Every day we go over colors. I like to make piles around the house with color-similar objects for Miss Leyba. I try to put different objects together each time to keep it interesting. Here are several groupings from yesterday morning:

Oh, the above photograph, how it makes me chuckle. I think she’s saying, “Mom, why do you have my carrot? Can I please play with it now?”

Finally Miss Leyba had enough:

“Who cares about colors?! Come on, Mom, let’s read!”

Someone has been practicing walking every day for months. Here’s the latest method that she came up with all on her own:

There she goes! from Carrie on Vimeo.

She’s since been loading up the laundry basket (with toys and books) and pushing it all over the house.

::::::

Two cute stories:

From the dining room I hear her crawl off down the hallway. I assume she’s gone to the bedroom (as the bathroom door is usually closed), so I scurry after her and SURPRISE she’s not there. I check twice and freeze in panic mode. Where is she?! Then suddenly I hear a lot of giggling and bang bang banging going on. I run to the bathroom and she’s standing at the toilet banging on the seat cover (thankfully, we always keep it down!). She was VERY proud of herself (knowing full well that she’s not allowed to touch this magical contraption called a toilet) and I nearly had a heart attack.

The other day she crawled into the bedroom and closed the door. She then sat up against the door so I could only open it VERY slowly by pushing her forward with the door (thankfully, she wasn’t standing!). I had flashes of Miss Leyba as a preteen refusing to let me in. It’s only about 10 years away now. Not that I’m keeping track or anything.

Miss Leyba has two teeth (one on the bottom, shown above, and one on the top)!
And two more are in the process of popping!
It’s been an eventful two weeks!

Here’s a bonus photo because it is just so darn cute:

Last month (yes, I am still WAY behind with the posts) we met up with our friend Jenn and her adorable daughter (who is 10 months older than Miss Leyba) at the Bay Area Discovery Museum. The museum has a toddler section full of age appropriate activities and MISS LEYBA HAD A BLAST! (Us too, of course!)

Here are some photo highlights, and a video, below, from our trip:

Puppet show time! Miss Leyba adores (idolizes!) Jenn’s daughter.


Water table fun! (Miss Leyba got so wet! David and I didn’t discover the waterproof aprons, shown above, until it was way too late. We’ll be on top of it next time. At least we had a change of clothes!)

So much fun making beautiful music together.

Check out the “live” version:

Music at the museum from Carrie on Vimeo.

We’re so lucky to live here and have such great friends! We heart you guys!

A very late Thanksgiving post…

For the second year, our dear friend Kate-Robin joined us for Thanksgiving. And this year she brought her girlfriend Jen. It was a blast!

Kate-Robin cooked the most delicious Butternut Squash and Hazelnut Lasagne as our vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish. We also baked this Spiced Pumpkin Bread, which has been our favorite holiday treat (and gift to friends!) this year. We highly recommend both recipes. Super yummy.

And what Thanksgiving in Wine Country isn’t complete without a trip to Chateau St. Jean?! (Wow, do we love that winery!)

Miss Leyba adored playing with both Kate-Robin and Jen. Here is a morning moment between Kate-Robin and Miss Leyba:

Morning play with Kate-Robin from Carrie on Vimeo.

p.s. Miss Leyba popped her first tooth!!! More on that soon…

Dear Miss Leyba,

You are ten months old and still don’t have any teeth. We can’t believe it either. You now have four in place and just about ready to break through, but we are not holding our breath. We’ve been waiting for them to pop for months.

This month you have been perfecting your skill set: turning pages (now completely on your own), cruising the furniture and moving towards walking by yourself, and TALKING! We thought you talked a lot before… well, now you talk even more!

Your latest talking shenanigan is screaming “mom, mom, mom!” over and over when you want me or when you want me to do something for you. Like when I took away that piece of paper you were eating and you wanted it back. Or when I dare to put the laundry up or unload the dishwasher or, heaven forbid, go to the bathroom without you. “Mom, mom, mom, mom” you shriek and crawl after me clearly shouting, “Wait for me!”

You want to be next to me all the time and are endlessly curious about what I am working on. Honey, I really don’t think I am that interesting… but I am glad you think I am and want to spend all your time with me. I feel the same way about you. Even when you are asleep: I can still stare at you for hours while you sleep. It just doesn’t get old. You are adorable in everything that you do.

Despite wanting to be near me at all times, you still love playing independently. I love this because it means we can both work on projects that interest us.

Unless my project interests you too, in which case you want to help me!

Here you are unpacking the laundry basket:

And coming over to visit me while I am taking photos:

You are also getting very good at yoga and are an expert at the following poses:

• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog)
• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)
• Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose lying down)
• Virasana (Hero Pose)
• Upavistha Konasana (Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend)
• Matsyasana (Fish Pose)

We are so proud.

You continue to perfect your pincher grasp and like feeding yourself bits of sweet potato, red potato, rice, spaghetti squash, and banana. You like to teeth/suck on slices of apple and carrot. You frequently share whatever you are eating with us — holding out your spoon or treat to us so we can eat too. We love how generous you are. Thank you for sharing, sweetheart!

You are getting very good at using the mouse and love to type on the keyboard. Here is a message from you:

9 njhb nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
p 7 bn bnn nmb,nmk h bv KMNJKHYJGHET
DDDDDDDDDDDDD3 BLOK
M MZNM Zjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj%%%5555 NB BV VZ BVGBFFgggggggggggggggf

Keep growing! Keep exploring! Keep having fun!

We love you.

Love,
Mama