Oh Baby, I'm Losin' You!

My little girl is growing up too quickly! I know she's still a baby, but as my grandmother MaBelle likes to say, babies don't want to be babies no more - they want to be grown! They come out with their eyes wide open and they seem to be more adept at holding up their heads at earlier ages. Penny doesn't like to be cradled like a baby anymore, and she likes to stand in my lap more than sit. I told Steve that people don't give babies enough credit - they are much smarter than we think.

I think we're gonna be in trouble with this little girl! Up until now, Penny has been a total Mommy's Girl. She didn't want much to do with Steve at all. But I see it changing. Yesterday, she was sitting in his lap and actually reached for me. So I got her, gave her a few kisses and gave her back. Then, I left to go get myself a cup of coffee (decaf, of course). I guess I must have upset her, seeing as how I didn't ask for permission nor tell her where I was going. Steve followed seconds later, and as he was holding her, I leaned in to kiss her and she actually TURNED HER HEAD. I laughed and tried again. She TURNED HER HEAD! She did it a good four or five times in a row! We were both laughing so hard, and I'm sure that probably played into it. She liked the reaction she got out of us, so she kept on doing it. Little rascal!

Now, she knows how to play Steve like a fiddle. She knows how to poke her bottom lip out just so to get what she wants. She has this certain half-cry that she knows sends him running to pick her up. If it doesn't work, she gives us this "ahuh, ahuh" that sounds like she's just cranking up until she lets out a full blown wail, complete with the waterworks. My dad used to get mad at me because I always cried over everything, especially when I got in trouble, and he used to complain about my "alligator tears." I think I've passed it down to her. No matter if she just wants to be held and cuddled for a while, or she's hot, or just feeling cranky, or is hating her diaper change, she lets the tears flow. I think we have a drama queen on our hands! Once you pick her up and wipe her tears, she spends a good several minutes snuffling like she's just been so hurt. Of course, I make a fuss over her and am rubbing her back and kissing "my poor baby" and she just whines and moans like it was the worst day of her life. When she coughs - and I think she might be faking a little bit - I always pick her up quickly, patting her back and asking "is my baby o-kay?" and she heaves her breath in and out and opens her eyes really wide, looking around like "Did you see that, I almost died!"

She has discovered that baby in the mirror. She loves to look at herself, and will smile and coo at herself. We sat in front of the full length mirror and as I was holding her up she "walked" right up to herself and about near smacked her face - she was so determined to get that baby! She kept touching at it and couldn't quite figure it out. She even loves to look at pictures of herself. She got her vanity from the Williams side of the family, for sure.

Alas, I think I am losing her. She is taking to Steve more and more. She stares at him until he will look at her, and she smiles and coos for him. Of course, seeing as how I am her source of nourishment, she will just have to put up with me. : )