Maybe she's not officially a "toddler" yet, but we are quickly approaching the next age category. LE is up and UP on everthing she can get her little feet on. She started climbing about the same day she started linking steps together. Up on the couch, over the arm - up on her chair, onto her table. Standing up in the shopping carts and up on the dining room table. She wants to be at the top.
This year for Halloween, I made LE a fish costume with a fish cape and a green dress. Of course, the outfit has a hood that she instantly rips off her head, but for short stints she'll keep it on. She moves a bit like a Tyranasarus Rex with her arms bent and a hip waggle that makes everyone squeal with delight - including herself. The fish tail had a nice swagger as she walks.
Mom was up for the Halloween week festivities, and we had a great time visiting, playing with stuffed animals, new felt pen markers, homemade play-dough, and learning all kinds of words. Linnea's new word is "no no" right now, and she still has a cute-factor going on with it that makes it sound so sweet.
LE, sit down - "no no". LE, eat this "no no". LE, time to go night night - "no no no". Ask me in a month if it is still as cute.
Other words we're enjoying are "trak-chr" (tractor), "chu-che" (turtle), ji-cha (diaper), "ga-choo" (dogfood), and of course "na-ne" (pumpkin) - no idea on that one.
We have tried a few times to take LE to see some farm animals, but so far we've struck out. Last weekend we went to Hovander Park, but all that was left of the summer animals were a few turkeys, geese and bunny rabbits. LE didn't complain though, there were lots of rocks, exposed dirt and apples in the trees to keep her heart content.
I found myself looking Linnea in the eye yesterday and thinking "Wow, do I even know you?" She's growing up so fast that I can hardly keep up with the mental concept apparently. The neurons in her brain are firing off all day long and you can just tell she's constantly linking words and actions and reactions. She's learning how things fit inside each other (although she still can't get the doughnut on the stick the right way), and how to stack things on top of each other. We live in a fascinating place.
How nice it is to find delight in simple things again, like a single blueberry ready to eat, a handful of bubbles, the squack of a goose, a ball bouncing by, and daddy coming home.
