this is how we ride

even at such a young age we have figured out that Leah's language is touch. matt spends most of our drives now holding leah's hand. she couldn't be happier. of course, poor matt's arm goes numb most trips.

the "what nice warm weather" post

ah, what nice warm weather we are having. taste of spring. why not go and wash our car in our underwear (not me). i finally got an opportunity to clean the car. no exaggeration there was about an inch of goldfish and cheerios crusted to the floor. while aubrey napped up in her room, leah napped in her carseat in the car listening to the radio and the white noise mommy vacuuming out the car. the washing of the car was a last minute decision to entertain a two year old for the last hour before daddy got home. poor daddy had to wash it again though. aubrey and i really didn't do a very good job on the outside... just soaped it up for fun (left mad soap spots and streaks.) it was awesome!

Grammy

nothing like the sweet little words "mommy, you not come" coming out of your dear little girls mouth. i think i vaguely remember my mother saying i used to do the same thing to her. it's ok with me.... i am glad she has grammy time. thankfully, i get to join in the fun sometimes.

date night with my hubby

i am mostly posting this because i realize that there are only pictures of our girls and no pictures of us. here's us. wednesday nights we usually have small group or date night (one or the other). our last date night was a trip to the world cafe live (of course i only have photos from the gas station on the way out of town). we went to see glen phillips play. I LOVE HIM. he is my absolute favorite solo artist ever, for all time, forever and ever.

there is something so right about sitting there with matt, his arms around me and just enjoying great music, great ambiance, a great night.

I don’t know what to say, I don’t know what to do
Everything seems lost, everything but you
I’m not sure what it takes, I’m fuzzy on the rules
And everything’s so dark, everything but you

I’ve forgotten how to pray, forgotten what was true
And everything feels bought, everything but you
The battle of the bands, the rattle of the news
And everything’s so smart, everything but you

Take me to the town for torture
Break me on the wheel of fortune
All this entertainment’s no good
It just leaves me hungry for you

And I’m messin’ up the words, murderin’ the tune
And everything’s so slack, everything but you
I’m not sure what it takes, someone’s gotta choose
And everything’s sewn up, everything but you
Everything’s enough, everything but you

Take me dancing, pale and knock me
Spin me through the crowd and drop me
Dizzy in the middle of the floor

And oh my god, you terrify me
Oblivious you blow right by me
Spinnin’ wine and melted ice cream
Random, warm, and mesmerizing

You terrify me, you are everything
You terrify me, you are everything
You terrify me, you are everything
You terrify me

I’ll just stick to what I know, I’m proud to be a fool
And everything’s too much, everything but you
And everything’s a crutch, everything but you
Everything but you…

Glen Phillips

little miss personality

it's funny... you never knew you could have this much love in your heart such a little person. leah makes us smile everyday. she is such a joy to have around. she smiles anytime someone looks her way. (although this photo is misleading... she usually hates to be in her car seat. there is no one to look at.) she wakes up every morning kicking wildly and smiling at you. how can you not get up and get her (even though it's only 6:30 in the morning....eh, i'm getting up anyway.) still loves her baths. she lays in the tub and stretches out and puts her little hands up behind her head like she is just relaxing. she love when daddy puts lotion on her and she gets her little baby massage. she's started grabbing for things and looking intently at stuff (especially her hands) and she has officially found her thumb. hey, if she wants to self sooth, go right ahead... then i don't have to look for a paci all the time. (WHICH BY THE WAY AUBREY IS DONE WITH - HOORAY!)

permission

permission to sing out loud in public (with a bad voice). permission to scream at the top of your lungs while standing in a phone booth. permission to dance around and be silly. permission to roll down a grassy hill. i (heart) two year olds.

EASTER PICS...better late then never

here are some pictures from Easter. got yelled at for not putting any pictures up. we had a wonderful (busy) weekend. saturday we went to my parents for Easter dinner and an egg hunt with my sisters and their sweet little girls (who are all getting SO BIG). sunday was Easter at CFC and Easter dinner at JoAnn's house. lots of eggs, lots of goodies.... but most importantly the celebration of our RISEN SAVIOR... we even taught Aubrey to say "INDEED!"

our girl

10.2

leah is finally starting to put a little meat on those little bones. we had a visit to the doctor this past monday. seems the little kiddo caught a bug and had us worried about her all weekend. waited all weekend to go into the doctors and by then she was over the hump. however, she has infected the rest of the family (except me). matt and aubrey both have come down with something. matt has been home for two days and aubrey hit rock bottom today. we are just waiting it out.

