Anna's Birthday Parties

So Anna had a birthday on November 26. But one party wasn't enough. She required three.

Here's a highlight of the photos. You can see all of them here.


Our friend Jen Lederle made this cake for Anna. It was awesome!














Here is Anna eating that awesome cake. She had a great time.

Here is Anna having fun with balloons.

Here is Anna with her toy ice cream truck (Leapfrog) from Mimi and Papa. Anna loves this thing. And mommy and daddy get to have "ice cream truuuck, da dada da daaaa" stuck in their head all day. But it really is fun. Anna will go around the house for at least 20 minutes before asking to stop. She's even trying to do tricks now by standing up while we push her.

And when Curt asks Anna to find the colors (Red Cherry, Blue Bluberry, Green Lime, and Orange Orange), she pushes the right buttons!

Alas, she has not done this for anyone else. . . . I think it is her signal that she wants to start a super-secret society of super-geniuses (like the Illuminati, only cooler) with her daddy. We'll get to work on that.

Yesterday...

I got a bath tray from mom and dad that you can put all your "bath-y" things on while you relax.

Got home today and realized it had a BOOK HOLDER on it!!!!!!!!!!
Hence the expression:

To those who wonder...

What do you DO all day?

I, as a full-time parent, do the same things you do. It just takes me a thousand times longer.

Observe:
This is an example of Anna and I trying to get out the door to run errands.
She is just waking up from her nap. And of course all our outings are based on her nap schedule.

Sometimes inconvenient...

I walk in.
We have to play or kiss through the bars of her crib because we haven't seen each other in 1.5 hours and because it's fun ev-er-y-time!!!!
She instructs me to open the window, as is our tradition (Standing up, pointing at window, "dat!"). "You are my sunshine....." I sing as I do this, as is required.

I lay her on her changing table to take of her jammies and change her diaper.
She understands this as "naked time" and wiggles and wiggles till I give in and plop her on the floor in her birthday suit.
I then hand her her dirty diaper, carefully rolled up, because SHE wants to be the one to throw it away.
Knowing what follows, I distract her from throwing other things in the diaper container as well. (Taking whatever she grabs away, over and over, while I dart back and forth to the closet looking for an outfit.)

I finally grab her after choosing an outfit. She signs for "milk". I sigh and give in, knowing she didn't eat much breakfast and that we'll be out for a while before lunch.
I wrestle her to the ground to get a diaper on her.
She protests.
I WIN (because I'm NOT nursing her bare bottomed. We all KNOW where that would go).

I sit for five minutes while she nurses and I run through my mind everything else I need to do before I can walk out the door.
She gets down. I go to the kitchen to pack a little baggie of food, again mindful that we'll be gone for a while close to lunch. (One of my many genius ideas I thought of while we sat on the couch nursing.)

Meanwhile she wanders away, still clad in only a diaper.

I notice how gnarley her fingernails are as she hands me something she pulled out of the kitchen cabinet. "Can I take her out with nails that bad?" "What if someone sees them?" "It'll just take a few more minutes."

Nah..... (Fingernails stay nasty)

I fetch her outfit and socks and shoes. I found an unopened toy from her birthday and unwrapped it (to keep her captivated while I dressed her).
(It worked, of course.)

She's now fully dressed and wandering off down the hall.

I fetch my socks and shoes, thanking myself again for showering and dressing during her morning nap so I can get out so..... quickly? later on.

Meanwhile, I noticed the bathroom door is open and she's nowhere in sight. I find her unraveling the toilet paper and reaching for the plunger.

"Ewww Ewww!" I tell her for the thousandth time while carting her out of the bathroom and shutting the door.

Finally I manage to get my socks and shoes on while she messes with something else.
I wrestle her into her coat.
Grab her bag of food and water cup.
Manage to find BOTH my car keys and cell phone and stick them in my coat pocket.
I and THRILLED with myself for actually remembering the item I need to return this trip and including it in our load of things to take.

I pick her up and carry her down the stairs, into the garage, and shove her into her car seat (still facing backwards for safety - hard to wrestle her into.)

Manage to hold her down and yet get all the straps in the right places (putting Cirque Du Soleil to shame with my contortions) while looking around for a toy to hand her when done to keep her happy with being strapped in.

Pick up all our other supplies and shove them in the other door.

