Slappy Says Another Goodbye

This might look happy, but inside we were very sad, as Tante had to head back to NJ. Luckily she left a cute hat, and good times in her wake.

Slappy and The Scrapper Get To Have Even More East Coast

With a visit from Tante!

Françoise is due 12 days after Jess. As a side note, Aunt Tara is due 10 days before Jess, so in about a year and a half from now - the pitter-patter of little feet at Christmas will take on a mob-like quality, in a cute or maybe Musketeerish, way.
(Jess is 32 weeks pregnant).

Something like this, but less variety in age. We had a BBQ to celebrate Tante's visit, and there were little girls everywhere.

There was also good food.

And good s'mores roasted over the firepit out back, but best of all was the company.

Slappy Has Quality Thai

With her Uncle (and parents) on his last day in town, treated by Mimi and Dedo.

Many a noodle, chopstick, spoon, glass of water was shared with Uncle Wills and the ground.

Uncle Wills continued to play with and read to Maddie right up until he had to head to the airport. We miss him already.

Slappy Becomes A Zoo Member

And got to see cool things like this prairie dog with Ellie.Awesome.

She also did her best goat imitation (her first 2 lower molars are in, and the upper 2 are coming through).Jess got her own phat ride to go through the zoo due to a no-major walking plan, she's been placed on by the midwives, which meant Wills got to push Maddie's empty stroller through the zoo as well.

A good day with the Findleys - one awake and one asleep - and Uncle Wills.
(Jess is 31 weeks pregnant).

Slappy Enjoys Her Memorial Day

With some quality swing time with Dad.

And some quality sand time with Dad and Uncle Wills.Then onto the slide for the awesome game that Mimi created - "We walk up the slide, we ride down it." She played with Uncle Wills for awhile, until the little boy watching couldn't stand it anymore, and asked Uncle Wills to play it with him. Dad came in as backup. Then it was over to Alison's for a Memorial Potluck BBQ. It was delicious, and Maddie got to play another favorite game - "I find a rock. I give you a rock. Repeat."

There was way more food than this pix shows, but we were this serious about it.

Slappy Gets A Bedtime Party

Instead of her standard bedtime story, Sam gave Maddie something even better. A techno dance party before bed, and the DJ had prefect timing, as on came a remix of "Welcome to the Jungle," bringing in both Maddie's love of techno, and Sam's old metal roots.

Slappy Greets Her Uncle

Maddie is beginning to fine tune her speaking ability, and has been practicing her latest with her Uncle Wills on a regular basis. This involves every time she sees him, a big "Hi" and a smile.
Uncle Wills has been fine tuning his moving skills, first with Uncle Ant and Aunt Tara, by helping them change Ant's office into Untitled's nursery, and now by changing the dining room into the playroom.

Sadly for Uncle Wills, but happily for Jess and Sam, he is also fine tuning his gardening skills, which he reminded Jess, he did last time he visited as well. Any guesses on what Maddie is focused on?

That's right - the chance to say "Hi" again to her hard-working Uncle. We fed him well (all the Reese's Pieces cereal, he could eat).

Slappy Rides A Chipmunk

With the help of Uncle Wills.

The adrenaline was flowing after her exciting ride, so she walked all the way back to her house from the park - with the exception of crossing the streets and the final half block home, where Uncle Wills carried her. That's almost a half mile.
(Jess is 30 weeks pregnant).

Slappy Says A Fond Farewell

But first, a very fond hello! To Uncle Wills, who is in for a week-long visit, now that he is officially done with his high school career (and getting ready for the move to Columbia University in the fall). We met up with Tim and Edith at Señor Fish for some fine LA Mexican for lunch.

And realized that for Maddie to acknowledge a baby, the baby must make some sort of movements. For example, Elizabeth - a newborn, mostly a curled up ball - not yet worthy of acknowledgment (in fact, we're not even sure Maddie realized she was an animate object). Edith - a more mature 2 months, has visible limbs, and spends some time noticing her environment - is fun to grab the feet of.

