Life with Leo: Mommy's Birthday Getaway

The view up the driveway from our vacation house in Carmel Valley

I usually like birthdays but this year I had a hard time adjusting to the number. Kind of like, um, adults are this old - real adults, so how can I be this old? Given my crisis of aging, I was able to justify a family getaway to a house in the mountains not too far away. Always a good thing :) Nothing like some fresh air and time by the water to feel better. Leo had an amazing time, and we are just enamored with him and the joy he expresses. During the trip, a minor word explosion happened, including a transition from "Da Da" to "Daddy," which is beyond cute to hear. Leo wants to be more and more conversational, nodding his head more, interrupting, laughing at the right times more, and interjecting his words quite a bit. He has recently gotten hooked on Curious George and has become very attached to his doll, Bob. We find him regularly saying, "Bob, Bob" while he is showing Bob something, pretending to feed Bob, etc. The world of imagination is opening up. Leo loves to pretend to cook food on his BBQ and serve it up with lots of fake mustard, he likes to imitate a porcupine fish by puffing his face up and sticking his arms out like chicken wings, and he has been creating primitive forts with pillows and blankets. Recently, he's taken to sitting in his green chair with Bob, getting his crib blanket, and getting cozy with a book (or watching a little TV). He's the best birthday gift in the world!