Huff around the side of the car and into the driver's seat.

Sigh with relief. Sigh with frustration when I see how late it is.

Turn on the car and go.

-----------------------

Now, I imagine most of you (besides Aunt Emily) needed to run an errand. You grabbed your purse and coat and left.

Was it fun? How nice for you.

-----------------------

And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is what we do all day (and why we never accomplish anything).

Okkkkaaayyyy. I have a toddler

I've been in denial for a while about having a toddler. "I have a BABY!!!" is what I frequently whined as my family marveled at Anna's advanced development.

But I've finally accepted the fact that I no longer have a baby. Here's why:
This morning, Anna
-Declined her morning nursing for the second day in a row.
-Saw me "feed" her baby doll with the baby gas drops bottle and has now been feeding all her babies all morning. (She doesn't have the knack of burping them yet, so they have spit up all over the place ;-)
-Saw me pick up her large teddy bear and dance to music and immediately grabbed a stuffed frog and twirled around the living room.
-Tries so hard to communicate and is frustrated by her limited ability. When she wants something and wants it now, she'll sign in rapid succession in the vain hope I finally catch on to what she wants! "Help" "Please" "More" "Help" "Please"!!!
-She told me the other day she wanted breakfast. We were following daddy around as he got ready for work and suddenly she stopped what she was doing and signed "Eat".
-We frequently listen to NPR in the mornings. Do NOT ask Anna for her opinion of what Gov. Blagojevich did. She'll go on and on. Well, NPR switches over to music at 9am. The first song yesterday was an organ song. She immediately stopped what she was doing, looked at the radio, looked over at my Grandparent's organ, and walked over to the organ and pointed and it and wanted to play it. What a smart girl!!!



Three cheers for my little baby... I mean toddler!

One year visit:

Round One:
Ear infection vs. Amoxicillin
Ear infection wins

Round Two:
Ear infection vs. Cefdinir (a stronger antibiotic)
FIGHT!!!

We had a great day together, though the shots at her one year appointment were looming in the back of my mind. We get there, play ever so patiently and good sportedly through 45 minutes of waiting for the doctor to tell me she's healthy (besides the ear infection) and growing like a weed.

"This little piggy went to the market...."
"Round and round the garden...."
"No Anna.."
"Don't put the paper in your mouth..."
"This little pi... no Anna!"
"This lit..... TICKLE"

Then came the shots. Still not as bad as that first time. You only cried for about three minutes and it wasn't the screeching howl it was when you were itty bitty and shocked out of your mind. As a mature one year old, you can handle a little bit of pain.
THEN
the doctor suggested an optional test for iron deficiency where they'd draw a vial of blood. I though, "No WAY!" But the doctor gave me that look, knowing what I was thinking, and told me all three of his kids got it done downstairs and were in and out in no time. No big deal.

In my head: "No way!"
What I actually said: "Sure, might as well be sure."

So we headed downstairs, you pushing the elevator button for the first time and me walking like we were on the green mile. A little boy (age 4 or 5) went in before you and howled and cried and you looked at the closed door with such a little look of empathy my heart broke. You toddled over to the door and put your hand on it.

Then came our turn. The little lady was so nice. She gave you an extra arm band thingy/rubber band to play with.
They tied your arm - you started to get nervous and whimpery (you DID just get shots. You aren't dumb).
She got the needle in there fast and pulled it out into position, AND...
...
Nothing.
She moved the needle a bit.
Nothing.
She moved it some more.
Nothing.
She pulled it out a little.
Nothing.
She put it in at a new angle.
Nothing.

FOR

TWO (read: one bazillion)

MINUTES

This whole time you are crying and thrashing around a little, trying to get your beautiful little arm free. You start howling. I start breathing faster. My soothing words come out higher pitched. I take my eyes off the needle, now making me dizzy as I watch it move around under your skin.
I worry about the little boy outside, who is hearing you and who still has another stick to go, or maybe his didn't work the first time...

EITHER!

It didn't work. They took the needle out. No blood in the vial. I swallow my stomach which is now in my throat and hold you to my chest as you cry. The mom guilt part of me threatens to punch myself in the face.

They put a tie around your other arm. The nurse looks at me apologetically as you start to wail again (no needle this time, but you know what's coming). The little boy outside is wailing now listening to Anna. Thankfully, they can't feel a vein good enough to try again. I think, "Thank GOD!" and "Never again!" and the words "recommended, not required" keep running through my head, eating away at my mommy self confidence.

