Happy 1 year

Today marks exactly one year of blogging for us. The blog has definitely shifted its focus a bit over the past twelve months and sixteen hundred miles. We've come from the early days of Paris Hilton and Hare Krishna festival coverage to extremely biased reports of the rugrat 's developmental milestones and strange behaviors. Also included are the sporadic Kent and Leisy happenings.
Here are the good old childless times (if you look closely you can see that zeb is hanging out in utero already seven months. I'm the one standing dead center with the bright orange spot on the head) at the Hare Krishna festival of colors- almost one year ago today! It was an annual tradition back home! If only they had a Hare Krishna temple here in Toledo.
Times have changed and I am enamored with our new little addition so he does get most of the blog space these days. I'm always looking for ideas on Zebless posts though :) If you have any, let me know.
Here's to another year of good blogging. Let's hope for some grand adventures and good recipes.

I think it's really here...

Hello spring. We went outside and played at the Heather Hills playground today. Z loved every second of it. I'm already getting nervous about the dishwasher weather (hot and stinking humid) but it was so nice to take zeb out to play. Today he finally started using the sign language we've been teaching him for months :) He been doing all sorts of tricks with his hands for quite some time now- but only if they involved him making sounds of some sort. He definitely has an ear for music/rhythm and sounds in general. This morning he finally did the sign for milk- no sounds involved. He's been doing it all day to get drinks.

577

Today we went to the 577 foundation for playgroup. The place is really great. It was donated to the city by the same lady who donated the bed and breakfast place where we stayed for my b-day. Toledo really does have all of these hidden treasures! The 577 foundation is an amazing garden/greenhouse/museum/nature center/playground for kids! They even have these ginormous nightmare enducing koi fish in the pond that the kids can feed.
The weather was amazing today (almost fifty degrees) and Zeb was SO SO SO excited to be outside with other kids. He's been a little crabby lately, but as soon as the apartment door opens he cheers up and begins smiling. The first picture may not portray his excitment- but trust me, the kid was in heaven.


















Here's a pleased shot!




Z and I even got to go running outside today! and then join Kent for free dinner (olive garden-Kent's favorite) at a pediatric doctor's panel at the school this evening. Zeb was in heaven flirting with all of the female med students. They all loved it as much as he did--many of them are interested in Peds. I cannot believe what a people person he is. I am so lucky that he is happier when he gets his outside people time. I don't know what we'd do if we had opposite personalities. We'd have given up on each other by now I'm sure.

happy ten months

He has now lived one month longer out of utero than in. I think this birthday officially makes him a real person.
Thanks for the birthday book, auntie laney! "That's Not My Dragon" is his new fav. I love how his tubby little fingers scratch and point to each feely part of the book. He's obsessed. Kent is especially glad for this new book. He was worried because Zeb has recently put aside his favorite "That's Not My Monster" for his new favorite "That's Not My Mermaid" that we checked out of the library. The dragon one is just a smidge more manly and, thankfully, has replaced the mermaid.

PANTS ON THE HEAD

It's kind of long, but kent and I really like it!

Free baby

I am giving Zeb away (until he can start sleeping well again). This child got up at five again (and slept intermittently until seven-thirty with me on the couch in the front room) and had also gotten up at 12, 1, and 3:30. I thought for sure the lack of sleep would mean a long pleasant nap-but no such luck. The rugrat napped a total of 42 minutes and 37 seconds today (I know that because it's how long I was on the treadmill when I heard his shrill little piggy whine from his crib). He whined like a piglet all day. He's got this terribly runny nose (you should have seen the mucus I extricated with the snot sucker this morning. wow! he's a snot producing machine-definitely a Miller trait) and nasty poo too. All signs of a cold, or teething, or allergies, or just being a ten month old baby. To top it all off, I bet he's eaten at least three full squares of toilet paper today! I cannot figure out where he's finding it. I was sure we had relocated all tp out of his reach. Come to think of it, the ingestion of all the toilet paper may be the explanation for his nasty poos. When he can't find any paper to eat he resorts to socks. Luckily he doesn't try to swallow them, he just chews and slobbers on them.
So I'm just praying that those teeth pop through, or that cold goes away, or he grows out of this phase, or ANYTHING. He's making me bonkers!!!!!!! and then he puts on that cute little smile and I totally forget that he's driving me crazy.

