19 Months - No, No, No!

Leah reached 19 months old on July 28th, and almost to the day she discovered the power of the word "no." She certainly had ways of expressing the sentiment before (shaking her head, putting up her palms, whining, etc.), but now she clearly has the word for it! It's cute for a short while - a petite yet definitive "no" or sometimes (when she really wants to get her point across) a high pitched "no, no, no." We love that she's expressing her opinions more and more, and with it our parenting is evolving. I feel like much of my energy goes towards preparing her for what is to come (by talking about what will be happening so she's more likely to accep it) and strategizing about ways to convince her that she wants to do something. Often it's the funniest things that catch us off guard, like wanting a fork instead of a spoon or wanting to stay in her beloved PJ's all day long. This age is SO much fun - she has us laughing all the time! And, at the same time, there are plenty of challenges that try our patience (yes, even Erik's patience, too).

A Morning at Tassel Top Beach

On Monday we enjoyed spending the morning with Sarah and Payson at Tassel Top Beach on Sebago Lake. It started off a bit overcast and chilly, but in the end the sun came out and we all swam, played in the sand, and spent a lot of time inspecting a bug on Leah's shoe!

Payson serious about drinking from an open cup!

The girls at the picnic table and on the beach enjoying blueberries picked by the Plummers (before Leah shook the container and showered us all with them... oops)

Payson and Leah inspecting the cool black and orange bug on Leah's shoe.

A great "Mommy and Me" moment captured on camera!

Leah is all smiles in her swing after a fun morning at the beach and a nice nap. Life IS good!

Babes on the Beach

Last weekend we hosted a pot-luck gathering at camp. Leah was so excited to have so many of her buddies come up to the beach to play! The weather was perfect! Everyone enjoyed splashing in the water, playing in the sand, and eating some yummy food!

Everett (above) and Owen (below) LOVED jumping in the water!

Bruno grinning in his Speedo type suit (so cute) on the dock!

Leah enjoying some lunch (above) and Leah and Zoe hanging out in their chairs (below).

Pam and Zabel by the shore

Stephanie, Justo, and Diego lounging!

Camp Days

Leah and I have enjoyed some extended weekends at camp. Since the commute for Erik is only slightly longer from Wayne, we sometimes stay until Tuesday morning. Here are some shots of Leah enjoying her time at camp.

Eating a banana like a big girl in a big chair!

Buckets and shovels and trucks, oh my!

Pat-A-Cake in Action

This video cracks me up every time I watch it!

Birthing Class BBQ

Kelly, Aaron, and Elliot were gracious enough to host the Plummers and us at their house for a BBQ. We were all in a birthing class together, but we had never actually met Elliot! It was wonderful to reconnect. The kiddos enjoyed hanging out together, swinging, and chasing chickens.

It was hard to get a good shot of Elliot, Leah, and Payson together. Here they are... ready to get out of the hammock!

Locks of Love

I took the plunge in mid-July and chopped off 10 inches of hair and donated it to Locks of Love. The organization makes wigs for cancer patients - did you know that it takes 30 to 40 donations of 10 inches or more to make just ONE wig? If you are interested in donating yourself or learning more, visit http://www.locksoflove.org/

A Good Little Helper!

Leah is destined to inherit the Page Neat 'N Tidy gene. I have to say that my standards have changed since motherhood arrived... and this is just with one child! Nonetheless, I do pull out the vacuum every once in a while, and Leah loves to help! This is really no surprise, since she's been picking up the tiniest threads and fuzzies on the floor for months now, handing them to me while saying "dirty." She does this at day care, too - Kay and I have commiserated over her impeccable (and impossible) standards. We've had a few ants in our house this summer, and Leah always spies them from a mile away. She points and says, "ant, ant!" It sometimes takes me a while to find it, but I've learned to always trust her eagle eyes!

A Birthday Wedding Celebration!

