Lo & Behold

This blog is dedicated to Lola. It's my free reign to brag on and laugh about my little monster. She is 14 months now, I guess that technically makes her a toddler. She has been walking since a few days after her birthday and she is really getting around now. If we do not put the baby gate up in time, she is ripping through the house, running around and trying to do everything she's not supposed to be doing. Her favorite spots are of course, the two spots toddlers or children should never be - the kitchen and the bathroom! Luckily, our house is small enough to where she's actually never out of our sight. But, she tries...oh, does she try. I guess because we are constantly telling her no and pulling her away from certain areas that she gravitates towards them whenever she has a chance. It's so fun to chase her around and listen to her babbling. She is always "talking". They tell us at day care that she talks to anyone who will listen. And it's so funny and cute because she makes this little gesture with her hands, where she throws them up, as if to say, "I just don't know." We carry on conversations like this at least 10 times a day.

I know every mother says this, but I really think Lola is the nicest and sweetest baby ever! She waves at and says "hi" to anyone who passes her or looks at her. Walking into day care every morning, she waves and says hi to the old lady volunteer, and then to other parents who are walking out, and then she stops at the first room with the babies and peeks her head in and waves to the teachers there. Once she gets to her room, she laughs and runs and plays with her little friends. It's really the cutest thing. And, apparently, she has no "stranger fear", as anyone who baby-talks her, is instantly her new best friend and she is holding out her arms for a hug or a pick-up. Also, her new thing at day care is waking up every other child in her class from their naps. Since she is usually always the first to wake, she goes through and pats the other children on their backs until they awaken. AND, one more thing she does at day care - she tries to eat the other kids food if they are not finished by the time she is. Meaning, she will scarf down her lunch and try to grab the other kids lunch as well. She is by no means a fat baby! But, damn does she like to eat! You offer her 3 animal crackers, she will take all 3 and stuff them in her mouth and expect you to give her more right away. She does this with practically everything. Made her tater tots the other night - 2 in the mouth (that's all that would fit), and fisting about 3 more, waiting for more room in her mouth. It's great.

It's still amazing to me how much they learn and process during these early years. She goes and grabs her shoes and tries to put them on; she points at her nose (nooo), eyes (ei) and hair (haaa) and can kind of say what each of them are; she can't get enough of the dogs - always laughing and screaming "DOG!" every time she sees them; she can dance, too! You ask her to dance and she will smile and shuffle her feet and turn around in a circle.

These are some great times. I am going to miss them when she is older, and I am cherishing every moment I can with her. She really is the best thing to ever happen to me.