the t.p. bandit and other sunday events

Today has been an absolutely fabulous Sunday! Sundays have got to be my favorite day. I get Kent all day (thanks to his no studying) and we just get to enjoy the day.
Fasting really is one of those things that is so hard for me- so Kent and I try to make it a mini holiday of sorts! Yesterday afternoon we started our fast by indulging in a donut (KENT) and brownie from Wixey Bakery (another great toledo find!) and then had a great meal to break our fast today. The sisters came over for dinner too. I love having them over. I love missionaries-especially the sisters (I'm slightly biased). They helped out with my primary lesson on missionary work today too. I love my CTR 6es- such crazy little squidlets.

and speaking of squidlets, Zeb has been a slobberpus all day. This poor kid has been teething his entire life. Nine teeth in none months! and definitely more on the way!!! He loves to chew on wet wipes and toilet paper lately (perhaps why he loves the bathroom so much). This evening we were letting him roam the apartment when it got eerily quiet (besides the opera music kent has been playing ALL weekend-you can hear it in the video). The video and picture show what we found. I'm sure that every parent has experienced it, but we had to document our little t.p. bandit. Oh, and his little fall at the end did no damage- don't worry (The bruise on his head is from a prior incident!).


The day continued to get more exciting--Metta called and apparently her apartment complex caught on fire-a lot. They can't live there anymore. My other little sis called and she has impetigo-a highly contagious skin staph infection! Mom is in Italy?! and for sure Laney and Taylor are moving to Buffalo! a mere four hours away. Such exciting news from all around :)
Met and Days.. .you've got to drive out with Laney and Taylor!! I can't wait to go to cedar point again with you guys!- I'll make sure that Kent takes a dramamine this time!

here's our little guy LOVING the fish at the library!

-oh, and about the"mom" thing. I'm totally over being excited about it. This morning Zeb decided he was ready to get out of bed at five. Completely awake for one reason or another. No tears...just in his crib yelling "mom! mom?". Boooooo.

he finally said it!

Tonight while we were perusing the clearance racks at Old Navy, little Z had an epiphany. He looked right at me and, for the first time in his short little life, screamed "MOM!" and then clapped and giggled. It was adorable. He laughed at himself and then for the next FULL seven minutes sat and clapped and screamed "MOM, MOM, MOM, MOM, MOM, MOM, MOM!" The other shoppers at old navy thought he was a hoot.
He says ever letter very obviously. It's a very distinct "mom", not just the run of the mill "mama". I actually am quite excited. He's been saying dad for ages now and it's about time he figured out how to say MOM.
I'll try and get it on video and post it.

the MVL-- mexican vegetarian lasagna

I love to post recipes on my blog to share with others (I've added them to my left sidebar below blog links). Even more so I love when other people post recipes so that I can steal them!

My friend, Julie, posted a recipe for Chilaquiles on her blog (hers look more appetizing then mine). I am (as always) in desperate need of new dinner recipes and it looked delish so I thought I'd give it a whirl (thanks julie!). I had to tone it down from her Texan style to my milk toast tongue and ended up making so many changes that I decided to change the name of my concoction. Same idea, different flair. Some of the ingredients are a little odd, but surprisingly it was really good! Kent and I both gave it an eight.
I actually think that this will be a hit in the Taylor and Laney household-although I may be very very wrong.

three tortillas
1 can drained kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup shredded potatoes (hashbrowns)
1 cup corn
1 small onion
1 can refried beans
garlic
small can tomato sauce (about 1/2 cup)
taco seasoning
cheese
sour cream

Saute the onions and garlic in oil until onions are soft. Add carrots, potatoes, and tomato sauce and simmer until carrots are softened. Add kidney beans, tomatoes, corn, and seasonings. Cook about five more minutes.
Spread refried beans on the tortillas. Cut them in half (or you can use a round pie tin dish) and start a bottom layer. Spread 1/3 of the mix over first layer. Top with some cheese. Continue layering until everything is used up! sprinkle cheese on top and bake at 400 for twenty minutes. Top with sour cream.

