Getting closer

This week Anna grabbed her red wagon and started pushing it around like she's been doing it forever. Here is a short "movie":

More Map Mischief

We caught her on video this time.

Mondays at the mall

This past Monday was rainy and a little cold outside, so a group of moms from baby bookworms got together at a nearby mall to escape from the house and to take advantage of the free play area. It took Anna quite a while to warm up to the place, even though we've been there before, and of course she waited until the other moms and kids had left for lunch, but with the pressure off, she started exploring.









At first she was a little tentative.





But then she decided it was pretty cool.





So much so that she turned right around to do it again.





After a few more trips through the tunnel, she also tried out some of the toys mounted along the wall.

I had a little shopping to do, so that's all the play time we had for this visit. But we're looking forward to working our way up to the slide one of these days soon.

Under the weather

We've come down with colds this weekend. On the plus side, though, it does mean more snuggle time with Anna--

Dad's side of the family

Anna has discovered a collection of maps in the lower desk drawer.




(Always go with AAA!)


True to her heritage, she carefully studied each one. She seemed especially impressed by the map of London. And who can blame her?

But her mother was impressed by how she put the maps away when she was finished. One map at a time, she would stand up, open the drawer, drop the map in, close the drawer (--WHAM!-- watch those fingers!), sit down, repeat.



Ben and I of course couldn't decide which activity was cuter, though the putting away definitely warmed mom's heart more, I think.

Peek-a-boo

Anna is teaching us some new games.




We love how she sometimes peeks around the side of the bib to see if we're watching.

(P.S. This video is coming up blank for some reason, at least on my computer. However, if you click the play button, it still works)

Happy 1st Birthday, Anna!

Here it is, already one year since Anna's arrival. While the time has flown in some ways, in other ways it seems like her birth was a lifetime ago. All the sleep deprivation, all the spitting up, and so many of those tiny little firsts have come and gone. We look at her now, and we're amazed at the changes a single year brings. I'm sure we still have much to learn in that regard. What a fun day to look back and thank God for this gift he has brought into our lives. We have some video to share, too, but for now, here is a quick recap of the day.


The one-year lambie pose.


The cake.


Anna's first piece.


She's a frosting girl. The cake itself she could take or leave, but she liked scooping the frosting on her fingers and popping them in her mouth.


Thanks for all the well-wishes! We had a great day!