Ahem....regarding Anna

I'd like to take a second to tell you about my little girl. In this past week, she has made an amazing transition. I watched it calmly and with interest, as only a parent can do.



Anna has begun to take an interest in the world WITHOUT. ME. Now, she explores toys without needing to bring them to me to play with/fix/dress/show/move. She disappears around the corner for ten minutes or so now and it's not just to go poop:-) I peek in every once in a while if I can't hear her moving things around or talking and she is there, ya know, in her own little world. Without. Me.



Don't read this regret. Or any sort of loss. I'm touched and delighted that she's finally making her world her own. I'm astounded, actually. One day about five days ago she woke up as a girl in charge of her world. This week there has been a distinct lack of neediness. Of needing another person all. the. time. And this week, when she has been involved with someone, she is more focused on them. More focused on jumping on Curt (playing "hop on pop"), or listening to me read her a book, or taking the cushions off the couch and jumping, or digging in the sand with her friend Sophie. She has begun to watch people intently and mirror them. When I knelt on the steps and leaned forward on another step, she mirrored me. Another time, she disappeared quietly downstairs WHILE a friend was over (unheard of, before) and when I called down to her, she didn't answer. Naturally, being a mom, I headed right downstairs to make sure she was OK and she was standing in front of the coffee table, staring down intently at the Wii Fit box, attempting to stand in the yoga pose shown on the front of the box. Too cute.



Now, I'd be lying if I didn't have SOME strange feelings about her new development. But I'm not sure I know what those feelings are yet. This stage is too new and I was waiting for a few days to see if it was temporary.



But here we are, visiting at Granny's, and this girl went to sleep (late, of course) with no fuss and today she ate a good lunch and went down for her nap, again, with no fuss. She is calm and in charge. And even playing at Granny's this morning, getting small "ouches" like any over-tired and therefore awkward toddler does, she would cry briefly and go on about her day.



LAST week, she would've spent all morning being a wreck and then still napped poorly. But not now. Oh no.
You GO, girl!

Anna's First Camping Trip!

Check out the pics of Anna's first camping trip. We went to a cute little campground in Eldon, MO after the big family camping trip to Onodaga Cave State Park fell through.
A big thanks to Michelle who talked us into going!

It was a hot hot HOT trip but super fun. We had hot dogs grilled on a stick, s'mores, camp breakfast INCLUDING camp donuts and lots more yummy food.
We fell asleep to the gentle sounds of POUNDING RAIN the entire night. I was so proud of our tent for keeping us (mostly) dry. The floor of the tent, however, was a different story. Anna slept amazingly well. What a trooper.

Check out the pics: (My faves are "Camper dude Tim" and "Two hot girls on a camp chair!"

Camping June 2009

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!