Teddy Bear, Super Gammy, and Updates

We had a wonderful visit with Super-Gammy on Sunday! She came bearing gifts!

Mara enjoyed opening it herself. She was very grateful for the crinkly tissue paper and gift bag. That's really all you need to give her to make her happy.

But once Mommy pulled out the reaaal present... she did this...

I am so sorry for my flash facing the wrong direction! And she did this pose several other times but I never caught it on camera. I'm not sure if she thinks that this is her version of a hug or of affection, but she does this to people and her stuffed animals. She crawled forward and touched her head to the teddy bear's head.

The teddy bear sings and bobs up/down. Mara clapped when she was done singing!

Thank you, Super-Gammy, for a wonderful gift. When we came home today, I played the song for her again. She then sat with the bear and touched the flower on her clothes and the plastic jewel in admiration.

My Christmas decorating has been limited by someone who wants to grab everything and is now tall enough to do so.

I left all of our breakable ornaments and decorations packed away so that WHEN the tree gets pulled down, we stay safe!

A few things she's been amusing us with:

• A bathtub letter made it's way downstairs and she tries to stick it to the fridge. It won't stick, of course, without water, but it doesn't stop her from trying.
• Zack will put her at the farthest end of the kitchen in order to buy us time to get something done, but her crawling speed has increased so drastically that I swear you could clock her and she leaves little dust trails.
• She had a mini panic attack at daycare when the fire alarm sounded. She turned beet red and her head started sweating and she couldn't be put down for 15 minutes afterwards, so we're told. (MY POOR BABY!)
• She is quite the social baby at daycare and frequently gets to sit at the front desk with the director. She waves at people and blows kisses. Lots of kisses.
• I tried on her big warm winter jacket I bought at Old Navy and she crawled around like a marshmallow with legs.
• She will refuse a bottle and fake cry and look/gesture at your plate. She knows what Mom and Dad are eating is way better. And MAN she pigs out!
• I caught her and Daddy watching the end of a movie this evening, Mara happy as could be with a whole graham cracker in her hand, gnawing away, watching Sherlock Holmes.
• She does love to snuggle soft stuffed animals. As soon as I present her with one (and she's tired), she'll clutch it to herself and press it to her face.
• She is turning into quite the climber! Made it halfway up the staircase today (me following one stair behind of course!) and climbed completely on top of an unopened diaper box. Seeing such a little person perched on a box in the middle of the kitchen floor... well, it's interesting! Of course she quit doing it once I got my camera phone. :(
• We have a wooden rudolph the reindeer head wall decoration with a big red pom pom nose (from the Dardens). She will crawl past it (mind you, it's normal height), and point at it to be lifted to see it. She'll proceed to touch his nose and talk to him. Sometimes I can even get her to touch her nose when talking about noses.
• Speaking of talking, she jabbers on and on and on throughout the day and kind of hums herself to sleep at night. Daycare said that she just talks and talks and points and points all day, to which Zack interpreted:
• YOU - change my diaper
• YOU - get me toys, more toys
• YOU - find my binky
• YOU - feed me!

Her ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY IS ON SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh, where has the year gone? Be on the lookout for our Christmas letter and picture! :) Happy Tuesday.