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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A Le Top Birth: Giselle!

Giselle P. born May 17th, 2009 is wrapped in our Le Top baby pink blanket and dreaming about her Great Uncle's wonderful cooking...

Ok, so here is the scoop on the newest addition to Le top’s extended family! Daryle, our Warehouse Manager, and Judy, our Tagging Manager are siblings, and their niece Alicia (with her husband, Willy) became proud new parents to their first child, Giselle. The funny story that goes along with Giselle’s birth is that Alicia had gone over to Daryle’s house for a BBQ (he’s a great cook) the day Alicia went into labor. Two hours after she left his house, Giselle was born. They attribute her being so quick to come out into the world to Daryle’s cooking and because of her wanting to get some of that great cooking for herself! 🙂 Happy Birthday, Giselle!

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

No, I did NOT say that!

…submitted by reader: Becca C.

When my son was little, he and I had a funny conversation around the time his sister was about to have her first child:

Son: “Mom, if it’s a boy, I will be an uncle right?”
Me: “Yes.”
Son: “And if it’s a girl, I will be an aunt?”
Me: “NO, you will still be an uncle.”

Haha! Well my son’s middle name is Daniel, so we still tease him, even though he is grown, that when his niece was born she called him Aunt Danielle! 😀 He says now, “Mom, you will never forget that, will 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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