Comedianne

You have to be one of the funniest kids I know. You like to talk and share things with us...make us laugh...jump around...sing and dance. "Elmo Potty" is now your favorite DVD, and we have so much fun watching you dance around to "The Potty Song". Daddy says you have a really good memory. I have to agree because you easily memorize songs and lines from everything you watch. You even copy Daddy's mannerisms because you spend so much time with him.

Now at 26 months (tomorrow), you really love playing with Therese most of the time and she definitely enjoys your company. A couple of days ago when I was resting, I heard you push the bedroom door open and say, "Come on, Therese. Shhh...sleeping. Shhh...sleeping." It was so cute.

I wish I could write down every little thing that comes out of your mouth!

You call me Mommy now - as of a couple weeks ago - and I love it! Since I've been sick this past week, you'll come in and visit me, stand at the foot of the bed and say, "Hi, Mom."

You officially know all your letters and can count to 20. I think you've been doing this for over a month now.

You've also grown very attached to your monkey and the Sleeping Beauty baby that Ati gave you.

Daddy said you did a football move on your own today, which made him really happy. =)

I think it was super-sweet when you laid your head on Lola's lap on Thanksgiving at Tita Emeline's house.

Oh, so many things to remember, Lea! We love seeing what new things you're going to do next! Thank you for always keeping us entertained...it's a lot of fun having you around!

Love,
Mommy

ABC's

We have much to catch up on, little Lea!

You will be two years old in just a couple of weeks!  Tonight when we were hanging out, you asked for the cow in the iTouch.  When I turned the spelling game on, you took the iTouch from me and started moving the letters around into the right spots.  When you spelled your first word, you jumped up and down yelling, "I did it!  I did it!"  You were so happy!  You spent a long time spelling names of animals on our game, and you smiled saying, "Good job!" whenever you got another animal's name spelled.  After a while, you didn't seem to need the praise anymore...you were just determined to spell as many animals as you could. =)

I'm glad that you love to learn - you're such a good student!  It's fun to watch you get so excited about new things.  Earlier this week when I was opening the mail, you picked up a Bed, Bath & Beyond coupon and started naming the numbers and letters you saw!  I was so surprised and thrilled to tell Daddy because it meant that you've been paying attention to everything we've been teaching you!

Yay, Lea!

Lots more to come...

Love,

Mommy =)

Learning to read

This is the best picture I could take with your first reading word! =)  I was cleaning the living room and picking up the reading cards this morning.  You were over next to the rocker and said, "Jesus."  Then you walked over to me, handed me this card and said, "Jesus!"  Your read your first word, and it was JESUS!!  What a beautiful first word to read!  My heart melted...I was so touched... =)

Great job, baby girl!

Love,

Mommy =)

Praying with Mommy

Tonight:  1st Sorrowful mystery - I am praying...you and Therese are very squirmy.  2nd Sorrowful Mystery - I'm praying, you are rolling around on the bed, and Therese is squirmier.  3rd Sorrowful Mystery - I try another hold with Therese, you want me to hold you, too...then you start singing and dancing the "Disco Roll".  4th Sorrowful Mystery - I'm praying, you lie down next to me and start singing the "Goodbye" song...halfway through the 4th mystery you start praying the Hail Mary's with me for the first time!!  5 in a row - whoohoo!!  Then you looked tired so I told you that you could go to sleep.  5th Sorrowful Mystery - I'm praying, and you and Therese are asleep.

What a beautiful evening...

Love,

Mommy =)

Playing Catch-up

Hi, Meleana!

I'm sorry it's been a while since I posted. Life has been so busy since your baby sister was born and I went back to work. But don't worry! I will be on vacation soon and will be able to spend lots of time with you, Daddy, and Therese.

You are now almost 1 year and 8 months old. You do and say so many more things now! I think you inherited Daddy's humor, his love for dancing, and the ability to entertain yourself.

You talk a lot (most words in your conversations we can't understand yet, but you're definitely saying something!). And you do like to repeat words and phrases that Mommy and Daddy say to you - you're so smart!

Your favorite shows now are Yo Gabba Gabba, Jon and Kate Plus 8, Sid the Science Kid, and Veggie Tales. A couple of days ago, you were doing the "Freeze dance" from Yo Gabba - it was pretty funny!

You also say two complete sentences: "Hi, sister!" and "I poopoo". Last week you started saying "Therese". I'm so glad you love your baby sister. You are always aware of her in the room, going to check on her, and trying to play with her. You like to greet her with "Hi, sister!" and you pinch her clothes, saying "Doop!" I don't know what it means, but you always laugh after you do that!

On Memorial Day, we took you to Splash with your cousins, and you had so much fun going down the Lazy River. You were floating along in your swimming vest saying, "Wheee! Wheee!" In a couple of weeks we'll be going to Lawrence Welk with Lola and we can take you swimming again!

Sometimes I get sad when I realize that you're not a baby anymore, but we're looking forward to watching you grow up and go through the different phases of life.

Until next time!

Love,
Mommy

Ate Lea welcomes Baby Therese!

Yay! Your new baby sister, Therese Hope, was born on Friday, March 13th at 3:17pm at Queen of the Valley Medical Center...the same place you were born! You even had the same Labor & Delivery nurse, Alex! =)

As you can see, you love your sister very much. You like to give her kisses on her head and pat her back...today, you even helped me change her diaper! Her hiccups make you laugh and you have a lot of fun playing with her little hands.

