Cruising!

I am so tired tonight! Three mornings of getting up at 4:45am for "boot camp" (mommy's getting in shape again...) and going to bed after midnight don't mix well. Today, I ran a slew of errands while you had your first official baby-sitter. Becky, a friend of ours and college student is home for the summer, and offered to watch you during your morning nap time so I could get and get a few things done throughout town before our big trip to Kansas next week. It was fun getting out on my own, but oh, I missed you! You fell asleep right away with Becky and slept till I got home. This afternoon, we spent the day at great-grandma's house with aunt linda and lady....we worked long and hard in the garden. You had lots of fun, crawling in the grass, watching bunnies, playing with lady, and eating tree bark. (for real! I had to take you inside to wash your mouth out cause you had a piece of bark stuck on the roof of your mouth.) Anyway, dad's working in Bend, Oregon today, and has already put in about 12 hours of overtime. So, you and I had a lovely dinner together (asparagus, pasta with parmesan, broccoli, beets and olive oil and honey oat-wheat bread) tonight, and after bath you played in the living room while I read a book. I was amazed to see what you were doing....you were walking from one thing to the next, holding on as you went....this is a first!!! Usually it's been just pulling up on something, but now, you're really cruising. You're so cute to watch. I'll bet you'll be walking soon. You've also started making these really high pitched sounds--like screams almost. I call you my "little fire cracker" because that's just what you sound like! You're crawling everywhere and saying "mama" and "dada" to the right faces now, as well as "baba", "lala", and other sounds that are similar. You've taken a liking to the piano too. We listen to classical music pretty much all day, so I hope this reinforces your love for music. I was talking to Lani yesterday, and she suggested we start playing Suzuki piano cds for you now so you'll be interested and able to start piano lessons when you turn two. I know that sounds young, and like we're pushing you to do something you may not be ready or interested in, but I think you're really going to enjoy this opportunity, as Lani makes this piano lesson stuff FUN--not stuffy, rigid or annoying like what your mommy had growing up, as it relates to piano lessons.

Anyway, I sure am enjoying my days with you little girl. You're so special to dad and I, and I we reminisce nearly daily about how wonderful of a blessing you are to us. Dad loves hearing stories of what you and I were up to do while he was at work. Well, since you're sleeping now, I have to go and wipe up the floor and clean the kitchen up from our messes we made earlier. ;)