Just the Four of Us: not the baby

(Sorry this blog is kind of wordy, but I wanted to get some Annie stories preserved on here.)

Jamie and I were talking tonight about how much Annie is changing every day and how we are so in love with this girl. It's so crazy how between 18 months and now it seems that she has become a whole new person. She is certainly not a baby anymore. Though she does still cling tight to her blankies when she's tired.

We just can't get over how much love she gives out every day. Hugs, kisses, snuggles, and even at 22 months she seems to genuinely be concerned when anyone is sad and will run over to pat your back and offer some soothing babble that sounds just like "it's going to be ok".

Annie is talking more every day. I love this stage where almost every day you hear a new word that she has added to her repertoire. Her latest adorable word is how she clearly (and enthusiastically) says "OK!" to anything you ask her. She says it like whatever you asked is the best idea ever.

"Annie will you go get me some cheesecake and a glass of wine?".

"OK!!!" and she runs off down the hall. Like I almost expect her to come back with it because she says it so confidently. But then she comes back with a huge smile and hands you a baby doll and a half eaten banana she found under her bed.

But, honestly, you can ask her anything and she will cheerfully say "OK!!" (I need to try to catch it on video.)

And she throws the cutest fits. Audrie at this age was much more dramatic and committed to her tantrums. But with Annie it's more like she plops herself down in the floor and thinks- "Ok, I think this is how the fit-throwing is supposed to go... am I doing it right?". Then she does that thing where if you are not looking at her then she will get up, walk closer to you, and throw a new fit closer to you. It's hard not to laugh at her.

Some of my other favorite words she says are: she says "scuse, scuse" for excuse me, she says thank you a million times a day (every time you hand her anything), she says "I don't know" a lot too, but all run together like one word "idohno". Several times a day she throws up one hand, raises her eyebrows and says "where did it go?!".

When we put her to bed at night she gets out of bed, stands at her door knocking, and yells "PLEEEEEEEEASE?!" at the top of her lungs over and over until you go in there to see what she wants. All she ever wants is one more hug.

Recently she has developed a fixation with pretending to go potty. I let her do it as much as she wants, hoping to lead up to some successful potty-training this summer. She just sits there buck naked and smiles. Never does anything. But then she hops off and gives me a high-five. Crazy girl!

I have to admit I was a little nervous that because she stays home with Jamie that she would develop an "I love daddy better" stage. (Audrie went through that phase about this age.) But so far Annie hasn't done that. I mean, she does adore Jamie, of course, but she shares the love with me. :)

Annie still frightens the other mothers at the park because she climbs up everything, teeters on the edges, and runs like a wild banshee about to wipe out at any minute. Occasionally Jamie and I will feign some concern for the sake of the other parents at the park. But honestly there is no stopping this little monkey.