String

Amy loves fabric and strings. At my parents’ house, she found a denim drawstring that is used as a kitty toy. She carried it around everywhere.

Removals

The other day, Amy went to her nap wearing a top, a cloth diaper, and a velcro diaper cover, but no pants. When her nap was over, she was in one corner just wearing the top. Which was soaked. As was the sheet. The diaper was in another corner. The cover was in a third.

Today, Amy went to her nap wearing a top, a cloth diaper held shut with a snappi, and wool longies. When her nap was over, she was standing at the rail with her pants and diaper halfway down her butt but still up in the front. There was a tiny little poo on the sheet. And when I got the diaper all the way off, the rest of the poo was neatly deposited inside — apparently she’d pooped just before crying out for us. Perhaps that was her motivation for trying to get her diaper off again.

There’s a ___ in the house!

Sheba, my mom’s kitty, is a lovely blue-point Siamese. She is shy around strangers, and absolutely avoids children.

We have been here for almost a week, and that cat stays hidden exactly until Amy is in her pack and play for naps or bedtime. Then out she comes to do her business and all.

This morning, it must have been rather quiet. Amy was standing by the couch as my mom was reading to her.

The cat came out and headed to wherever she was going.

All of the sudden, she and Amy became aware of one another.

The cat froze.

Amy’s hands flew up in delight, she squealed, and started toddling forward.

The cat retreated, of course.

How we wish we had a camera at the moment!

Watch her walk

“Watch me walk… I can walk and walk…” (lyric from ‘By My Side’ from Godspell)

Walk

Amy has suddenly become a walker. She carefully makes her way all around the house, often with something in her hand(s), held up and out to the sides. I got a little video that I will try to remember to post when I’m next at a high speed connection.

Some folks give us the knowing comments about how harried our lives will become, how nothing will be safe anymore, etc.

I don’t doubt that it’s indeed a big change, but I don’t see the point in being negative about it. Amy understands “no” and is usually quick to respond to it, and much of the house is perfectly safe and accessible to her.

So, little walker, congratulations and joy to you in this big step!

Oh, and today she is 13 months old! No more monthly photo shoots… a relief, mostly. I am almost done with her First Year scrapbook, but I need one more page before I can finish it.

At the moment she is sitting in the middle of the floor, surrounded by the diapers and wipes and liners that she has so kindly removed from the laundry basket for me. A particular pink wipe has caught her fancy.

Mark is making candy cane cookies — his last day of school was yesterday.

When I get off the computer, I’ll fold the laundry, with Amy’s “help.”

Oh, and she has eight teeth now.