A Weekend of…Sleep and Appreciation

Looks like Grandma also took a little nap!

Every year my uncle throws a start-of-summer party in Paso Robles, CA, and it’s always a good time. The week leading up to it, my husband was very sick and just didn’t have the energy to make the three hour trip. Instead of us completely canceling, my parents offered to take Lilah with them. It’s always hard for me to be away from her, but she was so excited to see her grandparents, great grandparents, and other extended family that I couldn’t say no, so I dressed her up in le•top’s Butterfly Wishes top and striped capri pants (party festive!), packed her up and met up with my parents.

Once I dropped her off I realized that my husband and I had the weekend to ourselves. We immediately made plans to go see the new Star Trek movie since we’ve only seen about two in an actual movie theater since her birth (2 ½ yrs ago). On Saturday we did the regular chores but they went so much quicker without our little one around that I had a chance to mop the entire house! I know, the exciting life of a mom, huh? We got in some cat naps, worked in the garden, saw a great movie, and zzzzz slept in zzzzz Sunday morning until 9am. I don’t think we’ve gotten so much sleep since the last time she went out of town which was close to a year ago. Sunday was pretty similar except we managed to watch two videos too. It was heavenly.

Lilah gets doggie kisses

Don’t get me wrong, I thought about her the entire time and every time we did something that she would have normally made a funny comment about or done something crazy, we talked about it and her. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to have the time to appreciate her instead of just being in the thick of it.

I was soooooo happy for Lilah to come home on Monday. I heard all about her adventures with her grandparents, and I’m still hearing about how her grandma painted her toenails and put flowers on them. I guess she partied so hard that she slept in the middle of the party for five hours. Part of me wishes that I had been there for those fun times, but most of me is happy to have caught up on some sleep.

The five hour beauty nap, painted toenails and all!

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My Baby is Growing Up

We had a milestone weekend. We sold our daughter’s crib. I didn’t really think it would be that big of a deal but when I got off the phone with the buyer, I suddenly realized that our lives were changing. I felt a little sad that her baby years were officially gone. The craigslist buyer came by on Sunday (yes, Mother’s Day) to pick up the crib.  I hadn’t even dismantled it yet since we let her sleep in it one last night. It was a frenzy to get it taken apart, and Lilah watched somewhat bewildered as her crib was hauled out the door and loaded into someone else’s car. I assured her that she was now a big girl and could sleep in a regular bed. We told her that her new bed was on the way.

Lilah's last night in her crib, and her first night in a big-girl bed...

Not ten minutes later my parents showed up with the new bed. We went over every detail of it with her and explained that it was special, just for her. Unfortunately, she won’t be able to sleep in it for about a week since we still have to stain and seal it. While we worked on it during the day Lilah played in the built-in toy box. It will be a big hit once it’s all done.

We temporarily moved a twin bed into her room and put all the pretty bedding on. When I went to put her down for a nap, I realized that if she wanted to just get out of bed, she could. Of course, she did! She ended up falling asleep next to grandpa watching a show on Sprout. At bedtime I had to spend much more time that usual reading and making her comfortable so she didn’t just get out of bed. She fell asleep after about 10 times of reading our usual book. One time during the night she awoke feeling a bit out of sorts, but I was able to snuggle up to her and get her back to sleep. A pillow then took my place, and she blissfully slept through the rest of the night. I can’t wait until we get the 6am wake-up from her on the weekend with her staring at us wondering why we’re not up. Like I said, life is changing! I can’t believe she’s 28 months already.

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Thank Goodness for Moms

Miranda holding Paulo (and needing a few tips on holding up baby's head!) decked out in their Easter best.

