Leeza's preschool debut!

Leeza turned 2 on the 5th, so, she is now "allowed" to start preschool! She did go to orientation on August 24th (3 weeks ago) and that went well, so I was hopeful that she would have a good time.









I was suprisingly emotional driving her to school, talking about how Leeza was SUCH A BIG GIRL, and now that she is 2, she gets to go to school and meet new friends,and how mommy was going to go for a walk, and then come back and she could go swimming with Emily! She seemed pretty down with that! I had to wake her up at 7 since Joe is traveling this week and we had to take Sean to school.







She wakes up so happy, and once we got home, she goes and sits her in her Daddy's chair, grabs the remote, and says "Mommy, ELMO, and WAFFLE". Well, OK MISS BOSSY! Yes-it's time for YOU to go to preschool. Of course, Mommy fixed her nutragrain waffle and served it right up on a Sesame street plate,where Leeza gave bites to Big Bird and Elmo too. :) She likes her waffles plain, with just a lil spray butter, JUST LIKE MOMMY!

I know she will love it, plus, I know she needs it! It's so important to me that she learns social skills and how to get a long with other kids her age, WITHOUT MOMMY around! Plus, I am using the 3 hours to train for the 3 day walk in November. So, once I dropped off Ms. Leeza, I just left my car at preschool and walked down towards the beach! It was really hard to get pictures, cuz she was so into checking it all out, plus she loves to aggravate me and not look at the camera, PLUS, I also knew I needed to get OUTTA DODGE so she could focus and I didn't want to be one of those "hovering parents". :) She got a lil bit winey but then she got engaged really quickly which made it much easier for me to make my escape! The other kids started 2 weeks ago but Leeza had to wait until she turned 2. There is another lil girl starting the 20th who turns 2 the 17th, so Leeza won't be the youngest, so I felt good about that. The teacher said that Leeza is a taller girl and the other girl still has a real baby look about her. Of course, Leeza looks 16 already. :)







I had a very nice 3 hour walk, and it really FLEW by! It also got really hot out! I'm excited to use this preschool time to train, and once the walk is over, I am going back to yoga class!! YES!!

Leeza's teachers reported that she had a very good first day. She went pee pee in the potty (this was huge-I was worried cuz she is used to only going for ME!), and she went once to the door and wined for "Mommy", but no tears. Her challenges were with the structure (sitting for snack, staying in circle time, etc) but I expected that. She does not do those well at Gymoboree or Kindermusic either, but she has improved a bunch from where she was. That is another reason we're in preschool! :)

Namaste...a more peaceful and stretched mother,(after the 3 day training-until then, a well trained 3 day walker!!) and hopefully a more socially aware toddler. It sounds like a win-win for everyone! Of course, the middle schooler now has all the answers, and knows everything-so if anyone has any questions, just ask Sean. :)

Labor Day fun!!!

We are having so much fun with our lil 2 year old!! It seems like she is just learning new things OVERNIGHT! We had a swimming lesson at 10, which just exhausted Ms. Leeza, so she slept for 2 hours,then we HIT THE BEACH!







She had a blast and we stayed for over 3 hours, and she swam with Sean in the ocean, kicked the soccer ball up and down the beach, tried to steal some guy's pringles, went and told another guy with a birthday hat on HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and figured out how to drink from a juice box. It was so funny when we saw this guy with a birthday hat on. Leeza remembered her hats from her party and said BIRTHDAY!! It was pretty adorable!




We got home and spent an hour in the pool-with Leeza jumping off the side, swimming back to the wall, and doing it over and over and over again. She is getting so confident in the water--God bless our darling swimming teacher Emilie! We were so blessed that Emilie even came by Leeza's birthday party and got her a darling Hokey Pokey Elmo. It's so cute to hear Leeza "sing" the Hokey Pokey and do the motions.

After the pool, nap, beach, pool, we all donned our sports gear (thanks Karen and Max for Leeza's adorable Bengal's cheerleader dress...we left the turtleneck at home!)and headed to Chick Fil A to get our free chicken sandwich. Leeza was mostly interested in her fries, and even more interested in this girl's Elmo shirt she saw, then she spied a Sesame Street book in the book bin near the play area. She has a huge Sesame Street radar. It is SO funny!! Last night when I put her to bed (had to chase her around-instead of being exhausted from all that running around-she was crazy hyper!), she insisted on taking BIG BIRD to bed with her too. Whoa...out with Elmo, in with Big Bird? Nah..just mad love for all of the Sesame Street gang!







Ooh Leeza Grace-we are enjoying you so much!! You are such a lil character!!!

This week is a big week-she starts preschool on Thursday! I think she is going to do so well (at least I hope so!!) She will look so cute in her new Elmo shirts her friend Ryan gave her for her birthday!!!

a very HAPPY Birthday!!

Leeza Grace I can't believe you're already TWO!
Your birthday poem is a day overdue!

Your birthday party was TONS OF FUN
It was clear you were no LONGER one!

You had a blast and were full of joy
I think you now own every Elmo toy

Big Bird and Elmo came to play
You gave them hugs to make their day

You have a joyful spirit..so beautiful and sweet
Being your mom is the BIGGEST TREAT!

WE LOVE YOU soooo VERY MUCH SWEET LEEZA GRACE!!
Thank you for making our world a very bright place!

2 Very special "people" come to wish Leeza a Happy 2nd Birthday!!

Happy Happy Birthday to a very special 2 year old!

Leeza had an INCREDIBLE birthday. She was SO happy and she just had this incredible smile on her face all day..she was beaming. I will do a party post later with some great pics, but for now, Mommy is tired and I have to get up EARLY to get a 5 hour walk on at 5 am tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Leeza Grace Serra! You are LOVED! I can't wait to watch your grow and learn as we enter the world of being 2!!!

I'm SO fly!!

Sean gave Leeza this gold chain yesterday and she was wearing it today, with attitude. It cracked me up, so OF COURSE, I had to grab my camera. I know all parents think their kids are gorgeous, but when I look at this picture, I begin to imagine how her face will grow and mature as she grows. I think she is gonna be ONE STUNNING WOMAN!

My other sweet child, the middle schooler, told me today "Mom, you look like an out shape soldier in that outfit". Wow-thanks Sean!! I am wearing some camo pants and a green shirt. I told him perhaps he should learn some tact. Well, mom, that shirt is kinda small and you can see your belly when you left your arms up, you wouldn't see any soldiers lookin like that.

So, thank goodness Leeza has potential.