New Things

I read about the so-called "language explosion," but I guess I didn't really know what to expect when it actually came. Today alone I heard her say two new words: down and up! It's very cute how she says them, but I'd guess I'd have to record her doing it, because I'm not sure that I could describe it properly. She also has become - seemingly overnight - a master at her puzzle! It's 8 pieces, and I've never really seen her be able to understand the point of it. She'd always just try to put the pieces wherever, instead of figuring out where they belong. Then this afternoon, she dumps the puzzle and puts all the pieces exactly in the right places!

Other words that she is able to say, but I might not have documented properly: hi, bye, mom, dad, yeah, no, yum, bow wow, baa (for sheep), ball, bear (that's another new one), jar, baby, bubble, vroom vroom (her word for car), uh oh, bee, Eeyore, teeth, eye, "A," wow, yay, why, dance, quack quack, yuck, choo choo, "good day," wheee, and I'm sure I'm missing a few. I'll try to fill them in later. She does also kind of say "zizzer zazzer zuzz," which is adorable.

Bye Bye, Summer Vacation

Today was my first day back at school full time. I must say that this was the best summer I have ever had. Anna has become (well, she always has been, but even more so) such an amazing little person. All summer we had little adventures together, which mostly consisted of bebows. It was a very hot summer too, so I guess maybe we didn't spend as much time outdoors as I would have liked, but we always managed to make it to a park or two, and there was lots and lots of good quality time for us to spend together. She pretty consistently woke up between 7:30 and 8:00, then we'd have breakfast, then I'd shower while she played and listened to music, then I'd enjoy my coffee while she played some more. Then we might go out in the backyard, or read books together, or dance together, or sometimes we'd go for a jog and end up at a bebow. Then she'd eat lunch and take a nap from about 1-3:00, and sometimes we'd play at the park before it was time for me to make dinner. It was a really nice routine that we had going, and I'm going to miss it. I'm pretty lucky to have been able to spend such a big amount of time with her, because she is the best little kid in the whole world!

Leaps and Bounds

It seems like every day Anna is doing or saying new things. She knows some new words now: bubble, baby, and jar. I love how she says "jar," because it sounds a little like "daw." Her obsession with Yo Gabba Gabba is getting pretty crazy. She calls it "deah daaaay," which is supposed to be "good day." Of course Auntie Loonie is to blame for this craze, because she's the one who first introduced Ms. B to the characters (Toodee and Foofa, actually). Then I started recording the show on Nick, Jr. and downloading some of the songs. I also managed to find some toys and books for her too. While maybe I'm helping to feed this obsession, I haven't seen any harm in it (plus I, of course, have my own obsessions, so I understand completely!) I'm looking into her being Foofa for Halloween, and possibly Tim as DJ Lance Rock!

Today is an unusual day for us. We're having our plumbing redone, so there's a ton of noise and activity in the house (not to mention no water), so I asked Grampy to come over and help. That way Ms. B is able to get out of the house and enjoy some bebow time while I stay here in case the plumbers have questions or need anything. At least it only has to be boring for one of us!

18 Months!

I forgot to mention that we celebrated Squirt's 18 month birthday already! How time does fly. She had a very special day, even though the weather didn't cooperate super nicely. We went to the bebow and played for quite some time, and the ducks even put on a special show for her! It was so cute; they all started diving under the water and flying back up all at once! It was quite spectacular, and she was a great audience - laughing, delighted, asking for more. They obliged, so she got to see it twice before they were done. She got to have all sorts of treats and special treatment (although she always gets special treatment), and I think the day was pretty nice for her. Probably her favorite thing is that we turned her car seat around. I wanted to wait until she was 2, since backward facing is the safest and all, but she's getting so interactive and curious that it seemed better for her overall well-being to face forward. Sure enough, she absolutely adores facing forward, so much so that she actually asks for car rides and wants more once we get to our destination. I think it must make her feel like a hotshot, and I have to agree that she is one.

My Little Monkey

All this time I thought I had a child, but no, she's a monkey. ALL she does all day is climb on everything. She has figured out how to get on the couch, the recliner, the rocker, the ottoman, up the stairs, and on all the kitchen chairs. It's a bit unnerving to see her so nimble and clever. She's quite a problem solver, and she can usually figure out how to get herself where she wants to go. At the park I'm amazed at all the things she can do now. So many places she can climb and maneuver, when just a short time ago she wasn't able to do hardly any of it on her own. My little monkey is growing up FAST.

She can pretty much go down any slide on her own, she can climb some of the crazy steps/walls/ladders that practically give me a heart attack, she loves the bouncy cars and dinos and whatnot, she loves playing in the sand and using her sand tools, and of course she loves the swings. We've had quite a great and busy summer of our "tour de bebow."

A Dream Come True

Before Anna was born, I remember sitting in the rocker (which happens to be Rabbie's) in her future nursery and imagining what it would be like after she was born. I imagined snuggling with her in the rocker and reading a book together. Sunday evening, Anna and I were sitting in the rocker and looking at a book together, and it occurred to me that it was exactly the way I had dreamed it would be those years ago. When she was younger and I'd read to her there, it wasn't the same because I knew that she didn't understand what I was saying or what we were doing. She's able to follow the books now and look at the pictures and interact while I read to her. It was such a peaceful and happy moment. We don't get a ton of those these days, since Anna has the attention span of a toddler. It's really difficult to sit down and read books together, because she can't sit still for that long. Having her able to relax for a bit with me and snuggle was definitely magical.

Getting Our Money's Worth!

We've been getting some decent use out of our zoo membership this year. We've already been 3 times! We love being members, because we can go for short amounts of time without having to worry. Anna has been enjoying it thoroughly. We went on Sunday with Daddy and saw the bears, wild dogs, and spent some time in the Hamill Family Play Zoo, then we went again today with Auntie Carrie! We saw the bears again, and the fish/penguins, the wolves (who were very active), and the Children's Zoo. She loved the goats and the chickens. Actually it was really funny, because she kept saying "yum!" when we were in the chicken coop! Ha ha. Although it was a really hot day today, it sure was fun seeing all the animals - and getting to hang out with Auntie Carrie!!