14 Months

So, my whole "trying-to-post-everyday" thing... yeah. That worked well.

It's really been a long, hard two weeks. I've waffled between elation and discouragement, and I just haven't wanted to post anything pitiful. I'm fine, we're all fine, really -- I think I just need some time out of the house. Fortunately, we have a grandmother to the rescue tomorrow afternoon. I'm getting my hair cut, and then it's off to the bookstore, or Edgar's, or wherever the heck I want to go. And then I get to go out on a date with Michael! Hooray!

There have, however, been a lot of happy moments these past couple of weeks. Here are some fun pictures of sprinkler time, which was definitely happy:


Yesterday was also Phoebe's 14-month birthday. We celebrated not with cake, but with a Daddy working from home until lunch. It was wonderful for all of us! I feel like I should update the list of things Phoebe is doing, for my own memory's sake:

• Saying (at least we know she's saying it) "Jake", "treat", and "drink"; she has not, however, been talking much since she got sick last Saturday.
  
• Drinking milk from her cup consistently and in quantities that please her mommy
• Signing her combo sign: "yes please, more, now, I'm so excited!" whenever she wants something or sees something she likes
• Walking everywhere. And fast. They get fast so fast!
• She loves to brush her hair and her teeth... and she'll pretend to do both if you ask her to.
• She can find her nose... all other body parts are also her nose.
• Phoebe loves to collect things into baskets, bags, and other containers. She doesn't care what it is. For example: today, she emptied my basket of (clean) dishtowels all over the floor, picked them up, put them in the basket, and did it over again. She also, incidentally, loves to put things into the trash and the dog's water bowl.
  
• She has finally started building with blocks, rather than just knocking them down -- and she thinks she's pretty big stuff. :)
  
• She will say "amen" by raising her arms at the end of a prayer, but only Daddy's prayers. (This has taken the place of "praise the Lord", I think?)
• She's started to become more patient with book reading...although she is selective about the books that she will be patient with. Her current favorite books are Goodnight Moon, Brown Bear, and Clifford's Animal Sounds.
  

There's more, of course... but these are pretty much the major "new" things going on in Phoebe's world!

In other news, we go to the doctor next Tuesday to find out if Phoebe will be having a little brother or sister!