19 Months and Counting

I barely recognize Mara in photos from only a few months ago! She continues to change right before our eyes. Today, she put on her shoes by herself!!! Granted, they were her velcro sandals, but she put the correct feet into the open sandals and put the velcro down on them. We were amazed, and SO proud! She is talking more and more and repeats almost everything you say! She said Cheerio today, and other words that I've now forgotten.

Little Mo had a busy week! Aunt Kelly and Uncle Sean came to visit.

Aunt Kelly has all of the pictures from our adventures to the Farmer's Market and Putt Putt. But we had fun at home as well! We played Musical Binkies...

She was tickled with wolf puppet, and Mara pretended she was a dog complete with lots of "WOOF WOOF's"

Uncle Sean showed her the most important skill in life.

And Mommy got tons of snuggles.

Although, really, Mommy was just in the way of the TV.

I have never seen Mara so happy or hear her giggle as much as she did while we had visitors. I think she likes entertaining.

We did venture outside for a few minutes to take some shots.

 And Mara loved giving her Aunt Kelly tons of kisses. But I only caught the stare.

 Check out the gams on this chick.

 After Aunt Kelly and Uncle Sean left, it drove Mara to drink...

Just kidding. That's her moving a cooler around at Aunt Claire's/Uncle Travis' house after we dropped off Aunt Kelly and Uncle Sean at the airport.

Well, that's it for now, folks. We'll be back!

Happy July!

June came and went so quickly.

Mara is growing by the minute, it seems.

Yesterday, I was dosing off on the sofa while she was watching a movie (about Elmo), and she smacked me on the back and said "areyouokay" in one mumbled sentence. I was flabbergasted awake at that point... having my daughter ask me if I was okay! I mean, we tend to ask her that a lot, but it came as a shocker to hear it from her lips! She's adding new words every day.

She is quite good at this puzzle and enjoys holding the pieces by the small red knobs (as shown above). She also tends to do this...

During our extended weekend at home (due to the July 4th holiday), Mara asked to go to school every single day. She would walk to the door, hit it, and sign "school." I had to explain that we weren't missing school, but that she couldn't go back until xx number of days. That usually satisfied her. The same can't be said for when we tell her "not right now" when she asks for a walk (as I'm dragging myself into the kitchen in my jammies, or when it's mega-hot outside), or when we say no to TV.

We did participate in the Stiz's annual slip and bleed (I'm SO sore). I tried to take Mara down a small portion of the slide, but she cried and cried and I think the sprinkler was in her face (not that she complains during waterplay at daycare when she sprays herself in the face).

And about 5 days ago, she learned to say Mommy and Daddy instead of Mama and Dada. We are beyond thrilled! Although, she does tend to annunciate the MEEE at the end... but who cares! Here ya go: