Shoe Fetish!!!

Oh my Leah, She is truly a girl after my own heart. She has discovered shoes. Last week she kept going to her room and pointing up to the top of her dresser...this is where the shoes are at. I kept trying to bring her back to the living room and her toys to play, but she kept returning to her room eventually having a temper tantrum. As she sat on the floor crying, pointing up at the dresser, she lifted her foot and wiggled her toes..."Shoes" I said, "Do you want your shoes?" I got some off the top of the dresser and set them on the floor but that wasn't good enough. She got even more mad as I walked away and when I looked she was trying to put them on. I sat on the floor and put her shoes on and she got up and smiled...happy as a clam. Now we can't start the day unless we have a pair of shoes on. When she doesn't have shoes on she tries to put my shoes on, or even funnier...Mitch's shoes. She is getting so grown up, bless her heart she tries so hard to put her socks on too. Yes, my girl loves shoes. And I couldn't be happier!

The Best

So I have to give my wonderful husband, Mitchell some props. Last week, he threw me a surprise party to congratulate me for graduating with my masters. I never saw it coming. I was utterly clueless...which is normally not the case! He had asked me 2 weeks before hand if we had any plans, had me call a few friends and make arrangements. We had wanted to have a cookout with friends for Leah's 1st birthday, but the trip to the hospital 2 days before that put a hault to that plan, and everyone is always so busy in the summer. We figured that as long as everyone was around it would be a great chance to get the grown-ups and kids together for a "play-date" we had the grill fired up and the baby pool's inflated. Imagine my surprise when there were balloons, flowers and a cake FOR ME! I probably don't say it enough, but God gave me a wonderful gift when he brought Mitch into my life. He is a wonderful husband, father and my very best friend.

Aqua girl

Trying to touch the starfish (above)
and playing in the seaweed with daddy (below)

Two weeks ago we had the opportunity to take Leah to the Aquarium Adventure in Camden. It is right on the river across from Penn's Landing in Philadelphia. She is really into animals and tries to mimic their noises. Granted, you can't really do a whole lot of mimicking of fish :) but she had a great time quacking at the ducks. We ended up getting the "Family Passport" So that we can get in with 4 adults, 4 children and discounts on parking, food, etc...every time we go. We figured that if we go just 2 more times and take some guests once, it has already paid for itself. I can't wait to have a playdate their with some of our friends. It will also be nice for when we have out-of-town guests...and I am sure grandparents would enjoy taking Leah too!

Leah did great despite missing her morning nap. We thought she would sleep in the car on the way there (it's about an hour) but it didn't happen. She is so curious and get's so excited when we leave the house. Once you put her shoes on she heads for the door waving and yelling "buh-Bye" behind her. She must be talking to the dogs :)

I think she enjoyed almost all of the exhibits and we heard "ooohhh" all day long. The only time she clung to us was when we saw the hippos and when we were in the shark tunnel...I think they were just too big for her liking. Can't wait to go back soon.