Jokey

Leah loves to play "Jokey" when we're riding in the car. Basically, we take turns telling a very formulaic "joke" that goes something like this:

• Leah: Have you ever heard an alligator who took a bath in a bathtub?
• Me: Have you ever heard of a ladybug who could rollerskate?
• Leah: Have you ever heard of a giraffe who went poopy on his head?
• Me: Have you ever heard of a tree that could disco dance?

Michael laughs at anything Leah laughs at and Leah laughs hysterically the entire time we do this. The jokes are terrible but all the laughter is incredibly contagious! I've grown to like "Jokey".

Little Monkeys

There's a bed time story I made up for Leah about a mama monkey and a baby monkey who live in the jungle. Whenever they need to go anywhere, the baby monkey holds on tight as the mama monkey swings from vine to vine. Every day, they visit their favorite banana tree and then swing from the vines as they make their way back to their treehouse for a little nap.

Leah loves that little story and it made the picture she gave me last night even more special:

On loan from the Guggenheim:
Monkey on vine at Banana tree

Leah, 2009

Ink and highlighter marker on paper.

Have a great weekend.

Home again, home again...

...hippity hop! So, the plan is to hop on a plane for home early this morning. Here's where I am headed...

Skyline.

The church downtown where my parents got married 47 years ago.

A fountain in my favorite outdoor shopping area.

A view of some of our many 19th century office buildings downtown.

A 19th century church downtown where we took family photos last week.

My babies.

Vegas, baby!

I say, "Vegas, baby!" like I am excited to be on a plane headed that direction right this minute, but actually, Las Vegas is not my kinda place. No one asked me where our annual sales conference should be held, because if they had, I would have said Vienna or Paris or Moscow or Marrakesh or maybe even Tokyo. But no one asked me. Strangely enough.

My niece Olivia to her mom upon hearing her parents were headed to Vegas for the weekend: "But Mom! Aunt Kimmy says Las Vegas is like Disney World for naughty grown-ups!" (Oops!)

So after a [nearly] three year business travel hiatus, I am making my second trip this month. Sigh. I am experiencing cognitive dissonance: wanting to be here to tuck my kids into bed - and - knowing it will be a good trip. Let's hope Bryan and the kids have as much fun without me as they did two weeks ago and that I have a little fun, too. On the up side? There's only one Vegas resort that I really love, and that's where I'll be.

5

Let me tell you something about the number five. It's a small number - a fast number. Here's what I mean...

Five years ago today, Leah was born...

Four years ago today, our "big grown up baby" celebrated her first birthday...

Three years ago, she became so independent...

Two years ago, she got a baby brother and suddenly seemed so big and not at all a baby anymore...

One year ago (which was more or less yesterday, or a few weeks ago, maybe) she turned four and I thought, Wow, four, already...

And now my sweet baby girl is five years old. Five! FIVE. It was a fast five years and I find myself having ridiculous thoughts like, Oh my gosh, 14 years from now she will be in college!

This picture of Bryan looking down at our newborn baby captures everything we were feeling five years ago today - and continue to feel every minute of every day.

A self portrait.

Leah is five. She can read a little and count a little and do a little math. She likes to use "big words". She knows what baminos amigos means, thanks to Dora; and just this week she told me she is learning all kinds of "grown up stuff like about Thomas Edison (that guy who invented light bulbs) and George Washington Carver (that guy who made stuff from peanuts)." And this is the same kid who asked me recently if I would come pick her up early every day when she's in college - then asked me yesterday if she can go camping all by herself when she is a grown up. Yes, she is five.

I sat down with Leah to interview her for this post and this is what I learned:

• Favorite color: Pink
• Favorite movie: Scooby Doo
• Favorite friends: Camille, Lillie, Makenzie
• Favorite toy: Barbie dolls
• Favorite food: Pizza and spaghetti
• Favorite drink: Juice
• Favorite book: My Little Pony
• Favorite song: Jesus Loves Me
• Favorite animal: Doggies and kitty cats
• Favorite sport: Swimming
• Favorite thing in her room: Lava lamp
• Favorite thing to do on the weekend: Watch movies

I have to remind myself that she will never be littler than she is today!

Happy Birthday, Leah!!!