Getting Caught Up

I realize I haven't blogged in a while-- hence posting two entries today.

I went to Mabel's baby book the other day and recorded a bunch of recent milestones, but the book calls for all super- traditional ones.  I've said before that I want to record here some of the more quirky doings of Mabel's.  I think they're fun to look back on.

- Today Mabel discovered that the baby proofer on the "party stuff" drawer is broken.  She also went trash picking in the garbage can while she was at it.  I was in the living room when she brought into me:  a wine opener, three stale (REALLY stale) cookies (trash- picked) on fine coasters, a package of cupcake foils, my sneakers, and 2 shot glasses.  She arranged the cookies perfectly on the coasters as if they were plates, and put the shot glasses next to them (after pretending to drink out of both).  She then put all the other crap down and went trash picking again.  This time she pulled out a used coffee filter and spilled all the grinds, and a sack of nearly- moldy grapes.  She found the wrappings of two sugar packets and tried to eat them.  It was a lovely scene indeed.

- Sometimes when I shower, I throw Mabel in her high chair where she is secure and she watches either Sesame or Sid the Science Kid (her two faves-- but really her ONLY shows-- I am trying to get her into some others so I can use up further time for personal things whilst placing her in front of the boob tube.  Don't worry, I make sure they are all PBS shows.  Doesn't that make it better?).  But on days she is too antsy, I bring her in the bathroom with me and close the door tight.  I peek out of the shower literally every ten seconds.  Her favorite activities are to open the Q- tip drawer and dump them (the BJ's size pack) all over the floor; try to clean the floor with the tub- scrubbing wand thing; open and close the toilet; and unravel all the TP.  I have gotten my showers to a measley 5 minutes in order to minimize damage.

- When it comes to Mabel's bath time, she is in heaven.  I believe taking a tub could be her most favorite pastime.  When we get into the bathroom, she scurries over to the closet where the washcloths are and points up, babbling at the stack.  She knows what we need to have.  I take one down and hand it to her, and she grabs the container of body wash/ shampoo and waits.  When it's time to get in, she enjoys playing with all her bath toys, but especially loves arranging them on the tub edge in a row.  Sometimes she tries to throw the toys at my face.

-  Mabel adores the outside.  Even if we are upstairs, if I say, 'Wanna go outside?' she starts clapping and dancing a little and gets herself right over to the top of the stairs to go.  I'm sure all babies love the outside, but her reaction is pretty flippin' cute.

- Mabel is not afraid of any dogs, and I am aware this could be a bad thing.  But for now it is sweet to see her with Cam, or T's dog Buddy, or N and J's 5 dogs.  She spent a good amount of time this weekend at N and J's chasing them around to pet them and feed them their "baba."

- She's still a total carbs girl, and a racist when it comes to food.  Loves anything beige and fattening.  Hates the consistency of most fruits and veggies, so even at 16 months is still on those baby fruit/ veg packets.  Whatever gives her the nutrients, me supposes.

- J and Mabel have a really zany and cute tradition of chasing each other around the house and trying to fake each other out.  Being captured means tickle- torture, and her laugh is the sweetest sound I have ever heard. 

- Still obsessed with Sesame as I indicated before, she will watch full episodes.  Fave segments are Abby's Flying Fairy School and Super Grover 2.0.  Also loves Elmo still.  She has little dolls of most of the characters and knows them all by name and fetches them correctly.  If we say, "Good job on that!" she claps for herself.  Total narcissist.

- I bet this won't last, but Mabel loves having her hair brushed or put into ponytails.  Let me remember that when she starts hitting me for doing it wrong.

- Other loves/ fancies: the train going by; pens (this is an issue); empty milk cartons we have left out for recycling; her water table; putting on her own shoes (trying); feeding herself (sloppily); pizza (we have created a monster with that one); her dollhouse and its accoutrements; keys and making the alarm thing go off; dirt and dirtiness; her high chair; the wild animals book with the furry manes in it; the corn popper toy (soo annoying); her stacking toys; the remote controls and buttons on the cable box (trying to squelch both); straws in drinks; phones; blowing kisses (just puts hand to mouth and goues "muahhh" all clumsily) and giving hugs; showing us where her head, nose, teeth, and feet are.  She is generally obsessed with feet. 

I could keep going-- but I'd bore you-- and I think I've got sufficient goods here to make me smile later.   Peace!