They say, "you can reschedule in a few days". In my head: "I can reschedule... NEVER!" I scoop you up and we rush out. I don't even look at the mom holding the crying little boy, still to be stuck.... again.

I call Curt to an emergency meeting at Daisy Delight. Anna needs some ice cream: stat!
We get home. I have to rush off to work to see a client who only comes in on Mondays. (More mom guilt... someone ELSE pay Curt's loans. I'm needed at home!) I get through it and get home. Stomach still hurting. You have a delightful evening and show no signs of trauma.


But a mommy remembers. I can't stop seeing your poor little arm.

Oh WHERE did mommy put the good wine??????????

Welcome winter!

We woke up to snow on the ground for the first time this morning. So in honor of the passing of fall, here's a picture to melt your heart:



This will be the first winter Anna will enjoy trees, presents, pretty music, and beautiful lights! It is the season of wonder indeed!

Why I love The Salvation Army...

$8

Priceless.

Dashed hope?

I had so much optimism following the election. Change. Intelligent leadership. All of that.

THEN I found out that NKOTB made a comeback and has their own website.


WHAT is the world coming to? :-)


(That's Ok, I'll still be Hangin' Tough)

Anna, you won't get this post. I'll dig out my NKOTB cassette and, after first explaining what a cassette is, let you listen to it. (Provided I can FIND a cassette player) You can form your own opinion.

Anna did you know....

(Today you decided, while visiting the Newman Center where your dad and I met, that walking was THE WAY to move.)

So in honor of today,
Anna did you know....

-That seeing you walk terrifies me, makes me sad, and makes me so proud all at the same time?
-That I sneak cuddles in ALL THE TIME because you don't like mom's "snuggles"?
-That the rare times when you spontaneously love on me makes my heart race... every time?
-That seeing you snuggle with your stuffed animals never gets old?
-That hearing you say "dat.." and point to what you want to explore (which is everything) is the cutest sound in the world?
-That I have a love/hate relationship with feeding you in the middle of the night?
-That dad and I tried to sleep train you again a few weeks ago but chickened out when the universe turned against us (daylight ridiculous time, stomach flus, crabby daddy...)?
-That I am scared...and in denial, of your first birthday?
-How precious you look when you sleep (yes, I still peek)?
-That every night I wish wish wish I could sleep curled around your little body?
-That this will never happen because when you sleep, you flop and roll around like a fish out of water? (Your head literally touches all four corners of your crib each night.)
-That you tackle Cricket for cuddles AT LEAST 50 times per day and that dumb cat cannot figure out to just stay away from you?
-That you got the need to play with your hair while you comfort yourself from daddy?
-That you find the cat food and water irresistible? (Yes, you've eaten some. No, I didn't tell daddy.)
-You snuggle and pat kids who are complete strangers? (They look up at ME, bewildered each time, as if I have the answer to your wonderful loviness.)
-That you are the master of blowing kisses?
-That you hate getting cleaned with baby wipes unless I give you one to suck on? (I know, I know... gross. But we parents get desperate!)

-That I love you, worry about you, get frustrated by you, crave you, and love you all the time!!!

Congratulations on walking. Now stay little and babyish! That's an order!

Ummmmmm . . . . Aunt Kayla?

Can you tell me again where babies come from?




Congratulations, Ed and Kayla!!!!!

You know you are poor when . . .

it is a treat to buy a 12 pack of beer.

You are destitute when you have the following conversation:

[Scene: Curt and Maria in the kitchen, talking]

Curt opens the refrigerator.

Curt: I see we have some new beer! Cool! 211? I've never heard of that before.

Maria: Yeah, it was really cheap at Gerbes.

Curt: I think I will try one!

Maria: Go ahead!

Curt grabs a can. He opens it; it emits a satisfying "hiss." Curt grins and raises the can to Maria, in appreciation of a found bargain.

Curt takes a sip.

Curt: **$#(*^&#(^#(*$& [edited for content. Translation: This brew is most offensive, and I regret that I have swallowed it].

Maria: Sorry.

Curt: You know what? Next time we want cheap beer, why don't we just get Miller Lite?

dramatic pause, camera zooms in to Maria.

