Headband bootcamp and ch ch changes in my lil girl!

Poor Leeza, her mother is obsessed with all the amazing and adorable options you have when it comes to dressing little girls. It's a whole new world, one that I had NO IDEA about. She has 2 bow holders full of bows, which are now actually NECESSARY to hold her hair out of her eyes, rather than just decorations stuck in to identify her as a GIRL! I worked long and hard at keeping her bows in, and we have only EVER lost ONE BOW...and that was at the church nursery. I am pretty proud of that fact. :)

Since we are growing her bangs out, I wanted to try headbands. There are so many fun headbands out there, but she hates them. In her defense, she has a very small head (even on the charts it's like 10% while her height and weight are 60th and 50th) and they fall off her head. I think I am just going to have to wait until she's older, but I wanted to try. I bribed her with M&M's to please leave it on and let me take pictures. I was so proud of her, she left it on for an hour and a half. She came over to me and said "Mommy, please (tease) can I just wear a bow? It keeps fallin off and it's BUGGIN ME". How could I say no to that? At least she tried...which is more than she used to do.

Even better, when I was taking pictures, she said "Mommy, do you want me to turn around so you can see the back of my outfit?" YES YES YES LEEZA, young grasshopper, you are getting it. Mommy is turning you into a diva!! :) I just think she is soooo beautiful, sometimes she just takes my breath away.







It seems to me that Leeza has changed SO much this summer....specifically the last few weeks. She just seems so much older and "more mature", and her vocabulary grows daily. I am a lil concerned about her starting preschool and being back in the 2 year old class. I know she'll be fine, but I don't particulary want her modeling after 2 year old behavior, particularly when I see how VASTLY she has changed from the lil newly turned 2 year old that started last year. I'm just going to wait and see and talk to her teachers. I am not sure if they'll let me move her up to the 3's or not because of the way her birthday falls (Sept 5th on a Sept 1st cut off). If she goes to Wellington, the private school Sean attends, they would let her start early, and although that is where I want to send her, who knows what will happen between now and then. I just want to assure she is stimulated enough because of course, as her momma, I think she's a bright lil girl.

She loves her books. I love this picture. I can't believe it's the same lil girl who came home almost 2 years ago in October that wouldn't sit still to read and I was so afraid she'd never like to read and snuggle like I did with Seanie. I'm soooo glad I was wrong. :) She just had to learn how...no idea that sitting still and reading was also a "learned behavior", but it makes sense.




Her swimming has REALLY taken off too. She can swim the length of the pool (several times) and dive for rings ALL BY HERSELF NOW. Emily taught her to "part the water" and she is doing amazing. Something defintely has "clicked" in her lil brain and I feel like a have a whole new level of a little girl. I hope she does well in dance this year and gymnastics too. It will be nice to have mommy OUT OF THE CLASS cuz it's amazing how much better she does without the "mama drama"











I love how she asks Sean before we leave the house if he remembered to put his "Ownyunt" on (deordant) and the other day, she was in the bathroom when Daddy was getting dressed and told him "Yay Daddy, you remembered to put your ownyunt on just like Seanie". :) She was playing with playdough last night and was making boys I think and was telling them...you need to take a shower and put on your ownyunt. I was cracking up. I love her active imagination. I really love this age (most of the time). :)

Oh Leeza Grace, we love you so much. You are a beautiful lil piece of work. Thank you God so much for our precious gift from Kazakhstan.