It's Been Awhile

5 minute update.

Avery is reading reading reading! He also can count, add, and will be learning to subtract very soon. Spring is soccer and summer is swimming. He'll be joining to Betta swim team this summer. We are very excited about his accomplishments this year.

Zachary is doing so well in school. He absorbs all information around him. We joke about how he knows everything because he always says "I know" to everything we try to tell him. He is a true middle child with bullying from Avery and Leah. Zach is also playing soccer and will be swimming on the Betta team as well.

Leah is my little princess. She loves to dress up in her princess costumes. When she isn't around her brother she'll talk and talk, but it isn't always understandable. Just yesterday she has shown favoritism towards her brothers. She wanted to go down the slide with Avery, not Zachary. She is with Zachary about 3 hours more a day, so she wants her Avery time sometimes.

The kids couldn't be happier and I feel blessed to have three darling little beings.

Maine Trip - Thursday

Leah Strolling

So, if you were to ask me "what is Leah's favorite thing to do?," I'd say number 1 is Mommy taking her in the stroller, and then number 2 is Leah taking her friends in her new stroller. We recently bought Leah this stroller and she is testing its limits everyday. Today she has crammed Mini Mouse, a sippy cup, a baby doll, and two stuffed kittens in the pink stroller. Not only that, but I think this stroller already has a couple of miles on it.

Leah's 18 Months

Our baby is turning into a toddler, she is exactly 18 months today. This change doesn't happen overnight, so she's still a baby in many ways, but the toddler is erupting. I guess the biggest event in her life right now is her use of the potty. She knows what to do on it and is still learning, but we are very proud of her poops and pees.

Leah has also taken up singing and dancing. She loves to sing "Happy Birthday," we're not sure why she sings it, but it is very cute when she does. Every day the words get more and more clearer.

Listening is one of Leah's strong skills. When it's time to get shoes in the morning for school, she is the first to get her shoes on (she has some little croc like shoes that she can put on herself). She'll even get the boys' shoes and hand them to the boys. At bed time, she wants her toothbrush and will brush her teeth. Leah also knows a little sign language, so understanding her is pretty easy. She's got the pointer finger and the word "no" down.

Another new development for Leah is running, well she sort of skips around the house keeping up with the boys and chasing the cats.

Most of the time it is fun to have this growing toddler in our house and our first girl, so there are some differences in her development. One change is early tantrums. Even though they are more funny than anything else, we are trying hard to ignore these outburst.

She is in the second year of life, which means terrible 2's. The pediatrician said that she is fully capable of understanding time outs. So far, we give time outs when Leah hits. Oh yes, she is a big hitter and she thinks it is hilarious.

All in all we have a delightful firecracker and we are having so much fun with her. The boys love her and truly show their empathy. Zachary was upset when she got shots at the doctors. Avery couldn't stop wailing when Leah fell on the bunk bed and was bleeding. I'm in love with all our beautiful and sensitive kids.

Leah's stats are as follows:
weight: 21 lbs 9 oz
height: 30 1/2 inches

Sunset Cruise

Noodle floating with Leah.
Leah loves to put stuff on her head.
Here's an easy way to get toasted. Go on a sunset cruise where they keep serving you all you can drink rum punch.

Today was fabulous and we are sad that it is our last day at the resort. We spent the day at the pool and the beach. Eli and I got to spend the evening sans kids on a sunset cruise and dinner out. The cruise was fun. There was a captain and his mate who served drinks and hors d'oeuvres, shrimp, veggies, meatballs, cheese. The scenery was beautiful with islands all around.

While we were out, our kids took a nap. Nani took GG and Sam to the pool to play bingo. They had dinner and watched a movie. Even Leah watched the movie straight through and ate popcorn like the rest of the kids. When she is around older girls she likes to emulate them. She sat next to GG and copied her every move down to eating one kernal at a time versus slamming as much as she can fit in her mouth.

Megan's Bay

I have to say that this is the best beach I've ever been to. It is clear and calm, warm, and perfect for a young family. There are even lifeguards on duty. To top it off, it was a short drive from the resort to here. Also, there was no cruise ships in today, so hardly anyone was there. Gorgeous!

Shopping

These guys were everywhere. The highlight of our trip, my favorite, iguanas.
We're shopping for jewelery. We actually we're on a scavenger hunt looking for the free stuff, and when I say we, I mean Mom and I. The kids enjoyed the stop for ice cream though.
Is there wind in there?

We went shopping today after going to the pool this morning. My parents bought me a ring, which is an early birthday present. Thank you Mom and Dad. The prices on jewelery were great. Everything else, normal or higher than usual. The taxi drivers kept yelling at us again. They wanted to take us back to our cruise ships. Although, I don't feel too bad, because my swim aerobics instructor, who is a St. Thomas native, says she gets nagged by the taxi drivers too.

After shopping, my parents go on a Sunset Cruise, remember free cruise for listening to the time share spiel. We take the kids to the pool for some drinks (for Eli and I) and rum bingo. Yeah! I won, some guava Cruzan rum. Our neighbors, gave us beer. They're leaving the next day, so they are trying to get rid of it. Fun Fun Fun...