Maria: Yeah, but isn't Miller Lite expensive, like Bud Light?

Fade scene.

Anna and THE GREAT PUMPKIN!

Just thought I'd add a few pics.

First, Anna helped us with the back yard this weekend. You know, cutting down dead looking things, pretending to know what to do with a yard... And we're still on the hunt for super-vine from this summer. He's still lurking around.



"Did you really expect me to help.... what, with these delicate hands?"


"And these lovely cheeks?"


"And these lovely lashes?"


"I'll throw this rake if you ask me again!"


"Nuthin... whatchoo doin'?"


And who can resist cute bath pics? Anna had a mohawk in this one, but mom is NOT the photographer ("Captain Video") in the family.



And FINALLY......
THE GREAT PUMPKIN!!!
-Yes, it is real!
-Yes, we did it!

(Maria still has some amateur art talent left)

Anna's First Music Video

While mom was working, Curt (a.k.a. "Sergeant Safety") decided to let Anna play the organ, and we made a music video!

Melting of cuteness!

PUMPKINS! (And a mega weekend)

Last weekend was just dreamy!
After a hard week (see new post from October 9th) we thoroughly enjoyed Curt's 3 day weekend. We went to a pumpkin festival and Anna had a blast climbing on the giant pumpkins.
Check out the video (taken on Curt's cell phone, so the quality is poor):



Here are some pics:












Anyone fancy some good home cooking?



And then a nice, long nap?



(Notice Cricket underneath trying to figure out how to jump up and snuggle!)



Now, you may have noticed that Anna lost her clothes during the above photo montage. Imagine:
-a diaper change
-a naked hiney enjoying fresh air during the aforementioned diaper change
-a diaper bag without an extra set of clothes in it

Getting the picture?

After soaking herself and her clothes, and after moments of quiet desperation and quick thinking... Anna finished the festival in this:





Which is a mermaid tail skirt that I saw at Goodwill for $1 and has been stuck in the diaper bag for weeks, intended for a little girl in our playgroup.
We got some funny looks, but if you had seen the rest of the people wandering around in Hartsburg, MO - you wouldn't have given Anna a second look. (Great place for people watching! Hardly a full set of teeth in the bunch - but plenty of tats!)

What happens when....

A mom tries to check her email...


Anna finds the "cabinet of magic":


Luckily she has good taste. The DVDs she picked:
-St. Louis Cardinal's 2006 World Series DVD
-The Life of David Gale
-Dodgeball







Then, she learns how to turn on the TV:


Luckily, we have only three channels, so there wasn't much on!

G-U-I-L-T, dark nights, and work

A few updates.
So I started work... Before I started this week, I was the most whiney, ambivalent, morose momma you could interact with. "Woe is me" doesn't begin to describe it. But here's the deal (as Joe Biden likes to say): I only work 10-12 hours per week. Anna is truly, barely going to miss me. I will miss two bedtimes each week but she will get used to that very quickly. The thing is, it will be MONTHS before I'm used to it. It feels utterly wrong. But not paying Curt's student loans (which is the whole reason I'm working) feels wrong-er. Well, wrong-ish. I'd go on ignoring them forever and praying for a miracle for a lot longer if I could swing it.

So I became a "working mom" this week. If I were a painting, I'd definitely be a Dali all melty and creepy. THAT'S how frazzled and out of myself I felt.

IN FACT,

I had my first mom freak out in a long, long time. I finally gave in and took an OTC sleep pill because I couldn't settle down mid-week and I really, really, really needed sleep. Well Anna, who hadn't woken up before 3 or 5 am in months, woke up two hours after I took the thing because she was so uncomfortable (teething, stuffy nose - just plain grumpy - very Oscar the Grouchish). I didn't know if I could nurse her, which was what she wanted. So I called our doctor hotline thingy and waited ON HOLD for THIRTY minutes until someone finally answered a little after midnight. Meanwhile, Anna's screaming in her crib for the whole half hour because Curt tried to sooth her but was too sleep deprived himself to be really effective.

And I couldn't go in there to soothe her because she wouldn't understand why I wasn't nursing her. So I waited..... on hold...... piss#& as hell that they weren't answering to let me know if I could still nurse my kid..... listening to her wail.
What a night!

Mom guilt is a very, very powerful thing. I felt it.... last night.... for taking something that probably has fewer chemicals than a diet coke.



