I’ve added a widget of some of Miss Leyba’s favorite books and toys for those of you in the market for baby gifts. See the right hand column for some of Miss Leyba and my loves.

We highly recommend Haba’s German-made Fantasy Blocks! (We are very willing to pay extra for USA or European made “safe” toys! Let’s keep her intake of toxic materials to a minimum.) She’s been carrying a block around with her nonstop since they arrived yesterday.

An extra perk: evidently they are absolutely delicious.

Someone just loves keeping me company in the kitchen.

I open the fridge and she heads straight for it.

And she now knows where the metal bowls and colanders are kept.

She also likes to unpack groceries. Now isn’t that so helpful?!

It actually works out great because Miss Leyba has entered the long awaited mama-must-be-right-next-to-me stage, so if she’s busy playing at my feet, at least I know she isn’t getting into too much trouble while I fix dinner.

In August we visited our families on the East Coast. Two months later I am finally posting pictures. Here are some of the highlights.

At my parents house:

Miss Leyba LOVED the dogs we met:

We finished up the trip with a visit to David’s aunt and uncle’s beach house at the Jersey shore:

It was a great trip.