Can I just say that I absolutely LOVE when I do something cute or crafty or whatnot that I haven't seen on Pinterest?  And even if I have, there is something so good about taking part in something creative...it is good for my little soul :)  Not to mention it breaks up the monotony that is the mother's life!  I've discovered that, as much as I love Leo, stay-at-home-motherhood means being busy and bored at the same time a lot.

Some day perhaps I will document some of my latest creative ventures...but even if I never get around to it it has been good for me :)

Just a few pics...

Leo will be 18 whole months in just a couple of days and I am planning to write about him then, however I just can't resist sharing a few of these pics now...especially since I have a free moment at home (which is rare these days) and the pics are easy to work with thanks to my new camera and update for my mac- happy birthday to me!

This is what happens when you tell Leo to "smile"...

And here he is "helping" with the laundry...

 ...however this is what "helping" really looks like...

Please excuse my big face in this one but I love how Leo is looking at me!  He really wanted to take pictures of himself but insisted that he sit on my lap, hence this bad picture.

 Nick had a birthday- here he is with his loot, taking "happy birthday" calls...

...and Leo kept himself busy with a wooden spoon...

Leo got a new table and chairs, just his size... and someday I will find the picture of him assembling it because it is too cute!  He loves to eat at his new table.

And we are very into blocks lately (and stickers if you are keeping track)...here is one creation...

...and him hard at work on another...

We are surviving the summer around here although it has been very busy and even though I know there will be a lot to do in 16 weeks of fall semester (you know, get/accept a job and a find a place to live and actually move there and finish school and have multiple holidays and a girl's trip and run a half marathon and things like that) I am still getting really excited for that time to come when we are all actually in our own little apartment for more than 2 days at a time.  I thrive on schedules and routines and it has been a real lesson in flexibility for me this summer but I think we are all doing quite well.

As I mentioned, Leo will be 18 months old soon and has his well-check next week so I will plan to write a more comprehensive post about him later but I will just say that he is so fun right now.  He has lots of teeth all of the sudden and has absolutely gone crazy in the talking department- he knows so many words and identifies so many things all day long.  It is remarkable how quickly they learn! :)

JULY 4th CELEBRATION (videos...pictures to come)

Just needed to share these videos quickly of Leo's first real parade experience...there was kind of one last year but it doesn't really count if you just sit in the stroller the whole time.  Needless to say he LOVED the music and LOVED the trucks!

(This is his default dance, usually done while spinning counter clockwise- aka "line of dance"...his mommy is so proud already!)

(Can you tell he is crazy about wheels?  He is a boy through and through and waved and clapped at each truck or car going by.  He got very excited at the ones with big wheels, obviously!)

He enjoyed jumping on the trampoline at the Cosby's house afterward where we enjoyed a yummy red, white and blue lunch; he ate too many noodles to count and loved the jello and homemade ice cream.  He liked getting wet in the sprinkler and at the water table and trying to keep up with his cousins, however he wasn't that keen on water balloons...yet.  We were happy to have some family close enough to celebrate with!