back to leah.... at our impromptu doctor visit found out she had gained a little weight, yeah! she now weighs 10 lbs 2 oz. still a little peanut though. i started calling her "scooter" (in addition to "leah-bean," "beana-rino," "beano," "beansters," and "little peanut.") the kid can sure wiggle. i don't think she really knows what she is doing, but she is never where you left her when you place her on the floor. no rolling over as of yet, but that's probably because i view tummy-time as some sort of torture for infants. (just kidding... she just doesn't like it.) aubrey hated it too... my kids have sensitive tummies. she just started holding things and batting at her play gym which is so exciting. i keep looking over at her thinking "wow, you are entertaining yourself. we are almost out of the dark." still exhausted over here at the o'malley house... but that might just be because everyone is sick and cranky. hopefully as the weather gets nicer and the family gets healthier, we will all feel a little more rested.

singing in the rain

aubrey and i took a walk in the rain. great opportunity to bust out her rain gear and get out of the house. we walked to rite aid to get her some medicine and searched for puddles along the way. it's nice not being in a hurry. took time to balance on curbs, hop in puddles and smile at a neighbor or two. we sang a few songs and took a walk through the park. i love having a toddler. what a great opportunity to act silly and sing loudly and badly out in public.

How do I love you...

How do I love you?

Let me count the ways.

I love you on your very best...

and very worst of days.


I love to see you laughing
and dancing in the rain.
And even when you lose your shoes,
I love you just the same
I love to hear you singing.
I love to see you smile.


I love the way you take each day
In your own unhurried style.


I'm happy when your happy,
And I'm sorry when your sad.
And even though it may not show
I love you when you're bad.
How do I love you?
Well, now, let me see...
I love the way you act so brave
When you fall and hurt your knee.
I love to watch you sleeping,
Tucked away in pleasant dreams.


I love to hear you whisper
All your giant plans and schemes.


I love the way you wear your pants
With the front part in the back,
And the way you walk around sometimes
With your head inside a sack.


I love to see you deep in thought.
I love to watch you play.


And though I'm sure you'll never know,
I love you more each day.
How do I love you?
It's impossible to say.


For if I had a million days
And time enough for all the praise,
I couldn't tell you all the ways....
I love you.

P.K. Hallinan

leah, you want some tea?

bumbo chair...best thing ever created, well at least for this child. she wants to be in the middle of everything. aubrey likes that she can have tea with her sister and i love that they are entertained and my hands are free. leah is such a joy to have around. she smiles every time you talk to her....and even if she just thinks you are talking to her. she has really fallen into a routine, which is awesome because now i have some clue of what she needs instead of the guessing game. you know where you try everything (change diaper, swaddle, hold, rock, lay down, pick up, gas medicine, swing, sling.... etc.) and eventually something works but you are not really sure which one. she is so easy to get down to sleep now (at home) just swaddle her, put her pink blankie by her nose and she out in seconds. she's been taking good naps in her crib and is wonderful at night.... still gets up once or twice, but always goes back down right away. as i write this i wonder if i am jinxing myself and what kind of night is ahead of me.

grace based parenting

matt turned around the other night... this is what he saw. mind you the paint was already there from our jaunt to hands on house, but couple that with the nose ring and the marti gras beads and it can be a little startling. hope this is not what we are in for in the future.

aubrey's got a new trick...

today aubrey figured out that her sister Leah is good something more than just looking cute. apparently Leah will slobber on her hand which is really fun to take and put on daddy or mommy's face! it's hilarious! for her of course.

no, they're not related at all.

what can i say? i got distracted.

they say picture of food never really turn out....

no, it's not a cake. it is the remains of a pot of noodles, in which all the water boiled away.
i kept smelling something funny but couldn't put my finger on what it was.
oh, well.

re roo!

me too!

aubrey has this mercer mayer book "me too!" it's all about the the little sister saying "me too, me too" and ruining the fun. leah was a little young to join in the fun outside in the snow, but she did get her "me too" moment in front of mommy's camera.

snow bunny

mommy scissorhands

I don't know what came over me. I was like a woman possessed... My poor unsuspecting toddler sat at the dining room table making a mess out of her lunch and I started scouring the kitchen for a pair of scissors. Hmmmm.... she really is quite messy, think she may need a mid-afternoon bath (oh, like that's normal?). I pushed the scissors into my pocket. I will only cut it if "the opportunity lends itself" I thought to myself. Let me find a comb...just incase.
We headed upstairs for a bath. "Aubrey, can mommy cut your bangs? Here sit on the sink?"

She sat so still I just went to town. I did end up painting a dot on the mirror in mascara so she would look straight ahead. Aside from that Aubrey's first real haircut was uneventful. I was actually quite proud of myself.