Little Miss Manners

Leila's new word of the day is THANK YOU. As you can see below, she enjoys saying it over, and over, and over, and over, and over...

Happy New Year!!

Although Leila will likely not make it until midnight to ring in the New Year, chances are her grandparents won't either! Here they are with their horns toasting 2009.Leila's grandma fashioned her this hat just in case she forgot what year it will be. She looks pretty darn cute!

Leila's playdate

Leila had a playdate this morning with Chase Haferman, and Sarah and Ben Hopp. She had lots of fun with them! Here are Ben, Sarah and Leila with Chase's new wagon.Sarah loved hanging out with baby Leila.
All the kids actually sitting still for a quick shot. From left, Ben, Sarah, Leila & Chase.

Swimming

It's a blustery day so we took Leila swimming at the YMCA. She loved playing in the water and didn't even cry when she went all the way under! I think she'll be a swimmer!

Tunnel Vision

Leila loved crawling through the tunnels at the museum!

WHEEEEEEE

Here's Leila enjoying the slide!

Children's Museum

We took Leila to the Stevens Point Children's Museum today. It was a fun place to play. Here she is riding the rocking horse...Crawling through the tunnel...
And driving the car. Watch out drivers, 15 years and counting until Leila gets her drivers license!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

We have had snow nearly every day since arriving in Wisconsin last week and the temperature finally got warm enough to take Leila outside to enjoy it. She LOVED being pulled through the yard in her sled and going down the "hills" we built for her. Here she is at the top of the bunny hill.

Posing with Mom & Dad in the front yard.

Queen of the snowbank!

Another family shot.

Dashing through the snow...

Here's Leila being pulled along in her sled. She was leaning forward and saying "EEEEEEE" as she sped down the sidewalk and through the yard.

Grinning & oblivious to the cold white stuff slowly seeping through her fleecy snowsuit.

More Meeks family Christmas pictures

The whole gang takes a family photo. Looks like the cousins are more interested in each other than smiling for the camera.

Lily got a cool new wagon for Christmas so the girls spent a lot of time playing in it. Check out Leila as she picks on her older cousin. Here, she goes in for a hit.

The hit was unsuccessful but a claw to the face seems to do the trick.

Uncle Mike acts as the mediator and all is well in the wagon of fun.

Christmas with the Meeks

Leila poses with Aunt Sara and Uncle Chris

She's amazed by the cool foam floor mat puzzle she got from Aunt Andi, Uncle Mike and Lily.

Turns out she & Lily don't care about the present, they just like to climb on the package.

The cousins are sharing toys with their Santa hats on.

The traditional Santa Hat run

Leila posed for a picture before her Mom & Granddad went out for their annual Christmas/Santa hat run. Soon she'll be old enough to join us!

Christmas at the Johnsons

Leila sits among the many presents wondering which ones are for her.

She found her stocking!

Opening a present. She didn't really get it but she liked to play with the wrapping paper!

Hanging with Dad by the fire

Merry Christmas!

Visiting the Kallas's

Leila went to visit our good friends the Kallas's today. Here's her with Rachel and Phil catching up on old times.

Meeting Santa

Leila and her cousin Lily met Santa Claus today. It was a long wait, and cousin Lily had a better reaction than Leila. Here's the proof.

Missing Taji

Leila missed her puppy Taji so she tried out this stuffed dog as a temporary substitute. She decided it wasn't the same & put it back on the shelf.

Saying Leila

Leila's newest favorite word is.... LEILA! She loves to say Leila whenever she sees a picture of herself or any other baby/child, or her reflection in the mirror. Her rapidly expanding vocabulary also includes bye bye (while waving), more, uh oh, and of course banana. We're not quite sure why she has skipped mama and dada but we're working on it! Here is a video of her saying Leila.

Leila's new friend

Leila had fun playing with her new friend Rachel Zach tonight!

Helping in the kitchen

Leila wonders what Granddaddy is doing up there.

Dishes? Leila decides she can do that too!

See what a good helper she is??

Leila the Hamburgler

Thanks to Uncle Ian's antics as a teenager, her Grandparents are honored to possess a giant Styrofoam hamburger. Here, Leila investigates.

She gives it a pat and decides it is worthy of her attention.

Oooh, this is a fun hamburger!Sitting atop the burger, Leila is the Queen Hamburgler!