Alarm Clocks

My two little alarm clocks failed to wake me up yesterday morning. They are usually very reliable.

As a result, I slept soundly until 10am. I can't remember the last time that happened.

The downside? The kitchen table was a mixture of spilled milk and Cheerios left over from Lainy's attempt to make breakfast, and every single toy we own was dumped out of its proper place and stacked in an impressive pile in the middle of the girls room.

Luckily I had some extra rest and patience to deal with the mess.

It was almost worth it.

Lingering question: should I set a real alarm clock tomorrow???

When Daddy is a Doctor...

This is what play time with Daddy sometimes looks like around here:

Poor Chloe the horse came down with a terrible disease which required emergency surgery. Good thing Daddy knew just what to do! He quickly turned the living room into the OR and assigned Lainy to be his first assist. Leah made a very sympathetic nurse.

They loved it.

After a tense moment when Chloe's blood pressure plummeted, the surgery was successful. Chloe is now fully recovered.

PS: Thanks for the veterinarian set, Granmda and Grandpa Smith!

Leah's Birthday

Egg Mcmuffins for breakfast (her request)

 Tea Party Lunch, with special guests Belle and Jessie

A real Belle cake, which Leah saw two weeks ago in the grocery store and announced: "There's my birthday cake!" It might have been the highlight of her day.

Happy Birthday Leah!

To Leah on her Birthday

Dear Leah,

Happy Birthday! Can you believe that you are three years old today? You have been telling people that you are three for a few months now...maybe you've just been anxious to grow as big as your sister. Why do I feel like you grow so much faster than she did?

This year we discovered that you have a bit of a stubborn side. Daddy and I have to laugh in exasperation sometimes. You're not ever mean or anything. You just...tend to ignore us sometimes...and do whatever you want...no matter what we say. I wonder if anyone would believe that looking at your sweet face? I like to think that you're the perfect combination of sweet and sassy.

Yesterday as I lay down by you for nap time you put one of your little hands in mine and the other on my cheek. "I love you momma," you said sleepily. Then you closed your eyes and drifted off. I lay there watching your eyes flutter and felt like my heart might explode.

I love you, my sweet Leah-loo.

Today we will celebrate you with balloons and lots of pink. We'll eat your favorite foods and we'll stay home because that is where you like to be the most. I'm sure we'll play dress-up and play-doh and cook various delicacies in your play kitchen, all with your beautiful Belle doll in tow. These are the things you love the most right now, so we will do them and think about how special you are and how much we love you.

I hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Love,
Momma

Goodbye 2012

2012 was a pretty awesome year for us. I liked it.

Brad matched to two awesome residency programs (both his top picks)
We went to the San Juan Islands
Lainy turned 5, graduated from preschool and started kindergarten
Leah turned two and potty trained herself soon afterward.
Brad graduated from medical school (the highlight of the year)
We went to Disneyland
We moved to Spokane and started residency
We found out we are expecting a baby boy.

Yes, I'd say it's been a good year. Here's to 2013! Happy New Year!