious!

Leah was posing here! This weekend it was close to 90. We tried to go to the (neighborhood) pool or as Sassy calls it "jump in pool", but it was closed due to the fact it was contaminated and needed to be shocked. Yuck. Leah enjoyed playing in the backyard, too, though.

Flower Photos

Music in the Park

We have met some friends in Plymouth's Music in the Park twice so far this summer. Leah really enjoyed it the first time. I thought I would bring along my camera to document all the fun she has when she is around music. However, this time the performers were fiddlers. I don't know if Leah didn't appreciate the genre, she was overtired, or her 2 year molar that is popping was annoying her. Either way, here is the run down of the 25 minutes she let us stay....

12:01- eat lunch. Scoff at the grilled cheese and eat only the chips and yogurt. Notice that this yogurt has a different type of packaging, so use a straw as a tool.
12:05-after protesting *loudly* as Mama tries to show how the yogurt can be sucked, realize that she's right and it makes eating the yogurt much easier.

12:10-lay down, rub belly, look annoyed.

12:15-turn toward the music at Mama's prompting, scowl at the Irish dancers and loudly announce, "Home! DD. Grober, Ernie, MoMo. Home. Bye-Bye!"

12:20-Hold Big Bird and wave bye-bye to everyone excitedly as Mama pulls the wagon to the car.

Kitties

Brain and Annie think Leah's toddler bed is their own. I've caught them snoozing in the bed several times over the past few weeks. Luckily, Lili Bean doesn't mind sharing. Luckily.

4th of July

We celebrated the 4th of July by going to the Detroit Zoo. The hours were extended until 8:00, so it was nice to go after Leah's second nap and in the evening when it was cooler. We brought the wagon, but Sassy really prefered to run. We tried to discourage it, but she was so excited to be there.

Leah really liked the apes, giraffes, and the Artic Circle. Almost every time she saw an animal she would say, "hi, Brain Brain!" If she didn't see an animal she would say, "where Brain?" I'm not sure why she thought every animal was a relative to our cat, but we thought it was pretty sweet.

Yes, Lili's hand is on my boob. She's very protective. Sassy was TIRED by the end of the trip, but she still didn't really want to leave.

Artic Ring of Life

One of the best exibits at the zoo was the Artic Ring if Life. Leah was a little nervous at first (she kept thinking the animals might come through the glass), but enjoyed the experience after a few minutes.

Even More Zoo

Leah liked helping Daddy with the wagon.

Fruit Pizza

We made some yummy fruit pizza. Leah really enjoyed adding blueberries to the pizza.

Birdie

Lili and I feed the birds almost every day. The entire family enjoys watching the birds, squirrels, and ducks eat at the feeder (and on the patio, where Leah scatters her bird seed). Because the weather was so hot, we hadn't been out to feed the birds in several days. Two birdies decided to fly into the garage and get to the seed themselves. As we were trying to direct them out of the garage, I accidentally let one fly into the house. Oops. Leah wanted no part of the bird and kept saying, "no, bird, out!" We eventually got the bird back outdoors, but not before Brain stared longingly at him and Rugen tried to eat him as a quick snack.

Fancy-Pants Weekend

Chris and I had a busy weekend! We went to my friend Laura's wedding on Saturday, and to Aja and Rob's wedding reception on Sunday (comically enough they were at the same location). Lili got to come along to Aja and Rob's reception. I picked out an adorable outfit for her, a sweet yellow tutu with a matching bee shirt. Leah took one look at the bee shirt and said, "no, Mama, no bees! Bees gone!" She has feared bees ever since monster sized bees set up camp in her playset (Daddy has tried to kill them several times, but one or two continue to linger). She thinks every flying insect is a bee, and comes running whenever she hears buzzing sounds. Apparently, she didn't want bees on her shirt, either.

Regardless of the fashion faux pas, Lili had a fun time. She particularly enjoyed the rolls and the chicken at the reception.

She also liked singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" with Daddy. Here she is washing the spider out.

Best of all, the cake! Yum!

Anniversary Celebration

Chris and I have been married for FIVE years. Wow. To celebrate we had dinner in Downtown Plymouth with Sassy. Then, we went to our favorite park to burn off some energy. We finished the date with ice cream from Cold Stone. What a fun day!

Daddy kept tickling Lili through the holes in the tunnel. Leah would crawl out as fast as she could, make eye contact with Chris and say, "again!"

Big Girl Bed

If you are reading this blog, you know that our family is a cosleeping family. This is something that we never expected to do, but grew to embrace. As much as I enjoyed having my baby sleep right next to me for the first 22 months of her life (and, believe me, I enjoyed each and every second!), the time came for Lili Bean to sleep in her own bed. I think it was harder on Mommy. Lili has been sleeping in her own bed (right next to our bed) for the past week plus. She has only climbed back in bed with us once or twice. Two nights ago I woke up at 3ish to see a little bedheaded pixie face right next to me. She whispered, "Baby up on bed with Mama?". How do you say no to that? <--That is what I told Chris the next morning when he asked why Sassy was in the bed again.

Leah has even slept through the night a handful of times. We've been promising her a new Elmo DVD for each time she sleeps through the night. Last weekend, she did it. Chris and I woke up before Leah and were whispering about how amazed we were that she slept ALL NIGHT. Next thing we know, her little face appears over the side of the bed and says in a serious voice, "MoMo DD" (Elmo DVD). All she was missing was, "NOW, Peeps, I did it!"

Jumping Bean

One of Lili's favorite past times is jumping. She has gotten quite good, and is able to jump several inches off the ground. As she is jumping she likes to sing, "jump, jump, JUMP!" She has also started counting off her jumps, "one....two....treeee......JUMP!" What a cutie.