More 2012 - Thanksgiving pics

A couple of days before Thanksgiving Leah learned the fine art of making Jiffy cornbread.  We made 6 pans for our cornbread stuffing. (plus a batch of 2 dozen homemade biscuits... we fed 50+ people with our stuffing over the Thanksgiving holiday) And then we leave them for a couple of days to dry out...

Thanksgiving morning we started a new tradition... Elephant bread.  Some of you may know it as Monkey bread or just cinnamon-pull-apart-bread... but Leah likes elephants... and so she named it elephant bread. 

I took a bunch of pictures at Thanksgiving lunch with my dad's family... but I don't know what file they are in.  I am having a bit of a photo crisis... I have been uploading things in particular files "so that I won't forget where I put them." And guess what...

So then we had Kevin's family at our house for Thanksgiving dinner... we were pretty full that day... Dress-up is the thing lately... Mady and Jaxon and Leah had a grand time playing after dinner. 

This cracked me up... Jaxon didn't want to be the only boy maybe?  He asked me to please take a picture of Percy too.  :)

The Friday after Thanksgiving is spent with Granstan's family at their house, but either I didn't take any pictures there, or I have misplaced them as well.  ??

Happy Thanksgiving!

More 2012 - a little nutcracker

In December Leah went to her first ballet. The professional dance company at her dance studio does a production of the Nutcracker each year, so we went to see it.  It started at 8 PM!  That's bedtime ladies and gents... I was a little nervous... But she happily watched the whole thing! (And so did Kevin! Just as much a miracle!)

A performer had a princess balloon and some flowers waiting for her after the show was over... Leah wanted her picture taken by it.  :)

In our seats... we had second row seats... which was entirely too close and we ended up moving back a few rows to some empty seats. 

She finally started to appreciate the booster seat when the show started... 

Snacks at intermission was a highlight...

And Miss Grace, the helper in Leah's tap/ballet class, was one of the stars of the show.  She played several parts but we most enjoyed the contortionist abilities she displayed while she was the Arabian princess. 

This almost NEVER happens...

More 2012 - a little dental hygeine

This wasn't exactly her first trip to the dentist.  Giggle brought her the year before to sit and watch me and have her teeth counted. (I have those pictures... somewhere!)  But it was her first real cleaning.  She let them to the full cleaning, exactly what they do with my teeth.  I was impressed. 

Ms Julie is my hygenist, and we both love her now. 

Leah thought the glasses were pretty cool.

Once her snags were all clean, Dr. Matt came in to take a look.

A good report! And a shiney smile! 

More 2012 - a little best friend

This is the first time Leah has called someone her best friend... her name is Abby.  :)

They met at BSF. Abby's grandmother is my co-leader in the Children's area.

They are peas in a pod and act totally WILD around each other. Felt the need to document this "first." 

Her name is Ava

Since Leah got a middle name, we couldn't deprive Ava of one. Ava Grace Curley will be arriving on April 3 if not before! Kevin chose Ava's name and I love it. It's starting to feel like that really is her name and we really will get to see Ava and hold Ava and kiss Ava very soon! Leah refuses to call her that right now, but one of these days she will come around, right?  As of today Leah began introducing herself as Rebekah, and her little sister as Lavinia. 

Let's hope Ava loves bows as much as Leah did... because she will have a plethora to choose from. Between the dozens and dozens Leah has amassed, and the ones I have made... we probably have a bow for every hair on her little head. 

I am not crafty... but I SOOOO wish I was. I do try... I'm not afraid to try and fail. For instance, I used the wrong color purple paint on Ava's bow holder without realizing it until I was practically finished... so it doesn't match anything in the nursery but at least its done...so I just went with it.   

All these are bows I have made (save the one in the center that is a "little sis" bow, Leah has a matching "big sis" bow... gifts from a dear sweet friend) and there is not one that I am perfectly happy with.  They all have weird flaws but so do we, and we will wear them proudly. 

More 2012 - a little hard work

 I can't imagine that anyone in the world adores their daddy as much as Leah adores Kevin. No matter what he is doing, she wants to be with him and help him and do everything he is doing and talk-his-ever-loving-ears-off!  (Okay so that part isn't specific to Kevin, but it is certainly true.)  On this day back in late 2012, they were working in the driveway putting together a tree stand. Kevin dressed for summer, Leah for winter... I love these moments, I love these pictures, I love these two people so much.  Soon he will have two admirers.  Well 4 if you count me and Beans.  We think he is pretty wonderful too.  :)

More 2012 - Sleeping Beauty

Princess Aurora has been Leah's favorite princess since she could discern one color from another and verbalize her preference.  Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty) not only has a pink gown (Leah's favorite color) but she has blonde hair as well. Therefore.... Leah Curley IS Sleeping Beauty.    

First stop, to see POPS...

Bibby was out of town so we emailed her lots of pictures and videos...

Some of their neighbors do a big Halloween block party so everyone who wasn't pregnant went down to the party while I waited for pizza delivery and then didn't wait for anyone to dig in.  :)

After trick or treating on their street for a bit and having some dinner, we went to visit Giggle and Granstan.  No, they didn't just move in... they just moved everything they own so they could get brand new flooring!  Trick or treat time fell during the midst of the transition...

Leah has already asked to be several different characters next year... we'll have to wait and see which one she lands on.  Andrea, if you are reading this, yessum you can bet you will see Baby Sister in the Raggedy Ann costume!!  I just got it down from the attic and got all giddy.  :)

Big Belly Chronicles II - 36 weeks

For a long time now I have been meaning to get Kevin or someone to take a picture of this tummy of mine. Poor baby #2 will want to see pictures just like Leah does!

So since I keep forgetting, I just had to take some myself. This is a first for me.... I have never once take a pic of myself in the mirror!!! I hate having my picture made at all... Why would I stand in front of a mirror and photograph myself? How can people do this all the time? I still feel awkward, all these days later!

Ok, where do I hold the camera? How do I stand? Where on earth do I look???



Still can't figure out where to look or how to stand or how NOT to make a weird face...



Finally figured out where to look but can't stop with the stupid faces...



Oh there we go... Side belly shot was what I was going for... Stupid face...



I just could not make a serious smiling face....




So there it is! 36 week belly. I am certain I am already much bigger than I was the day I delivered Leah. I have felt that way about a month. I don't think I can stretch anymore!! I look and feel like I am about to POP!

Oh, and horizontal stripes are so cute but why did EVERYTHING (and I truly mean 98% of all the tops at maternity shops this year) have horizontal stripes? I thought that was a big no-no when you were extra round?? Oh well... I went with it. I had no choice!