I am INSANELY bored. Perhaps the last two weeks were just far too exciting. This week has about done me in! in my boredom I have resorted to this old tag that both Kent and I have been tagged by in the past month or so. I'll make Kent attach his answers later this evening. okay- mine are in orange, his are in teal, and duplicated answers are in green. enjoy.

Leisy's answers in this color Kent's in this color

A- Attached or single: attached :) going on eleven years of being best friends

B- Best Friend: Kent Leisy

C(a)-Cake or Pie: pie--chocolate/cream/or berry. I really don't like cake.
Cake - white with whipped cream frosting and berries!

C (b)-Coke or Pepsi: ew. the only pop I'll even consider is Peach Fresca.
Coke products.

D- Day of Choice: Thursday (I love looking forward to Friday!)
Monday - I know... I'm weird

E- Essential Item: my husband.
My wife.

F- Favorite Color: Any of them BESIDES pink
all shades of blue!

G- Gummy Bears or Worms: chocolate covered cinnamon bears! yum-o. I haven't found them here though. Gummy Worms! Especially the sour ones.

H- Hometown: orem, utah. I know-- BORING. we're going to let zeb claim Toledo even though he was already six weeks old when he got here. Orem, Utah!!

I- Indulgence(s): sweets in general. I have a terribly strong sweet tooth.
Jane Austen - her complete works

J- January or July: january FOR SURE. July and august are my least fav months.
January - If Leisy's happy I'm happier. And I'm a snuggler. It's best to cuddle in the winter.
K-Kids: 1 wonderful rugrat--zeb.

L-Life is incomplete without: kent Leisy

M- Marriage Date: September 25, 2004

N- Number of Siblings: 3 monkey sisters Hey! Me too!! But mine aren't so monkey-ish

O- Oranges or Apples: apples for sure. I don't really like oranges. I would die without oranges!

P-Phobias or Fears: kent dying. Not succeeding

Q-quote(s): too many to choose a favorite. "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution." Theodosius Dobzhansky Hooray for Biology, hooray for Evolution and hooray for Russian Evolutionists!

R- Reason To Smile: my life is really really great. It's good to find a different reason to smile everyday, no matter how significant or insignificant that reason might be.

S-Season: Autumn. I love the leaves, the cooling temperatures, the smells, and my anniversary

T-Tag: anybody else as bored as I am. I hate getting tagged.

U-Unknown Fact About Me: My wedding cake was rice krispy treats--and DELICIOUS(one of my fav sweets). See question "C" I read more than half of Stephen King's novels in ninth and tenth grade.

V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: I eat meat (rarely anything but chicken). Brazil turned me into an oppressor. Before my mission I hated eating meat off the bone. Now I'll eat the bone dry.

W- Worst Habit: I really like tv and get entranced easily. Speaking before thinking.

X- X-Rays or ultrasound: I think that this question is stupid. I would rather an x-ray be on the next test vs. ultrasound.

Y- Your Favorite Food: Pizza. There is NOTHING better than great pizza. A really good steak smothered in grilled onions and mushrooms.

Z-Zoo or museum: I'd have to say zoo. I love being outdoors and I love animal diversity. Depends - the bodies museum was incredible and I would recommend it to anybody.

not a fatty.

I forgot to post the results of last week's nine month well check! Z is not fat. he is in the fiftieth percentile for height, weight, and head circumference! almost 21 pounds--which makes me wonder why the diapers that are supposed to fit up to 28 pound babies will barely fit around his waist! Regardless of the fact that there were no shots administered on this visit, it still happened to be his most traumatic and unpleasant check-up thus far. He was all smiles until the dr pulled out the stethoscope. Poor little Z started shaking and trembling. As soon as she touched him with it, he erupted into screams. I think he's still traumatized from his rsv hospital stay. I would be.
He's turning more and more into a real boy everyday. This age is absolutely wonderful (minus the fact that he loves to play in the toilet).