Apr 21 2010
Things I love about Annada at 16-months-old
Annada is starting to like time alone. She will go in her room and shut the door. It is very important to her the door is shut – if I go peek at her, she will get up and shut it again. While this is bitter-sweet, she is so serious about it I can’t help but smile. Today she spent 20 minutes reading books on her bedroom floor this way.
When Annada gets very tired she will lift up her arms and say, “me baby.” That means she wants me to hold her like a baby and cuddle with her. I can’t believe she is old enough to “act” like a baby. I relish those cuddles.
Annada is bubble-obessed. Blowing bubbles in her water cup, bubbles in books, bubbles in the glass on a store display: she can spot bubbles anywhere and she always knows where the bubble solution is.
When Annada is really excited she stomps her feet in excitement and giggles. It is the cutest little jig.
Annada pretends to call Daddy on the phone. I know because she calls, says hi, and then holds the phone toward me and tells me it’s Dada.
There were a couple of weeks Marc didn’t get to see Annada because work was crazy. Annada would wander around the house looking for him and crying. She doesn’t cry tears very often, but when she starts missing Daddy, she cries huge tears.
Annada’s knees are skinned on top of the scab from the last skinning. But she doesn’t cry. She will be happily walking along and I will notice blood. Then she will start running away because she knows I am going to take her inside to clean up!
Annada has so many new words. Here are a few: fish, strawberries, ball, alphabet (alfbet), pears, elbow, belly button, ears, eyes, shoes, and outside. She has learned to sound like an owl, kitty, sea gull and dolphin in addition to dog, snake and duck.
Annada is attached to her babies – anything stuffed that resembles something alive. She sleeps with a glow worm and a polar bear mommy and baby. When I lay her in bed she waits for me to put the glow worm next to her then she pulls it in with one arm and sleeps with it. She has to be able to see the polar bears. Once the blanket covered them and she started crying. I uncovered the bears and she moved them so they were looking into her eyes.
Annada and I were at IKEA yesterday when all of the sudden she screamed, “Baby!” very upset. She loves to point out real babies when shopping, but I could tell something was really bothering her. I couldn’t see anything. She started crying, so I told her to point and I followed her finger – right to a fake bear skin rug! It was the same color and fabric as her polar bears. She grabbed a corner and hugged it. I explained to her that her babies were still safe and no babies were harmed in the making of the rug. She thought about it, then put down the rug and patted it several times before agreeing to move on.
Annada isn’t sure of the potty yet, but she loves washing her hands. When I go to the bathroom, she rushes in and makes sure she gets to wash her hands before we leave.
Meme taught Annada her body parts. She knows eyes, ears, mouth, nose, belly button and elbow. She likes to point to her own ears, but your eyes. The trouble is, she likes to show other little kids where their eyes are by poking them. I took her to Sea World Friday and she walked up to many kids, said hi, and then poked them in the eyes saying, “eyes.” About half the kids thought this was great. About half ran away scared. Annada would stare at the scared ones saying hi over and over trying to get them to come back.
Annada still likes to pull out a book and come sit in my lap. When I am done with the story, she will often reward me with a kiss :).