That's how much I love this girl:

And the winner is...

We hadn't gotten all the results in for Anna's Halloween costume. But I was still pulling hard for the little Dragonfly. Every time someone would vote for the cliche' girly ones, I would scoff! (C'mon people, we KNOW she's a girl. Do we have to brand it all over her body?) THEN, we made the mistake of going to Octoberfest in Jefferson City. You know, one of those things where the smell of bratwurst, popcorn, and suckers intoxicate you to the point where you think handmade hunting-themed quilts and weird realistic looking pets frozen in life-like poses are worth looking at.

Well, somewhere between taking Anna to hear and dance to good German polkas and watching the wiener dog races (quite popular, actually) we rounded the corner to see a booth spewing PINK. The entire booth was hand-made girl costumes and dress up clothes. There were wings, dresses, crowns, sceptures, more crowns, more wings.

With a lump in my throat and my heart beating madly, I stumbling forward, and against what I thought was my will, my shaky hand came up and began pointing...

We walked away with the ULTIMATE in girly costumes. It looks a little something like this:

but with more pink! We of course got her a matching heart-topped wand because.... well because.... the is no stopping new parents when bombarded with such a mirage as that darned pink booth.

And won't she look so cute???!!!!!!

First Steps!!!

Today Anna took her first step in this wide, wide world. She had all the grace and bravery that a ten month and two day old can have!

This evening, she decided she was going to stand unassisted a few times. I was sitting on the floor brushing my hair and Anna just HAD to come get the brush. I gave it to her and backed away from her while she was standing. I leaned forward and told her to brush Momma's hair. She couldn't reach me with the brush so she reached out with the brush, lifted her little foot, and planted it forward one step. Course, she then began to weeble and wobble so Momma had to come to the rescue. But she did it! My little one!

March on, Anna!

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Again stealing from a friend's blog....
Found out it is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. Here's a site to see what your pirate name would be.

Mine: Sassy Sally The Bloody
C: Cap'n Kidd Kilpatrick (Love it!)
A: Savvy Ann Blackwater

Did my niece and nephew too!
B: Black Bart Cutthroat
M: Fishbait Bonnie Cutthroat

Did mom and Dad's too for fun!
R: Queen Grace Dread (How fitting!)
D: Lt. John Anderson (Not Piratey AT ALL!)

Conversations...

On the phone with a guy we are meeting with for financial planning...
Me: "Hi Mr. _____. I was referred to you by Sean, who is good friends with my husband."

Him: "Yes, is your husband C____ _____?"

Me: "Yes - he knows your family."

Him: "Yep, I believe I sent you guys a wedding present..."

Me: "Yyyyyyyyeeeessssss....." (Thinking - "What do you say to that? Also - "Oh God, what was the present? Does he expect me to know after 5 1/2 years?")
Me: "Thanks a lot - that was thoughtful. Anyway........."


-------------------------------------------------------------
I was talking to Anna while she was eating a being super cute and told her if she got reincarnated, she'd come back as something wonderful.

Curt pipes up loudly from the other room:
"YES ANNA - You'd come back as a UNICORN!!!!!!!"
(In his manliest voice - of course :-)

Went swimming...

Did my laps again this morning...

Missed Kayla terribly...

Walked into the Y daycare to see Anna smiling, jabbering, and bonking some poor baby boy on the head.

Sigh.

And my day goes on.

More Anna Banana!

Since I'm on a video roll!

Long overdue vacation videos!

Here are some videos from family vacation this past July!

Annamazing

There are many reasons why Anna rocks.

The latest: she loves everyone and she is so easy!

I am contemplating a return to work (boo hiss) which I am EX-TREM-ELY ambivalent about. (I'll blog more on that later). Anyhoo. I decided to try switching my exercise class from Wednesday evenings to Wednesday mornings since there's a good chance I'll be working Wednesday evenings.

Anna had never been to the YMCA daycare at THIS particular daycare and she was used to the ladies at the OTHER Y daycare so I was unsure if I could finish the hour long spin class.

Which for those ignorant about spinning class, looks like this:


Not this:


Not only was I able to complete the class with her safely tucked away upstairs with some new friends, I stayed ten minutes after and talked to the instructor. So after class, I bounded up the stairs, washed my hands (I'd NEVER touch my daughter without washing off the spin-class nasties) and waltzed into the nursery.

