Getting into things

I have posted a lot about how sweet and well behaved my daughter is, and for the most part that is what she is like. However, she has recently become more curious and tested the waters of what is and is not allowed.



Dani loves to draw, not with crayons or pencils, but with pens. She knows (from experience) not to draw on Mommy and Daddy's sheets (I know it is a great big canvas, but it's still not allowed). She is still learning not to draw on her table or the couch, but this still occurs. Then Wednesday, she decided she would make a great canvas.

Here is a list of things Dani attempts lately. Though some of these things are allowed, most are pushing the line of what is and is not allowed.

• She is able to reach up to the kitchen counters and a few times has grabbed the hilt of a knife. Luckily we either catch her before it is off the counter, or she hands it to us saying "kni_"
• She learned to climb on the couch this week and tries to walk across it bouncing along the way.
• Since learning to climb on the couch, she wondered what climbing on the dishwasher door would be like (luckily this was prevented).
• She loves to play in the water left on the dishwasher lid while I'm loading and unloading dishes. She has tried to put her babies and books in this water, but to her dismay this is not allowed.
• She loves playing on Mom and Dad's bed sitting down right next to the edge despite having once fallen off by doing this.
• She finds pens everywhere and knows how to click them open.
• She has been finding scissors lately too (but luckily she doesn't know how to use them or what they are for YET)
• She puts toys (and keys) in boxes and holes. I had to stop her once from putting things in the sub woofer (don't want it to disappear).
• She grabs our cameras (even the more expensive one) tries to push all the buttons and pretends to take pictures.
• She turns on the television monitor, and changes the source on the receiver while others are watching it.
• She still turns on the xbox.
• She takes Dad's Rockband drum sticks and tries to play it herself (foot pedal and everything) and then hides the drum sticks all over the condo (especially in boxes or with her toys.)
• She asks for Mom's belt (while she is wearing it) and when she gets frustrated because she doesn't know how to put it on herself.
• She tries to put used bowls on her head like a hat.

These are just a few that I have time to think of, though I'm sure there are more. I really can't complain because I expected as much from a 15 month old. She's still much easier than I expected.

Favorite Song

Recently Dani has rediscovered a song playtime rhymes and song book. Her favorite song and page is "This is the way the ladies ride". I turned it on for her this afternoon and she danced away, until the song was almost over and she knew she had to ask for it to start over again. This video was taken second or third time she was dancing to this song, so it is not the most emphatic, but it was still fun.

Kitty!

Daniella LOVES her kitty towel. Whenever she gets out of the bath tub, she has to give it a big hug. If we try to put the kitty on her head she dances around like a dog chasing it's tail so it is nearly impossible to put it on.

We love having daddy home!

Wednesday, I drove Trent to work in the morning so that I could have the car. We were pleasantly surprised that he was able to come home just before noon that day. Whenever we go to pick him up she says "Dada, uh" (or in other words, Dad up). She was getting a little fussy because it was nap time, so sang her a song that she had not heard before. I sang one of our church songs, "I'm so glad when daddy comes home". I could hear little claps from the back seat, and she repeated the word "knee" (one of her favorite body parts) so I knew she was kind of understanding it. Then today being Trent's post call day, we tried it again so she could see me do the other actions. Though she loses interest at the very end, I'm quite impressed at my little 15 month old.

Jackson's last day

Last Friday was Jackson's last day at our home. We have since been packing and preparing for our move. Here is a video taken his last day. He is all dressed up in baby scrubs to show off to Trent. They were very cute.

In this video he has invented a game with Dani where they take turns laughing. However, when I turn the camera on, Dani no longer plays naturally and has to be directed what to do. Luckily, she will laugh on command, so you get the gist of the game even if it is not natural. I then try to get them to show off Jackson's other turn taking game that he normally initiates (shaking his head "no").

Typical Day

I find it interesting to watch Dani and Jackson interact. Here are a few videos to show what it is like with the two of them here. Dani is definitely a ham for the camera and Jackson loves to talk.

This was an attempt to record Jackson's monologue at snack time.

Jackson is currently mobile and this is why he is in the bumbo chair for all these videos. He is very quick and likes to play with things he shouldn't (such as the speaker wires, Dani's dress, the stroller wheels, and the air purifier). He is a VERY strong baby and I'm afraid he will one day pull something so hard it falls onto him. So, while my hands are occupied, he is temporarily immobilized by being in this chair . . .

. . . However, as you can see, he still seems to figure out how to grab things he shouldn't.

Dancing

This week Dani has been really interested in dancing to songs on the TV. If I even mention the word "Backyardigans" she says "baa" and starts to dance. I try to keep the TV off most of the time, but after a couple of hours trying to put her to sleep,I need a break. Dani is teething again, so naps have been short or nonexistent. Today for example, she had one ten minute nap even though I spent three hours spread across the day trying to calm her to sleep. She was exhausted, but she just refused to sleep. At these times, the TV is the ONLY thing that calms her down, keeps her from constantly hurting herself from falls and gives me a break. As you can see from the mess on the floor, she had had a particularly busy day already. Ironically, she seems to sleep less on days when I try to keep the TV off, but I still try. Anyway, here is the most exaggerated dance I've seen her do for the camera. Since she knows the camera is on, it is short because she wanted to show the camera her books, but it's still cute.