Merry Christmas & Merry 9 months!

What a wonderful Christmas at the Weavers!  Here is our picture from our Christmas card.  We had the camera on a tripod so there wasn't anyone to dance in front of Leyton to make her smile. We are all looking at the camera so it was a keeper. 

Here is a picture of Leyton in front of the tree.  I tried to get her to hold the present, but I couldn't even get her to sit in front of the tree at all.  Getting her to sit still anywhere is a challenge.

Leyton and Grandma June while she was here for a brief visit before Christmas.  She was still a little tired from visiting Santa Claus.  I had bought that outfit for her Christmas pictures and it barely fit.  She only wore it once.  Oh well.

We love these PJ's we bought for her first Christmas.  The bottom is a reindeer and the front says "My first Christmas".  This was taken Christmas Eve.  Getting ready to go to bed and ready for Santa!

Ryan and I know that Leyton doesn't know what Christmas is or what gifts are, but we were so excited about buying our little one presents.  We both wanted her to have a red wagon.  That was her big present.  She received a few books, movies, weeble wobbles, and a puzzle from Santa.  We had so much fun watching her play with her new toys!

puzzle

Weeble Wobbles

Going for a ride in my new wagon.  We took her for a spin around the kitchen and have it all on video.  She had a blast.

Jackson is excited about Christmas

Her Mickey Mouse train from Grammy & PopPop.  Leyton really loved this gift.  Jackson got a train, too!She would scream every time we would press a button on it.  Her love for Mickey Mouse continues and she showed it again when she heard his voice.  She really loves to open and close things and that includes doors.  Well, the seat of the train opens up and she will open and close it a lot!  She also pushes that train all over the living room.  We have recently had to put stoppers on the tops of doors in our house to keep her from mashing any fingers.  Also, locks are now on all the cabinets to keep fingers from being squished as well. 

Happy 9 months Jackson & Leyton!!!  Christmas day celebrated 9 happy months for Cousin Jackson and Leyton.  We thought we were going to get a repeat of our Halloween picture, but they both actually posed for the camera.  No crying for this one.  They both get so happy to see one another.  It is really cute.  We love them both to pieces. 

PopPop picked this present out and Leyton and Jackson love them.  They can stand up and hold on to it while the little bear sings and dances. 

Leyton was giving some lovin' to Great Grandmother Nella.

Grandpa Donald giving her lots of hugs and kisses.

We love Christmas cards!

Snoopy playing the handbells.  We gave this Snoopy to our handbell choir director at church and I just had to have one.  Leyton is still not too sure about him.  He scares her a little.  She will play with him as long as she is safely in mommy or daddy's arms. 

Merry Christmas Mommy and Daddy.  This was Ryan and I's gift to each other.  We finally have a dining room set.

We had to do Christmas with Uncle Russell a little late because he was in Missouri for Christmas.  Leyton does love her Uncle Russell.  She thinks he is so funny and loves for him to hold her.  Do you like the license plates he had made for her??? :)  RIKYBOBY and BOBNWEAV

Not really excited about Santa, but she didn't cry! :)  When we put her in Santa's lap she looked up at him for the longest time and just stared.  We were waiting for the meltdown.  Leyton will go to any woman whether she knows them or not, but has never cared for the men folks unless she knows them.  We have two pictures and she is looking at the camera, not smiling, just looking like...what is going on here?  But she didn't cry :)

Overall, I would have to say that we had a pretty, wonderful Christmas with our little sweet pea.  We hope everyone has a happy and safe 2012!!

8 months old

Sitting at the table

 Walking behind my dinosaur

We have been having so much fun around here with our sweet, baby girl.  She is growing up so fast and learning something new all the time.  We love to watch her discover new things and see her own little personality take shape. 

Our newest word is "MaMa".  I was so excited to hear her say that word.  It made my heart sing for joy.  She said it while sitting in her high chair at supper time.  Yay!!! We all screamed!!

So, I'm surprised to say that Leyton is not walking on her own yet.  She went from crawling to pulling up within a week all before turning six months, yet she has not taken a step.  She will stand up on her own, but doesn't want to move her feet.  The walk-along dinosaur has really helped her move her feet.  She walks behind him really well and will walk all over the house.  Don't get me wrong...we are not rushing our little one into taking those first steps.  We are just surprised that she hasn't made the step yet. 

Leyton has not been too interested in the Christmas tree thank goodness.  She really liked the lights when we first brought them out, but quickly lost interest.  She has been after the bows on the presents a few times, but we couldn't even get her to hold one while trying to take some pictures. 

We continue to introduce new foods to her.  She always wants what we are eating more than what we have for her.  So, we just let her try what we are eating provided that it's a safe choice.  She loves pasta and has been really good at picking up her food and eating it herself.  She does better with feeding herself than us feeding her.  She knows if its on a baby spoon it's hers and is reluctant to eat it.  All I have to do is switch spoons and she will eat it.  Smart little stinker.  She makes the funniest face when she doesn't want what we try and feed her.  It cracks us up. Leyton has to be the slowest eater on the planet.  Unlike her cousin, Jackson, who sits there with his mouth open...Leyton has to be coaxed into eating.  She is simply not interested most of the time.  It's like she would rather be doing other things.  Distraction techniques seem to work well, too.

