Leila vs. the cat

My cat, Otis, is not a fan of Leila.  He rarely makes an appearance when she is awake in the house.  When he does, it's to eat or take care of business.

Poor kitty.  He wasn't always like this.  Otis always seemed to be hanging around the house with me...until we brought the baby home.

Otis is afraid of Leila.  Although I'm not surprised,  I am annoyed.  Wouldn't you assume that your pet, that loves attention from you, would also love attention from your child?

Leila tried, the minute she could move, to pet Otis.  That's what cats like, right?  

He's always been able to outrun her.  He runs under the bed, in the fireplace, or anywhere just to get away from her.  On many occasions he has tried to stand strong and show Leila who's boss.  He's hissed and growled at her for coming too close.  (We are teaching her to hiss back.)

Honestly I don't know what he's so scared of...  

Look at him.

Freaky cat eyes

Look at her.

Always-moving toddler

Alright, maybe she will be able to outrun him eventually.

Were you hoping for an adorable post about babies and pets?  

  I'm linking up with Growing up Geeky and Aidan...with Eos this week for Toddle Along Tuesday.  Head on over and get your fill. 

Big news...I will be co-hosting an upcoming Toddle Along Tuesday!  The link-up will be opened Monday night, August 13th and the topic is Finding Balance.  What do you do to stay sane in your crazy busy life?  Come back in two weeks to share your tips and link up!  

       

Vacation hangover

...STILL.

I just can't seem to shake this vacation feeling.  You know, the one that involves afternoon naps, no real responsibilities, and no routine.

The pile of mail sitting on my counter is about to bite me.  My suitcases, although unpacked, are still in our bedroom.  Pictures need edited and stories need to be told.

I know it's not going to get done on it's own.  

I know that it's not going to be done today.

It's the weekend and I'm going to enjoy it!  Monday will come soon enough.

Dear Leila

I'm sorry no one can pronounce your name. It's my fault. I should have known better. Please forgive me, it could have been worse.

Love,
Mommy xoxo

I'm guest blogging at It's a Vol today about the lifetime of awkward moments I have bestowed upon my child. Head on over to read more!

{Our big plan} Skipping a toddler nap

Nap time is sacred around here. Leila's nap occurs at the same time everyday. This girl loves her bed and is well-known for her over 3 hour marathon nap. I need my time, she needs hers.

Unfortunately, it takes place right smack in the middle of the day. Who wants to go out to lunch at 10:30? How about a beach day starting at 9:00? Well that's how we do it around here. All of our daytime adventures must be wrapped up by noon for Leila's 12:30 nap.

Until today's installment of the toddler summer bucket list, Leila had missed only one nap on purpose. (Like I said, nap time is sacred around here.)



Today we headed to Coronado on the ferry. This was Leila's first experience on a boat. She mostly just wanted to explore, climb, and sit on every chair.



The girls had a great time. It is adorable how Leila will mimic the little things Charlie does and vice versa. I love hearing them call out their friend's name.







After an exhausting morning the girls started to get tired. Our big plan was to push them in their stroller for a short nap and then continue our day. Their plan was to stay awake and wonder if the other was sleeping.

Their plan was more solid than ours.



Luckily they both made it all the way home without a meltdown!





I decided to put Leila in bed for a nap at 2:30 when we got home. I woke her up at 4:30 because certainly didn't want to mess with a later bedtime.

As for nap skipping...it didn't happen this time. It is great to know I can be a bit more flexible with her rigid nap schedule, if it seems necessary. (I don't want to miss out on MY time!)

Do you ever skip nap time? Any tips for special occasion nap skipping?

Will I ever learn?

In 1991 I was a freshman in high school. Tight-rolling your jeans and curling your bangs were still cool, barely.

I can remember exactly where I was standing when I swore to my dad I would never not tight roll my jeans.

I can still hear him laughing at me. Probably because he actually is. I'll never live that one down.

Well, I certainly didn't learn anything from my fashion faux-pas or my extreme way of thinking.

This time I swore, before I was actually a momma, I would never let my child wear a bikini. I didn't want my baby to be...

...I don't know. I really did not think this one through before I got all judgy.

I never even tried to put a bathing suit on a baby, wet or dry. Ever.

I learned very quickly!

Alright, this bathing suit from last summer is more like a tankini.
Just wait until you see her new bikini!

Maybe this time I will learn, never say never.

Crap. I did it again.

Thank you Growing up Geeky and Letters to Mo for this post topic!

Christmas photo FAIL

Most of the time it is me behind the camera taking pictures of Leila. On Thanksgiving I handed the camera over to my sister in hopes of the perfect family Christmas card photo.

Here are some of the pictures we will NOT be using. Can you guess why?

I now know who Leila gets this face from.


Look! I can make fun of myself too.


Jeff is literally holding up the palm branch here.


Looks like I'm the only one that can keep smiling for this long. (Notice Jeff and Leila making the same face again!)


Turns out we did get a "good enough for who it's for" Christmas card photo. You'll just have to wait and see :)