Cousins

Back on Labor Day, which now seems like ages ago, we ventured up to Iowa for a visit with Paul's parents and extended family that were in town for a memorial service for Paul's uncle. For almost a year now Leah has been talking about seeing her cousin Nickolas. He is really her second cousin but it's all the same to her. Even though he is a five year old boy, he is sweet and dear to Leah and she loves him for it. The two of them were pretty much side by side all weekend and Leah sobbed when he had to leave on Sunday afternoon. It's a good think Thanksgiving isn't too far away! I'm not sure I can take the "when do we get to see Nickolas??" questions much longer!!

Give me a Break

So Paul and I were super tired a few weeks ago and were trying to come up with some way to keep our kids under control with minimal work. This is what we came up with.



Yup, that's carseats in the living room. Yes, they are bucked in. NO, they aren't going anywhere. Yes, they sat like this for a good 15 minutes. Yes, I am considering purchasing another set of carseats to leave in the living room permanently!

So we don't really pin our kids down like this! Leah got a new car seat and JOnah's was in the house for cleaning. They are much more fun in the house than in the car!

Back to School

So it wasn't Leah's first day of school ever ,but it was her first day of school this fall. We went back and forth about sending her to two day a week preschool but when I found out that almost all of her playgroup friends were going somewhere and that there was lots of room left in the program at the YMCA, I signed her up!

It was quite a change from dropping her off last spring where she clung to us and cried when we left. This year she helps pack up her pricess lunch box & elmo backpack & gives me hugs and kisses at the door and says see you later! Sweet! Looks like she is goign to have a fun year full of crafts, games, songs, swimming, field trips, parties, etc!

Oh and it gives me a break!

Conversations with Leah

Paul: Leah, no cartoons tonight. We are going to watch the President on TV
Leah: What?
Paul: We are going to watch grown up TV, the Presidential Address.
Leah: I have dresses daddy. Some of them don't fit anymore. But the flowered one still fits and the pink one still fits!

Sting Razors

The new attraction at the STL Zoo this year is the stingrays. They have a big shallow pool filled with them. You can stick your hand in and pet them and even feed them! It's right at the height for kids Leah's size.

I found out last week that the sting rays will be leaving for the winter and realized that we hadn't been to see them yet, so I packed the kids up on Saturday and off we went. My friend Jen and I totally built up the experience for Leah and somehow in her little mind, stingrays became "sting razors!" Sounds like a scary shaving experience doesn't it!! Leah did stick her hand in the water but never did actually "pet" a sting razor. She got freaked out when the very first one splashed us.

The rest of our day at the zoo was great. Jonah finally is at the age where he was interested in the animals! Fun times.