To say that Leyton loves Mickey Mouse is an understatement.  She gets so excited, dances, and starts making all sorts of noises when Mickey Mouse Clubhouse comes on TV.  She only cares about the singing. Sometimes it sounds like she is trying to sing along. 

When bath times rolls around, I turn on the water and here she comes.  Straight to the bathroom and stands up on the edge of the tub ready to be put in.  Sitting still to put the pajamas on after is another story.  This is usually accompanied by lots of screaming and thrashing.  That's another job in itself. 

Our hearts overflow with love for this little one.  We truly never knew the love that God would bring by placing her in our arms.  We thank Him everyday for her...for sharing that love...and to see her share that love with others.  To take her out and have her smile her biggest to complete strangers...to see that it only makes people smile back...it's uplifting...it's God in her.  We are so blessed. 

Christmas is going to be so much fun.  Ryan and I are so joyful over starting our own Weaver Christmas traditions.  To celebrate the birth of our King.  To teach our sweet Leyton what Christmas is all about.  Merry Christmas everyone!!

Gobble Gobble

Leyton and Jackson's First Thanksgiving

Ryan deep frying a turkey for the first time

Beach Talk

We had our first family trip!  The whole family (mom, dad, Derek, Ann, and Jackson) went to Myrtle Beach for a week and we had a blast.  Leyton did really well during the drive considering she hates being confined to the carseat.  Thank goodness we had a little Mickey Mouse Club on the iPad for her viewing pleasure.  While in Myrtle, the girls did some shopping and the guys did some golfing.  Leyton was able to play in the sand and see some sea gulls.  She also had something to say.

Leyton said her first word while we were at the beach.  She was crawling around the condo and she saw Ryan, went crawling towards him saying "DaDa".  He nearly cried.  We were both so excited.  She proceeded to make it known that she could say dada by saying it very loudly at the mall.  She just kept saying it over and over at the loudest possilble level while we shopped. 

We had a wonderful time and look forward to the next family getaway!

Our First Halloween

 This is the best Halloween picture taken.  After a few hours of wearing a costume and it also being bedtime...Jackson and Leyton are done.  Hilarious. 

I'm a little piggy

Leyton had an pretty good Halloween.  She had a short and late nap that day so she was quite fussy for her first Halloween.  She dressed up like a little piggy and she was so cute.  We were a little worried about her not wanting to wear the pig hat, but she wore it for a good hour and for lots of pictures.  We went to our neighborhood Halloweenie Roast for a few minutes, gave out candy to Trick-or-treaters and then went to cousin Jackson's to visit him.  Leyton had a good time playing with Jackson.  No candy this year but definitely will next year!!!

3 years and 7 months

I love to stand

Leyton and Cy at Briley's

Checking out Mr. goat

Ryan and I celebrated our three year anniversary and Leyton turned 7 months on the same day.  We went out to dinner while mom kept Leyton and we were home by 8pm.  Very sad, but we were so tired. 

Leyton is trying so hard to walk.  She is constantly pulling herself up, standing, and then proceeds to let go.  She stands for a few seconds before falling on her rear end.  She thinks it is so funny.  I'm not sure what is worse, her constantly pulling up but unable to walk or walking.  We are constanly grabbing her so she doesn't smack her head on something.  She loves to pull up on our legs while we are in the kitchen and holds on to our pants with one hand.  Crazy girl. 

Leyton is soooooooooo happy.  She smiles all the time at everybody.  It is so sweet.  She melts our hearts with her sweetness.  You just want to squeeze her.  Peek-a-boo really cracks her up and so does Cooper.  She thinks he is so funny and goes after him every chance she gets.  We are constantly telling Cooper to run.  Poor fella.  She still loves her Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  That is her morning TV time.  I think the only time she sits still is when we read to her.  She likes to help you turn the pages.

We haven't found a food that she doesn't like yet.  There are definitely some that she eats better than others, but she hasn't turned her nose up at anything yet.  She has recently tried dill pickle, grits, avocado, butter beans, broccoli soup, macaroni, baby cookies, baby yogurt, baby crunchies, and chicken mixed with sweet potatoes.  We try and give her a little taste of different foods that are safe for her to eat.  If she sees us eating it, she wants some. 

Sleep has been wonderful around here the past week.  I feel like a new person.  Leyton has been sleeping between 10-11 hours every night.  We are loving it and hoping this is a permanent habit.  There were a few nights of having to let her cry for a little while, but thankfully it wasn't for long and she settled back down and went to sleep. 

We are going on our first family vacation in a couple of weeks.  We will be Myrtle Beach bound! YAY!!!