An A Can Crawl

At nine months, 1 1/2 weeks my baby crawled. Finally. Her peers, all boys and therefore much more interested in transportation than my laid back little girl, have been crawling for months. MONTHS! I must admit, I brought this on myself. Knowing she's our last, I prayed she wouldn't grow up so stinking fast. I wasn't asking for developmental delays or anything, but to have the opportunity to savor her babyhood. E transformed from baby to toddler in the blink of and eye and I didn't want to miss it again. But all of the younger babies are flying around the nursery floor and there sits little A, happily eating their dust. So, I resigned myself to a disappointing "crawl" that looked more like a walrus than a human - and then she gracefully tucked her knees under that sweet bottom and took off!

Oh sweet relief.

And You Shall Be Called...

If you are owned by E and she has naming rights, you will be called Sarah, Matthew or Rachel - after her cousins. There are no exceptions other than Michael the fish, now deceased and replaced by Rachel With Fins (not to be confused with my niece, Rachel With Feet). For Christmas, we adopted an elephant at our zoo, her name is now Sarah. Snails, which according to E are always male, are named Matthew. And so it goes and has gone for 2 of her 4 years.

Driving down the road the other day with the girls and my Dad, he asked what name E had given the Little Tykes lion flashlight. I think to myself, "Duh - Sarah, Matthew or Rachel."

Nope. I nearly drove off the road.

Jorge. Spanish pronunciation and all.

Christmas 2007

The first (and really only) gift unwrapped by little A. Who knew it would get old so quick?


Overheard while unwrapping this coffee maker (that cycles REAL water)...
E: (Very excitedly) O my goodness! Look, look! It's just what I always wanted!!!
Family Friend: What is it?
E: (Screaming with excitement) I don't know!


It's never to early to accessorize!


The only picture of the girls together THE ENTIRE HOLIDAY!
Does that go against the Mother Of The Year award for last year or have I already botched 2008?

A is too busy looking at a couch full of cousins to enjoy unwrapping her gift. Thank goodness her daddy was interested in the lacy pink clothes!


Cookies for Santa/Carrots for the Reindeer.


A loves her gift from Santa and learns about colors!


E gets a big girl bike from Grahmi!


Same Grahmi reading a lovely Christmas tale. Just after this precious moment, E hopped off Grahmi's lap to play with a toy. Grahmi says, "I thought you wanted me to read you this story?" E's reply? "I can still hear you." Touching isn't it?


New wheels! Who can ride? I can! Me. All me!


She sticks her tongue out this far to blow raspberries. Then she curls it up over her lip and starts again.


A Christmas wish fulfilled. E asked Santa for an elephant. Naturally I was curious.

Me: Do you want a toy elephant?
E: No, Mom. A real one.
Me: Where will it live?
E: In my room.
Me: An elephant is far too big for your room.
E: (Thinking) I know! It can live in the backyard.
Me: (That's illegal!) (Who will clean up the poop?) I don't think the backyard is big enough either.

Santa's so smart. He adopted an elephant in E's name that lives at the zoo and we can visit it anytime. Gunda has been renamed Sarah. Sorry Gunda!

O December

There was ice. Unlike many of our friends, most of our neighborhood maintained power throughout the week even though we were badly hit. We had power guilt and hosted many a dinner. It's a month later and our streets are still covered with branches. This is our backyard and the nice men from 2 different states that came to pick up our tree limb off the power line (but not the neighbor's carport.) When trees are cut in cartoons, everyone yells timber. When you watch them fall through your brick wall, "Timber" is not what you hear yourself say.

How to dress for the first snow of the year.
Brought to you by a four year old.

A's first snow. She didn't get to experience it any other way because it was bitterly cold out there and she was a little bit under the weather. Sorry about the index finger - it's a crop or post moment.

The Christmas program.
This year there was less twirling.
There was more falling on the stage.
And bowing. Lots of bowing.
Here's a mom tip: Don't give the child new shoes right before she hits the stage. She will show the entire audience because, after all, isn't that why they're all watching?