What Anna's Been Up To

16 months has turned out to be my favorite month with Anna so far. She sheds a little more baby every day and takes on a little more of her own personality and expression in its place. One of the biggest changes over the last month has been her speaking more and more. What follows are some words Anna manages to say lately...

Shoes: zhoos
Juice: joo
Baby: bey bee
More: moe
Fish: thsh
Pillow: pow wow wow wow
Daddy: dah DEE (by far her most favorite word)
Mommy: mama
Noah: wo-wo
Nemo: mo-mo
Dumbo: bubbo
Milk: mil
Cheese: jee
Ball: baw
Uh-Oh: UH-oh
Done: duh
Drink: jih jih
Down: dow
Wow: wow
Whoa: whoa
Piggie: poe
Moo: bbbbbbb
Book: buh
Roar: rawr (in a raspy whisper)
Dude (compliments of Noah): doo

These days she likes to lay on her belly on the floor when she plays. I taught her to say "ahhhhh" after a nice big gulp of milk and it makes me grin every time. Makes her grin, too, for that matter. She's gotten real particular about a number of things - setting her cup in its holder on her tray, moving food into groups when she eats, having her pant legs and sleeves pulled down as far as they should go, washing off marker stains on her skin, picking up things that fall or get dropped, putting things where they go, picking up trash, making sure her musical seahorse is turned on as soon as she hits the crib, and making sure she gets lotion if anyone else does (same goes for Chapstick and sanitizer and if she's lucky, a little of mommy's blush). She is always excited about putting on socks, shoes, hats, coats, purses, and other dress up gear. She has started painting with her saliva which is really gross to watch, but still adorable. She is suddenly aware of all the pictures around the house and likes to point at them and call everyone by their name. She rarely ever cries now but she tries to make you think she will. She will whimper and moan to elicit your sympathy or your surrender to her whims. And though I am not proud of this, she has discovered how funny it is when she toots and burps, so now she cracks up about it all on her own. Such a lady. Best of all, she has really emerged as a pretty obedient little thing when corrected or given a direction. Use a firm tone and she is real sensitive about it and melts into the floor - which is kind of nice given what a strong will I worried she was going to have. She plays really really well by herself when Noah is not around. Her hair is just getting into that really awkward messy stage where you just have to let it grow until it makes better sense. I try to put bows in it to counteract the mess, but she just pulls them out and puts them back in my hands. Her favorite toys lately are books, her Little People doll house, musical instruments, her doll stroller, crayons, stacking toys, and her bowls and spoons. Pretty soon I am going to sign her up for her own class at My Gym. I just know she'd love it. For now, she seems content to wait in the sitting area with me while Noah does his class. She has her MDO teacher's heart and she walks right in to her arms when we drop her off on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She doesn't even look back at us to say Bye. She has begun to watch a little TV and to actually sit still long enough to let you finish reading her a book sometimes. She just cut her 8th tooth. And now she gives kisses with her little lips pursed shut instead of wide open. Somehow they are still just as wet though. She's always game for a good round of Ring Around the Rosie, Duck Duck Goose, Hide and Seek, and a parade with Daddy and Noah. Now that she is so capable and mobile, we are really looking forward to this spring and summer when she can head outdoors with Daddy and Noah. Last year she watched longingly (often fitfully) from the window or the porch. This year, it's game on! Looking forward to the rest of this year's development with our little lady ...