2 sisters

Just sittin around the kitchen :)

I love how they keep saying, "Cheese!!" because they think I'm taking their picture. 

sometimes daytime tv isn't bad

Annie and I, in a short spurt of boredom this afternoon, happened upon this gem. It is hilarious.

 

9 months old and lovin' life!

Hi there! Our little Mabel Rose is 9 months old! Actually, she was nine months 2 weeks ago, but she just had her check-up today. She is still growing like a good girl should! 

27 1/2" tall (50%)

18 lbs 12 oz (50%)

Look at that! Smack-dab in the middle for all her stats! I tried to take this picture of Mabel at the window, because this is one of her favorite things to do--gaze out the window through the lace curtains. Something about the shapes and the way the sunlight comes through them . . . it's always captivated her. And I'm sensing that she's gonna start outgrowing some of these things she's always loved since she was a baby, so I tried to take a picture of her at the window. :) Other things Mabel loves lately . . .

• sharing her favorite toys, food, pacifiers to whoever will pretend to put them in their mouth--it makes her SO happy!
• eating finger foods all by herself (bananas are her favorite!) and NOT being fed pureed/mashed baby food from a spoon--some days she absolutely insists upon this
• cuddling with mama in the big comfy chair in her room (so mama can put her chilly feet up on the radiator!) and nursing, especially at night (that seems to be the only time when she'll actually sit still long enough)
• waking up early with the sun, standing up in her crib and singing to her mobile friends til we come in to  pick her up
• playing with Annie, no matter what she's doing--her big sister knows just how to make her giggle!
• Memphis! She's into standing against furniture lately, and often she'll try to walk from the sofa to lean against Memphis--if only he would hold still!
• playing in Annie's room at bedtime--this is our special time, when Brant's at class at nighttime. Mabel finds all sorts of exciting toys in Annie's cupboard!
• opening and closing doors/drawers all over the house! oh, the thrill!
• walking around in Annie's car outside in the backyard--this is a new one, and I hope we'll get to be outside much more soon!
• swinging at the park and in the baby swing on Annie's balcony
• talking so much! She says (or gets close approximations of) baby, Memphis, Mama, Dada, Annie, book, and all sorts of other words that I'm sure make a lot of sense to her!
• crawling super fast around the house and up the step to the landing to get to Memphis's water bowl! (pretty soon she'll start attempting the stairs, I'm sure)
• playing with babies! (real and pretend)
• kicking like crazy on her changing table to make Mama and Annie laugh--and then she starts laughing too
• falling asleep in Daddy's arms--he's still the only one she'll fall asleep with, and he's still got the knack!
• going on walks in the stroller or front-pack carrier, and basically anything where she can be outside--she loves to look at trees blowing in the wind, and clouds in the sky--it's such a neat thing to see
• reading books (well, opening and closing them), especially Annie's Dora and Arthur books
• stacking her toys on top of each other . . . so fun!

That's all I can think of for now, but there are so many more! Our little Mabel is just as sweet as the day she was born, and I love getting to know her unique little personality more every day!

Annie reads!

Not to be misleading . . . Annie can't really read yet, but I think she does a pretty good job! She's basically memorized all of her favorite books: Arthur, Dora, and Thomas the Tank Engine. She was kind of sick of doing it by the time I pulled out the camera, so she was skipping a few pages and not too into it. But usually it's uncanny how she knows every single word!

Oh, and my parents came over this morning and brought these chairs with them. They were always in my room at our house on South Street, and it's fun to see Annie sitting in them while she reads to me. :)

Oh, and it's been sixty degrees here the last two days! We've gone on walks and played out in the backyard. In the middle of January! Such a lovely treat :)

I love watching these sisters

a little laughter

It's a little hard to hear over Brant's loud yelling. You just never know what'll do the trick. Clearly Mabel thought it was all hilarious!

We are stuffed from our festive, yummy dinner with my parents and Grandma. Annie is almost in bed and anxiously awaiting Santa Claus! It's going to be SO FUN this year. I think we're more excited than she is. :)

Merry Christmas Eve!

annie's current favorite songs