I had to ask Jamee something the other day (I know, I know! she’s on maternity leave…but I can’t help it!), and of course she made some time for me. She also gave me this gem of an email reply when I asked her how things are going with her new baby boy:

“He’s asleep right now, and I’m trying to pay bills and clean up my inbox. My eyes keep closing. But, to answer your question about how I’m adjusting, I didn’t think I’d be so in love with another child. I was hoping for a girl (because Miranda wanted a girl), but now I can’t imagine not having a little boy. Even Miranda is in love with him. She’s decided to keep him after all. She’s just checked on him twice in the last 3 minutes. So cute! He is adorable, and I just love holding him, and smelling him, and looking at him, and am in amazement at how beautiful he is.”

This reminds me, yet again, of how much a mom’s love, patience, nurturing, concern and care has the power to rule/change the world. It also leaves me in complete awe (not to mention a few tears) and inspires me to say: To all you hard-working and loving moms, dads and grandparents out there, I sincerely thank you, because you are raising the generation of people who’ll be running the world, making decisions (big and small) and taking care of my generation of peeps! Your strength, kindness, love and thoughtful guidance in raising healthy and emotionally strong children benefit ALL of us. Thank you.

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Names for Grandparents

Nana and Peepaw as penguins this past Halloween

A very close friend of mine, Tom, became a first-time uncle several years back. Of course, the chain of familial ties would then make his parents first-time grandparents. It would not be an understatement to say they were ECSTATIC to become grandparents. When this first grandchild was old enough to utter her first few words, she christened her grandfather, “Peepaw”. This distinguished man, having graduated from the Citadel, retiring after decades of service at GE as an engineer, and having raised 4 children with his wonderful wife, is now known by family and close friends as “Peepaw”! We have no idea how his adoring granddaughter came up with Peepaw, but it stuck. Peepaw’s wife is called, “Nana”…a name that I just love. I told her I’d always wished for a “Nana” of my own, and of course, she told me she would be mine…which so touched me that I teared up, so I got a big, loving hug from her…of course!…that’s what Nanas do!! 🙂

With her adoption of Henry Mantu, Carol, another close friend, made her parents into grandparents four times over. Henry Mantu’s grandparents are called, “Oma” and “Opa” (the German version of grandma and grandpa).

I don’t know, it seems like no matter what new name I hear, they all sound so endearing and special…I’m so charmed by them…probably because there’s just something so special about grandparents.

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le•top Takes: Out of the Mouths of Babes!

No, I did NOT say that!

Otto thinks about jail

My grandson, Otto, recently had an outing with his other grandmother – Nana. As they drove down the street, the ever-observant Otto noticed a parked police car, facing traffic, with a radar gun pointed at oncoming cars.

Otto: That policeman was pointing a gun at us.
Nana: That was a radar gun, so he could find out if someone is speeding.
Otto: What would he do?
Nana: He might give the person speeding a ticket.

Long silence…

Otto: Then what would happen?
Nana: They might have to go to jail.

Another long silence…

Otto: What is jail?
Nana: It is a place you go until the judge sees you in court.

Very long silence…

Otto: Is it the same as a hotel room with a fruit basket?

Obviously Otto has stayed in nice hotels…

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le•top Grandparent Love: Grandsons Meet Snow!

Wade hitches a ride with dad at first. Otto looks like he's ready to make a snowball!

I admit it — I’m showing off photos of my grandchildren again! Their parents took the boys to “see” snow for the first time! They just drove up past Baxter somewhere, along Highway 80 – it was snowing so hard they closed the road. They took a little sled and trudged around for a bit, and then came back (at their age, it doesn’t take much to entertain them!). Otto was really excited to tell me he threw a snowball at his parents!

For those of you who are just done with snow because you have it all the time, this whole practice must seem very odd. That’s OK. My son-in-law’s family and friends back around Boston think it’s weird to actually TRY to get to snow (never mind getting in a car and drive to it)…the things we do for our kids!

Wade looks a little dazed -- helped along by his pony jacket being snapped wrong!