Whoa - where has July gone? One of this month's highlights was traveling to Asheville, North Carolina to celebrate the wedding of my dear friend Megan to her now-husband Andy! They chose a spectacular date (my birthday) and the wedding was absolutely gorgeous! Everything about it was perfect: the outdoor mountain location, the sentiments expressed in the ceremony, and the compilation of their friends and family. I went to their wedding on my own, and it was the first time I was away from Leah overnight. It was much harder to think about than to do - she and her daddy had a great time together, and I felt fortunate to be a part of the wedding and to have some adult time myself.

I returned to celebrate my birthday with family - we went up to camp and had lobsters, clams, corn on the cob, and Girdle-buster for dessert!

Leah liked the claw shell, but not-so-much the stuff inside (which was just fine with all of us)!

Is the one candle for "one year older?" I bet there were 33 pecans!

The Dog Days of Summer

Here are some fun summer shots!

Returning from a morning at the beach with Sarah, Payson, and some other moms and little ones.

Sprinkler Fun!

Enjoying home made chocolate ice cream with strawberries!

Picking raspberries - we're working on a bigger crop, as there never seem to be quite enough!

Picking Stevenson Strawberries

Over the 4th of July weekend we went strawberry picking with "the cousins" (Dan and his friends John and Kerri, Emily, and Josh). Leah had lots of fun picking and eating, but it was hot so after 10 or 15 minutes we waited for the others from the driver's seat of the car. Driving and playing with the radio buttons was almost as fun!

John and Dan picking enough for the whole fall semester at Dartmouth!

Leah learning the basics from Dad

Finding the best berries with mom!

Yum, yum, yum - good thing she didn't get weighed on the way out!

Here's a video of Leah's strawberry picking and eating skills!

Loving the Lake!

Leah and I went straight from Glenwood Springs, Colorado to Wayne, Maine for the 4th of July weekend - one beautiful spot to another! Leah is certainly a good traveler! She did a remarkable job in transit, with the aid of huge snack variety, some favorite books, and a few new toys to discover. She also adjusted well to sleeping in different places - while getting to sleep required a little more effort than at home, once there, her routine was typical.

Enjoying a snack with Birdie on the deck

Fun with Em and Josh

Splashing!!!

Happy as a clam!

A pensive moment

Going to sit on the dock with dad

Colorado Adventures

At the end of June / beginning of July Leah and I were fortunate enough to spend a week visiting our very dear friends, Deborah, Julian, and Kate, in Glenwood Springs, Colorado! We had a fabulous time! The best part was just hanging out together, but as you'll see, we ventured out on some fun excursions, too.

Kate, Deborah, and Leah on a walk

Kate with shades and a gorilla (what was his name?)

Leah adored Big Man - the most kid-friendly cat I've ever met!

Bath time fun times two!!!

Celebrating Leah's 1.5 birthday (I'll admit I realized this after the fact...)

Kate enjoying mint chocolate chip ice cream - this one is for the alumnae magazine!

Leah didn't leave much for mom!

Grocery shopping has never been so much fun (and easy for the moms!)

View of Mt. Sopris from Red Bluffs

We visited a local fish hatchery and the girls had fun feeding the fish. This video is cute - notice the matching outfits!

Feeding the fish was fun, but Leah really wanted to get in the water herself! This summer we can't keep her out of puddles, pools, fountains, and the lake - we love it!

We were so lucky to get the chance to hang out with Shawn and her daughter Quinn during our visit, too. We are so appreciative that they made the trip over the mountains from Loveland! Leah is just 3 months older than Quinn, and they had lots of fun together on a hike up to Hanging Lake. They burned some energy walking to the trail head, babbled to each other (and themselves) from their packs, enjoyed lunch and wading in the lake at the top, slept much of the way down, and shared a post-hike snack of graham crackers and goldfish!

Leah on a mission to get to the trail head

Quinn and Shawn on the trail

Leah looking like she hiked up herself!

Quinn and Leah watching Shawn skinny dip! (Just kidding...)

Leah wading and taking in the view

The three girls!

Gorgeous view from Deborah and Julian's deck

If you can't get enough and want to see all of the pictures from our trip, click here!