Chasing Leah

I think Leah has an objection to the name of this blog. She has been very busy lately trying to prove to me that I spend far more time chasing after her than I do keeping up with Miles these days. I've assured her I'll spend some time thinking of a name for the blog that includes her if she'll just give me a break from chasing her long enough that I can think. She has mastered the fork and spoon lately and insists on eating her cheerios with a fork too. She loves to watch the sky for helicopters and airplanes now and points to the sky and says "whassat" whenever she hears one up above. She also says "shoe" now and whenever I put my shoes on to go somewhere she comes running with her shoes so she can go too. Miles has never worn out a pair of shoes, but Leah has already worn out her first real pair of walking shoes in less than 3 months. She can also say "juice", although it does sound quite similar to "shoes" and she says "night night, Miles" each night before bed.

I took Leah to her 15 month check up the other day and she had lost several ounces since her 12 month visit. The pediatrician looked at me with a puzzled look and asked me if I knew why she might be losing weight. I laughed and said, "Yes, I think I do know why." I guess I should have just shown him her worn out shoes. Seriously though, she's fine, just a very active kid. She dropped from the 100th percentile down to the 80th, and she went from three rolls on her thighs down to two.


Miles still loves school. Whenever I pick him up from school the first thing he says is that he had "so much fun at school today!" His favorite song is the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and he sings it all the time. We recently finished the swing set so now both kids can swing at the same time and he is out there every day swinging as long as I will push him. He has become a good little bargainer lately as well. I asked him the other night if he wanted to pick up all of Leah's toys to earn two chocolate covered pretzels and he told me he would do it for three.

I asked Miles what he wanted to be for Halloween and he decided that he wanted to be a garbage man. I looked all over for ideas for a garbage man costume and other than making him a garbage truck out of a box to wear, I didn't find much. Then I found a Super Why costume at the store and asked him if he wanted to be Super Why instead. He was excited about that so we spent the day yesterday making him a costume. I even made him a Why Writer like Super Why uses, but apparently I don't pay enough attention to the show because Miles informed me that if it is a Why Writer it must have a light. I will have to keep working on that.

We have had a pretty good tomato harvest this year. Our new tomato press is working out really well to process all those tomatoes in a fraction of the time it used to take us. We have also been able to put Miles and Leah to work helping out this year. Miles loves to turn the crank for us and watch the tomatoes come out of the machine. Leah's job is to inspect each tomato and hand them to her daddy to put in the machine. My job is to clean up the mess they all make, but at least they're having fun!



My cousins were in town a few weeks ago so we took the opportunity to get a picture together. We tried to get a picture of all the kids, but they weren't cooperating. I did get one of Miles and Isaac together that turned out pretty well though. This is Maureen, Leslie, Me and Kristin.

And of course, Miles and Isaac.