Annika's accomplishments

Annika can climb the stairs very quickly, so we decided that we needed to make concerted efforts to teach her how to come down the stairs safely. Not understanding all of the particulars concerning gravity, she forgets that she has to turn around before descending. She can crawl down backwards on her stomach just fine, but she doesn't quite get how to start that. She would just step off the top stair.
The past couple of days she has been getting the hang of stepping up and stepping down, not on our stairs, but off the cement patio onto the grass and back up, off the paved trail onto the grass and back up, etc. She's pretty brave and she doesn't fuss about falling. If she isn't hurt, she is pretty unfazed.

Annika also likes to organize. Any small toys can be hid in the compartments of bigger toys. Her sippy cup fits in a cup holder on the back, bottom of her highchair and she loves putting it in, taking a sip, putting it back, admiring her work and starting over. Today, she has been putting John's cycling shoes in and out of the cutting board drawer. (I think I'll rewash the cutting boards.) His shoes are half or more her size, (body size, not shoe size)and she walks around with them, cradled gently to her body. Then she'll hurl them down and run to another pursuit.

She has fallen in love with stuffed animals and will put one up against her shoulder, between her shoulder and her neck, and cuddle. Then she'll hand it to me, and I'll cuddle. Then she might cuddle with both of us. Then she'll go find John's shoe and put it back in its cutting board drawer.

And, she doesn't want to sit down in the tub anymore. I haven't yet mastered the situation. So far, it involves a quick soap, rinse and dump of water over her head, which she hates, but I can't get her to sit down or lean her head back. I am the meanest person in the world at that exact second. She knows it and so do I.

Oh, and lastly, we were putting Annika to bed a few nights ago and had rubbed her eyes to let us know that she was indeed tired. We sang and prayed and kissed her and laid her down, and she giggled. She giggled, smiled and clutched her bunny and we left. She was the happiest kid in the world! Granted, thats how I feel almost anytime that I get to lie down and sleep.