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$2000 Contest for Fabulous Baby and Children’s Clothes

A popular favorite for girls: My Little Garden

Are you the second le•top playwear and rabbit moon Favorites Contest winner? Our first winner, Annika D. chose her favorites, and now her adorable nephew and the children of her friends will be getting their new outfits very soon!

Even though we’re delivering our Spring ’09 collections to stores now, it’s still pretty darn cold out there! So, for your chance to win $500 (retail value) worth of fabulous (and warm!) baby and kid’s clothes from le•top and rabbit moon Fall/Winter Collections, just go here, and tell us what your faves are.

Whether it’s for your own kids, grandkids, gifts for future baby showers (it’s been a cold, long winter!), or gifts for all your nieces, nephews and other darlings (like Annika!), just choose your le·top playwear and rabbit moon favorites, and you might win them! Share…tell your friends, because there are THREE more winners still to be named! One winner will be announced each Wednesday, ending with our final winner on February 18th. Enter to win and check back here at le•top blog to see if you’re the winner. Good luck!

A popular favorite for boys: Railway

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Mom. Mom! Mom!! You Won $500 Worth of Your Favorite le•top and rabbitmoon Children’s Clothes!

You are le•top blog’s first Favorites Contest winner, Annika D.! Congratulations! (Check your inbox for an email from the editor!) Below are some outfits from the collections Annika chose as her favorites. We can’t wait to see what her final selections will be from each collection!

Annika's favorite le•top collections: Zebra and Vintage Flight

Three outfits from Annika's favorite rabbit moon collections: Flight, Orchid and Bougainvillea

If you have entered our Favorites Contest, you still have three more chances to win your favorite le•top and rabbit moon exclusively-designed children’s clothes. For those who have yet to enter, get your favorites in now for your chances to win our fashionable children’s clothes…then, stay tuned…every Wednesday, from now to February 18th, a new winner will be announced! This contest isn’t just for moms…c’mon dads and grammies and grampas and aunts and uncles…you’re all welcome, too! 🙂 Enter now, and good luck!

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Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys…

Round 'Em Up!! Cast your favorites, 'cuz the first contest winner gets "branded" tomorrow!

But let ’em dress in le•top cowboy and cowgirl-inspired clothes…Round ‘Em Up (pictured right) is just one of many favorites you can choose in our Favorites Contest!

For your chance to win $500 (retail value) worth of fashionable baby and children’s clothes from le•top and rabbit moon, just go here, and tell us what your faves are. Round up your faves, because the first $500 winner will be announced tomorrow!

Whether it’s for your own kids, grandchildren, gifts for future baby showers (it’s been a cold, long winter!), or gifts for all your nieces, nephews and other darlings, just choose your le·top playwear and rabbit moon favorites, and you might win them! Share…tell your friends!

P.S. For more contest rules, go here. And apologies to cowboys and cowgirls…we love you…we don’t know why Willie Nelson sings that! 😉

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Moms! Dads! Grammies & Grandpas, too! $2000 Contest to win Fab Children’s Clothes

Your kids will be the most stylishly-dressed kids! One $500 winner announced each week during our four-week contest. It’s easier (and better!) than window-shopping…because you could win the le•top playwear and rabbit moon clothes that are your favorites.

It’s easy-peasey to enter our Favorites Contest:

1. browse through the collections
2. select your le•top playwear and rabbit moon favorites (like them all? select them all!)
3. enter your name, email address, then hit submit…told you it was easy-peasey… 🙂

Enter NOW for MORE chances to win! Click here to enter. Our first winner will be announced on Wednesday, January 28th.  Contest ends February 18th with the announcement of the final winner. Good luck!

P.S. Each $500 (retail value) winner will be notified by email. First name of each winner will be announced on le•top blog every Wednesday, beginning January 28, and ending Feb 18. While we’ll do our best to give winners their choices in the sizes requested, some substitutions may occur. Sorry, no cash equivalent. No purchase necessary. le•top and rabbit moon employees and their families are exempt from entering. We reserve to right to end the contest at any time.

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