God is so good to us...He gave us two beautiful daughters whom we love very much. It's exciting to know that there is a great plan He has for our family, and we will definitely enjoy watching you both grow up to walk this path together.

Thank you for being such a wonderful big sister!

Love always,
Mommy

Chatterbox

New words...and some old ones...

• book (you just said this today!)
• bible
  
• Amen! (after the Sign of the Cross, Bless Us O Lord, and when I finish the Rosary)
• Ate (this one's not so new...but you like to say Ate's name a lot!)
• up / down (it's really funny when you say it while doing squats)
• go!
• bathroom (as you're following Mommy or Daddy into the bathroom)
• ear
• eye
• apple
• hat
  
• hi! / bye! (while waving your hand in the air)
• thank you / welcome...sounds more like "bakum" =)
• yeah
• yay!
  
• wow! (especially cute when you say this while putting something on, like a hat or sunglasses)
• uh oh
  

You are a sister...

Dearest Meleana,

I think it's the most beautiful gesture when you wave and say "hi" to Little Gary's picture on our altar. You did this for the first time in front of me about a week ago when we were praying the rosary, and every time we are hanging out in the bedroom, you'll say hi...and you'll take my hand so I can say "hi", too. Daddy taught you this a few times before and you have remembered since then. Thank you for acknowledging your big brother. I know he doesn't want us to forget him because he is in heaven praying for us every day, so this really means a lot to me that you honor his life and his presence.

A few days ago, you also kissed my tummy and said, "Baby". I wasn't sure if you understood that I have your little brother or sister in my tummy, but I was so happy to see that you get it...especially because you see Daddy talking to him/her. You're going to be a wonderful big sister! It's only a matter of two months before you get to meet the baby...we can't wait!

I love you!

Love,
Mommy =)

********************

p.s. You recognized the letter "S" today!!! I was wearing my Steubenville sweatshirt and you pointed to the "S" and said "S"! Good job, baby girl! SuperWhy is a good teacher, so says Daddy. So is Wheel of Fortune, I suppose. I guess TV isn't all that bad... =)

Let's pray, Lea!

You said a new word today! "PRAY!"

We were in the bedroom and I asked you if you could get the rosary for me. You nodded your head and said, "Yeah..." Then I said we were going to pray for all the babies who are in their mommies' tummies, and you said, "Pray!" Yaaay! I was so proud of you! Because you saw me smiling, you said it over and over again...and yet again when we finished the last decade together. =)

It meant so much to me that this was one of your first words because prayer is so important to us. When you were in my tummy, I would pray the rosary outloud so you could hear me and pray with me. When you were born, I would hold you in my lap and we would pray the rosary together. And now that you are a little bigger, you can hold the rosary in your hands while we pray and kiss Jesus on the cross when we are finished.

You are so good when we are praying the rosary, and people always compliment us on how quiet you are in Mass. I think it's because ever since you came into this world, you haven't known any other way to live. Other than home, church is the one place where you spend most of your time, and I'm so happy that you are comfortable in the house of the Lord.

I do hope that this beautiful life of prayer will stay with you your entire life. Your daddy and I will do our best to be good examples for you and show you what a relationship with Jesus and Mama Mary looks like. It's good to talk to them every day...to tell them how you are doing...to ask for what you need...to seek help for others when their faith or health is weak.

Let's continue to pray together and we will see wonderful things happen through the grace and power of God! AMEN!

Love,
Mommy

Baby sibling is a'waiting

Last weekend Ate Leilani gave you one of her baby dolls to take home. It was actually Tita Emeline's idea because she said it might help you get used to seeing another little baby in the house before your little brother or sister comes. It looks like you really like her! During the past two days you have brought the doll over to me and told me to hold her, and you give her kisses and hugs, too! You have me point to her ears, nose, mouth, eyes, and head like I do with you, and you take her hands and try to make her clap. Of course it will be a lot different when the real baby comes, but it's so nice to see you so open to the idea of Mommy taking care of another baby.

You're going to be a big sister in about two months...isn't that exciting? You really enjoy playing with other kids, and like Ninang Jaymee says, a little brother or sister is the best gift we can give you. You'll have a playmate here at home who you can spend time with and share your books and toys with. Hopefully you will grow up to be best friends and do so many things together when you get bigger!

Even just having you here with us has brought us so much happiness. Every day you are growing and showing us how much you are learning! Earlier this week you were working out with Daddy, doing squats and push-ups...and yesterday you were doing yoga stretches with me! Everyone loves having you around because you make them smile...when Daddy brought you to my school, all of my students were ooh-ing and ahh-ing over how cute you were pushing your stroller on the playground.

You'll be hearing us say to you that we wish you could stay little forever, but we know that God has a wonderful plan for your life...and so we will do our best to cherish the memories we make together.

Good night, little Lea!

Love,
Mommy

Welcome to the blog world, Meleana!

Dear Meleana,

Your daddy and I wanted to start this blog for you to record all of your milestones and precious moments because we have noticed that time flies by so quickly and you are growing up so fast. It has been a beautiful and blessed gift to have you in our lives. As I write this, you are now almost 15 months old...so happy and active...learning all these new things. Today you even walked over to our Santo Nino and said "Jesus"! We are so grateful for the great joy your presence brings into our home. Thank you for your smiles, your laughter, your hugs, and your kisses. We love you so much!

Love,
Mommy =)