Anna was HAPPILY playing on the floor with a toy (again, she had been there OVER an hour at this point) and when she saw me, she did a little "Cousin Molly Jiggle" and laughed with excitement. I melted into a puddle on the floor. Did you? Just now? Reading this? Melt?

I love you Anna!

SHE SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!!!

Oh Anna...
How you bring us such joy!
No wakings last night
Please, please one million more!

Either the flu shot
or the Motrin that followed.
Something left you
Cuddled and mellow.

I used to lie there
Heart beating...
mirroring...
Great-Grandfather's clock...

WHEN?........will she?.......WAKE?
WHEN?........will she?.......WAKE?
WHEN?........will she?.......WAKE?
WHEN?........will she?.......WAKE?

But last night,
To bed on time...
One short peep at five
and up bright eyed!

So let's raise our glasses
Let's have a toast!
No more "Mommy's night walking,
stumbling grumbling ghost."



(Aunt Emily - don't hate us :-)

Halloween Contest!!!!!

Here are the pics of Anna's potential costumes. Vote for your favorite either by commenting on the blog, or emailing me! May the best costume win!

Wii Fit: Fun for all ages!

I think Grandma had a crush on the trainer.
(He is pretty cute!)



Maria can't hula hoop worth a darn. She needs to go back to second grade.

This is what its like changing Anna's diaper now...

EVERY TIME!!!!!!!

THE BEST!

That's what Anna is... at least according to her parents, and pretty much everyone who meets her.

At dinner tonight, basking in her cuteness, we decided that we HAD to make a list of all the cute things she does.

-Claps - often
-Waves to practically everyone. (She charmed the whole long waiting list at Chipotle Restaurant with her waves.)
-Giggles and laughs
-LOVES "This Little Piggy" and other games like that.
-Does a little "High Chair Boogie"
-Dances (by bending her knees)
-Give Daddy good pats on the arm and head
-LOVES her kitties despite their constant rejection.
-Blows messy raspberries.
-Give GREAT BIG open mouthed kisses.
-Clicks her tongue on the roof of her mouth and gets kick out of you repeating it.
-Claps to music.
-Can do "Are you Happy and you Know it..." (OK, maybe only the clapping part, but still.)
-Plays with her hair while she nurses.
-Plays Peekaboo.
-Loves to bang stuff (especially stuff that makes loud noises.)
-Sings and hums. Not in tune or in any melody, but it's still the most beautiful sound on earth.
-Has to look out each window in her bedroom when she wakes up to say hi to the yard and trees.
-Gives kisses through her crib bars.
-SLEPT TEN HOURS Last night! (Oh yes... in a row....)

Anna and crew at the Blumenhoff Winery

I sure do love my granny!

Mimi and Papa are really special, too!

What?! I have to wait another 20 years and 3 months? You mean I sat quietly like a good girl for almost two hours, and I'm only allowed to drink water?!?! You have to be kidding me!

Even more Anna pictures!

Here is Anna at the Babin's house in Louisville, Kentucky.






















Here is Anna, knocking you out with her beautiful blue eyes.













Quiet Sunday mornings watching the sunrise are the best!













I like bath time. Mama gives me a feauxhawk every time!

An Ode to Kayla

In the September 2008 Reader's Digest...

"I was a boring kid. Whenever we played doctor, the other children always made me the anesthesiologist!"

:-)

More Anna magic

So my litte one, besides saying Momma, Daddy, Goggie (Doggie), Kitty, and woof, also claps and dances, blows bubbles in her drink, and breaks and reconstructs my heart everyday!

So nice....

The Secret Life of Moms

Overheard at a "Mom's Night Out" last week:

-"My mom called me when I was in college and told me: '_______ was just charged with breaking into an older laides' house and killing her...... the year you were dating!'"

-"So then I put on this white outfit and went onstage and did a little dance."

-"So at the end of the trip, the kids still had ten minutes left on their movie so we left them in the van and went inside to......."

God bless moms (and their lives beyond babies)

Hangin' with the Gma

Here are cute pics of Anna tearing up the kids play area in the mall yesterday while MaryHelen and Grandma Stokes watched. Anna LOVES watching the other kids run around. I'm sure she's thinking, "How DO they DO that?"