A Few New Firsts & Pastimes

Annie is obsessed with the Soft Play books! Funny because I ALMOST put them away to save for a grown up Leia (who I read them to as a newborn), and had them setting right next to Annie's closet to do so, until Annie discovered them. Now she can't even finish one without reaching WAY over to begin the next. (Is this the one-year-old version of "I couldn't put it down!"? Ha!) She doesn't give a flying fig for her other "favorites" in her cabinet of the changing table anymore. It's all about Bumble Bee, Ladybug, Turtle, and Snail (in that order) who now sit on the edge of her bed just beckoning. Oh yeah, and she said "snail" today, too. We are officially at the point where Annie will say whatever we ask her to say. Not perfectly perhaps, but she'll try. : )
And today was the first time that I ever caught Annie trying to put on a sock. (Yes, she said "sock.") It was so cute!

Here's another thing Annie just started: saying "bye-bye" and waving at the same time.

And yet another thing, Annie has been SO much better about diaper changes now that I sing the ABC song (something that I didn't remember until I read Leia's journal from the same time). Annie loves it so much that she tries to "sing" herself. (Ironically, sometimes she does the same thing when I ask her to say "Amen.") ; )

And finally, I have to say a word or two about Leia's favorite thing to play these days. (She's playing it in the picture above.) It's called "One-Year-Old." [And I'm sure this has nothing to do with having a one-year-old sister. Ha!!! Annie, someday, when you come to me and tell me that it's not fair because all you want to do is what Leia Rose does, . . . I'm going to remind you of the time that all your sister wanted to do is what YOU did, diapers and all.] I think this all started when Brian gave her that one-year-old birthday party that morning, games and all. Now, periodically, I'll see Leia crawling beside Annie. Then she'll come up to me and say something like, "Now I'm going to be a one-year-old who eats with a bib" or "Now I'm going to be a one-year-old playing with a puzzle" or "Now I'm going to be a one-year-old who is learning how to walk. "Now I'm going to be a one-year-old who wears diapers." HOWEVER "I'll be a one-year-old who will take her naptime later." Ha! I'm telling you, it's incessant. Anyway, being that we planned our children (with God's help) four YEARS apart, two one-year-olds in the same family, . . . all lovey and NEEDY, is not what I bargained for. : ) So, my strategy is to talk to Leia lots about how great it is to be five. She can ride on a big girl swing. She doesn't have to wear a bib. She doesn't have to take a nap. She can open and close a car door. (She opened the car door for the first time today!) She can WALK. She doesn't have to wear diapers. And with all of this encouragement, Leia Rose said, "Mamma, I want you to know that Daddy funner to play with this than you because he throws me fun one-year-old birthday parties and all you do is talk about how great it is to be five." Ha!

Speaking of five-year-olds, just an update on chores. Leia Rose is doing just great! Napkins, vitamins, bed, and books. She has found the chore chart, however, to be a burden so we discontinued it. Now the deal is this: All chores must be done before dinner without Mamma reminding Leia. (Well, I usually say, "Hmmm, Leia I seem to be making dinner, . . .") Or she doesn't get to watch any shows on Sunday. Which is funny because she usually doesn't watch many on that day anyway. ; )

Just one last tidbit about Leia tonight that I thought was funny. At dinner (I cheated and ordered pizza), Leia Rose said, "There is only one thing I don't like about this pizza: The sauce hides! So when I bite into it and I see the sauce squishing out, I am always surprised!"