Photo time

So...I just realized that we had several adorable pictures of Lea that were on the camera, but they hadn't be shared with the world yet. Shame on us! So here are a bunch of random photos:

This was supposed to be a photo of Lea's first time standing up by herself on the ottoman. Apparently Kate was a little late with the trigger finger.

Lea dressed eerily similar to Grammy Su...pink turtleneck and khakis

Laundry fun!

Photo of a rare Lea smile after a napless Saturday that turned into trip to Pella. It helped to have puffs along apparently.

Lea with Aunt Em & Aunt Summer

Lea with her shades and her nerdy onesie (curiosity of Grandma Kathy)

and Kate's shades...

Sickness and a Video

Quick update today. The family Sand has been fighting a nasty cold this weekend. Of course it's over my (Steve) three day weekend (parent teacher conferences). Lord knows Lea only gets the nasty stuff when I'm on break. Who says kids are dumb. We have been doing everything as a family this weekend. Sneezing, hacking, coughing, running our noses and other delightful things. The best part of the whole plague is the cough all of us have. It's like a three part choir of hacking. Same exact cough, three different sizes.

Lea has been fun this whole time as well. Running a fever off and on-which makes her boat loads of fun-snotty nose and decreased appetite. I've also discovered as her health decreased, her behaviors regressed as well. No standing on stuff. Less climbing mom and dad. Our attempt at conversion to full time sippy cup blew up when the cold hit as well. So close.

Here is a video of happier times at the Sand household. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7jK5l7nVsQ

Birthday Wonderfulness and New Skills

Here we are one year into our lifelong experiment called child rearing. Let's take a look at the grading sheet!

So far I'd rate us as a 7 out of 10. Stern but fair.

Perfect marks for cuteness, adorablility and cheeks.

We lose points because Lea is not holding down her own job, working complex equations, hunting, lock picking, para trooping, pickpocketing, brake dancing, and some other things I haven't taken the time to make up.

I was recalling the fear and something that resembled excitement, but was more like fear, again, we were staring down a year ago. In hindsight I have to admit it hasn't been too scary. Except for all the scary parts. (She is bound to replace us, I will not forget that) Thank God for nurses and the epidural.

Hear are some updates:

She is now able to easily stand up on furniture. She picked that one up quick.

Found out today that she can climb stairs. Great story. She was downstairs with Kate. I hear, "Lea? Leeeeaaaa?" I look down the steps and see my spawn smiling at me three steps up. One more thing to worry about. FANNNNNNNN-TASTIC.

She loves food.

She turned 1. Family was able to come over and watch her make noises and be cute. No screaming!

Here are some pictures from the birthday funness.

Lea attempting to win one of the party games. (Two Pyrex bowls were stuck together. Everyone was challenged, one reigned supreme. His name was Luke. He is now was a legend in our house. And he is Lea's uncle. And tall.)

Lea opening presents. Mostly toys that make loud noises. Amazingly, I've already become desensitized.

Fun picture of Lea and Uncle Chris. Sorry Joy. I could have not posted this picture. But I did anyway.

NOW WITH EVEN MORE PHOTOS!

Not much new to report with regards to Lea. She's loud, fun, and now feeds herself. Granted she only feeds herself puffs, but it's a start.

Here are some more pictures from the last month or so.

Lea and Sloane. I believe Lea is plotting her future stealing of Sloane's sock. Or not, she is only 11 months, come on.

Lea wanted quesadilla's this night. She was not impressed with the mushed up green beans we forced on her. She does love cheese though. So that's something.

Mona Lea. Smile is a little less mysterious though. Fun note, we took her to the Science Museum where they currently have an awesome traveling Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit. (Seriously, very cool. If you live near Des Monies and you haven't been yet, head butt a wall, and to the exhibit. Okay, you don't need to head butt a wall. But serious, go see Da Vinci. Get cultured people) Were was I. Oh yeah...so she was super cool at the exhibit. We let her crawl around in the Mona Lisa exhibit. No punch line. It was cute.

Lea no longer fits in her swaddle.

Nope.

Lea the Thief

Two posts in back-to-back? What is this, five months ago? Ahahahahahahahahahaha.

But seriously people. That was weak.

Okie dokie let's talk Lea. (Heavy on the nerd talk in the next paragraph. Please don't judge. If you have never played an RPG in your life some of the terms may be foreign. If you have no idea what an RPG is either look it up, or skip to the pictures. If you are interested in playing an RPG I suggest anything from the Dragon Quest/Warrior or Final Fantasy Series. Wizardy was cool, but they are no longer produced. I also love the Legend of Zelda, but it's not a traditional RPG. I will punch myself for making you read this. Sorry.)

