Pretend

It's funny to watch my girl play. In the last month, she has started to treat all her animals and toys like real people. She feeds them, helps them walk, dances with them, puts them down for a nap, gives kisses and hugs. Perhaps my favorite thing is that she talks to them. She will look a monkey straight in the eyes and say, "Monkey, baff? Bubbles? Wa-wa?" She will pause for a minute and then say, "K!" (more commonly known as OK). Then she and monkey will run off to the baby pool where she will beg me to fill it with water and bubble bath.

Today while I was folding laundry, AC was playing a few feet way with Woody, Jessie, and Barbie. I heard her say, "Guys!!! Mum on, GUYS!" I looked over and she was forcing Barbie to give piggyback rides to Woody and Jessie. I guess they weren't cooperating.

Making Barbie walk.

Making Woody ride a car.

"Cheeeeese, car!"

It's crazy to think back to this time last year. She had just mastered walking. She has changed so much. I wouldn't trade this age for anything (well except maybe one long snuggle with the sweet newborn she used to be). Even when she dives headfirst into the terrible twos with no life jacket, she's still incredibly lovely in my eyes.

On a different note, Daddy took AC to Monkey Joe's this morning. She had a blast, of course. He comes home to tell me that she was up to her usual shenanigans. For instance, if a mom is walking hand-in-hand with her child, AC just walks up and takes her other hand and takes charge of the situation. If a mom has her child in her lap, AC walks up and crawls right up in her lap, too. Sometimes she even goes as far as to grab the lady's face with both her hands, look her right in the eyes, and tell her something very important. Daddy doesn't get as embarrassed as I do. He's a good daddy. He said a little girl walked up to him and said, "My dad's here. He's on the bench looking at his laptop." It's funny how the smallest of children pick up on those things. Anyway, it was a good day. Rainy, but those are the best kind of days here. Cooler and calmer. Perfect days for staying inside with Woody, Jessie, and Barbie.