It was in the evening when our farewell took place, celebrated with friends, Alison, Brian, Jamie and Jeremy. Good bye, fine dining room! You served us well.
We had our last dinner on this table in this house, as it is now time for this room to move on and grow - into it's next incarnation - the family playroom. Oh, yeah.

Slappy Watches The Playoffs

Here's a sample of what happens when Sam is handling dinner, and the playoffs are on. Both are very satisfied with the arrangement.

Slappy Has A Picnic In The Park

In true All-American fashion with drive-thru McDonald's.

Then it was sand box time.

Followed by the swings. While Maddie and Lilly were enjoying swing time with their Dads, Ellie decided she could not bear to be so far away from the action, and put her newly acquired crawling skills to good use.

Slappy Has A Favorite Pasttime

Watching her blog videos. Her favorites remain the "Rocky" video - she will say it before it comes on, the dancing video - she will dance before play is pressed, and her patting the cat is always good for a laugh. Slightly narcissistic, perhaps, but her parents are inclined to believe that is a trait shared by many a one-year-old (the narcissism, not the blog watching).

Slappy Gets A Rubber Ducky

Or more specifically, a blow-up plastic ducky from Great Aunt Marian. Almost nothing is more exciting in a bath, then a toy the size of yourself.

Maddie Welcomes Another Friend

At 1:09pm, Elizabeth Rose Leonhardt joined our group of girls on the west coast. She weighed in at 9lb. 2 oz. - a number that impresses even a Kender, and has a head of fuzzy, dark hair. Mom, Marissa, is doing well, managing both the exuberance of big sister, Lilly, and the newborn needs of little sister, Elizabeth - all from her hospital bed.

Dad, Steve, has the rocking chair down, and already has the ability to keep a newborn happy and asleep in his arms.
Welcome, little girl! We're thrilled you're here!

Slappy Is Not A Twin

And that's not her Dad. That's baby Edith with Dad, Tim, but that didn't stop everyone from assuming otherwise. It took Jess awhile to figure out why everyone thought Maddie and Edith were related - after all, when Maddie, Ellie and Lilly go out - the question is never asked. Apparently lunch out with a mom and baby seems like friends, but lunch out with a dad and baby seems like family. And the matching stroller models didn't help either.

Slappy Goes To The Golden Gate

Park, that is - for a Mother's Day Picnic. This is the second Mother's Day for Jess, and the second Mother's Day that Maddie has gotten to spend with her BFF, Maya.

It was a gorgeous, sunny day - perfect for ball playing and cookie eating.We sat by the duck pond, which really was more of a seagull pond with turtles.
(Jess is 29 weeks pregnant).

Dad and Maddie enjoyed some air time.We all enjoyed the quality time.
And just for those of you reminiscing with us - this was the girls, one year ago in their crazy, monkey pants. Maddie was about 6 weeks old, and Maya, 10 months.

And our gorgeous two, today.

Slappy Heads to San Fran

In the Burbank Airport, she showed off her fine walking skills, which really made all of our time in the airport much more pleasant. Having a kid who can entertain themselves by running up and down the concourse is suprisingly easier than having one who is immobile, but still bored.
Once in San Fran, we headed to Kears, Todd and Maya's house, where Todd kept both Maddie and his own daughter entertained.
Now that's a talented Dad.And that's a hot car.

Slappy Has A Pool

In her backyard. The reviews were mixed. She enjoyed standing and kicking in it, after she getting over her initial fear of it, but did not like sitting down in it at all. To be accurate, however, this is not her first backyard pool. Last year, Jess arrived home one hot afternoon to find that Sam had made her, her first kiddie pool in the family beer cooler.

Slappy Has Some Jersey In And About Her

Maddie got to enjoy one of Jess' favorite foods, courtesy of Dedo and flown in Mimi's suitcase (checked by TSA) all the way from the Garden State - a White Manna burger.

Yes, those are fried onions dripping from her mouth, and yes, they are delicious and she did finish them all and many more.To make the day even better, a trip to the park was in order, where Mimi got right in the mix of things.

And then invented the best game ever - "Walk Up The Slide" - which had Maddie squeaking and laughing for minutes on end.