Just saying that she steals was inappropriate. I believe she has taken a new profession--Thief. Personally I would have liked her to become a Mage, Warrior or Martial Artist--but who am I to judge. Regardless, she has set forth on the path of being a Thief. She is doomed to pickpocketing and only being able to use a bow and arrow, or a dagger--as well as being the first one to die in her party (Why do thieves have such low HP?). Although, it would be cool to have a baby pickpocket. No one suspects the baby.

Lea also worked hard at trying to pull herself up on the couch. She was tired and was less than successful. This led to tears. Tiny, tiny tears.

SUPER FANTASTIC PICTURE TIME!

Starbucks Lea! I couldn't be prouder. (Seriously, greatest.....picture.....(wait for it)...EVER!)

Starbucks Lea 2.

Starbucks Lea 3.

Lea's 3rd favorite game. Stealing whatever mom and dad use once it hits the floor. Cups, mugs and water bottles are her choice toys.

Lea leveled up after this theft. She is now a Level 5 Thief (+6 Purloining, +4 Skulduggery)

New Year New Skills

Here's a quick recap of the past couple of months.

We traveled lots for Christmas. Lea got sick the first full day away from home, which was as awesome as it sounds. She would let anyone touch her but Kate for three days. Fantastic. She punished us when we got home by waking up every two and a half hours. So counting our travels, we slept a total of 5 hours in four nights. To top all that off her little virus attacked her little tush the first full day back. She had diarrhea for two and a half days-then gave it to me. Kids, the gift that keeps on giving the whole year round. (I was planning on a marathon posting secession the week I had off from school, but the sickness drained all motivation-not that I have any motivation when I'm feeling normal.) So yeah, that was Christmas. (Lea did get spoiled with gifts. Everyone was too kind in giving our little monster lots of things to play with.)

Lea recently learned to play peek-a-boo by herself. She unplugs the computer from the power source and tries to plug it back in, nearly successful. Lea attempts to put my ring back on my finger. And yet she still will not feed herself.

She also steals. In the past couple of weeks, Lea has stolen a pacifier (right out of another child's mouth) and a sock (right off another child's foot). We've been able to settle out of court with the parents of the victims.

While visiting our pals the Van de Walles (castleofvandewalle.blogspot.com) in Perry, a pet dog was being naughty. The dog was wanting to lick Lea, so he was placed in his kennel. The pup wanted to talk with the rest of us, which led him to being muzzled. Once the animal was locked away and silenced did Lea preceded to crawl over to his cage, multiple times, to mock the poor animal. Yes, this is my daughter.

Enjoy the pictures.

*Note: There are no X-Mas pictures because I'm dumb and my wife is forgetful. E.G.- the camera was left at home.

Lea's favorite past time.

Lea's second favorite past time.

Lea and her BFF Sloane. (And Kelly and I doing our best high chair impressions as we quietly discuss how much better our lives our since the girls have taken over every waking moment)

Lea the thief trying to make amends by attempting (failed) to place the stolen sock back from whence it came.

See you all in 2012

Ah man it's December!

So the wife claims I haven't posted on the blog since November and that was only pictures at that. Whatever. I think she's delirious. It's cold and she doesn't handle the cold very well and makes crazy claims. So maybe she's right on this one. (Please reference an earlier post about me not trying anymore. I blame the Internet.)

Quick hits of things Lea has done in the past month.

She's opened a child proof bottle. (A feat that I've been encouraging but has yet to be repeated.)

She's accomplished forward motion. Now she can attack from all 360 degrees.

She's still bald. My students have begun asking me if I shave her head. (I need to start telling them that indeed I do shave her head. For religious purposes.)

She just received her first dradle. I see a gambling problem in the future.

She's sitting herself up. Very ninja like though. We have not seen the act. She goes from laying to sitting in a split unseen moment. We think she maybe a mutant, or a superhero. Like the Flash. (Is "the" capitalized in the Flash?)

We are doing interblog promotion with the Castleofvandewalle blog. The paterfamilias (Kelly) of the Vandewalle clan is staying with us for a few weeks. I'm testing out to see if Lea like Kelly better. If so, then I've got a replacement in case I need to disappear for any extended period of time.

We spent Thanksgiving with Grandma and Grandpa Sand, as well as Uncle Greg, Aunt Sue, and cousins Ben, Sam, and Jake. It was good times, except for sleeping (Lea thought she needed Katy to sleep. Weird baby. I thought we should have let her sleep outside.) Unfortunately we forgot our camera battery. Instead we drew stick figure portraits of everyone there and taped it to Lea's forehead. I think this is a good way to make the memory stick. (Kate would like to point out that only half of this paragraph is true. You can decide which half you believe is fictitious)

I turned 30.

She loves playing with remotes and pop cans. She's very fond of smacking things with empty pop cans. Kids are cool.

Here is a link to a video of me trying to teach her to fist bump. Not sure if she quiet got the concept.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fQZsld034I

Fun pictures!