(hmmm these pics are coming out cut off... wonder why...)

sparrow has had a great couple of weeks. she now says "mama" quite clearly, and knows it's me. thomas was so delighted when he first heard her about four days ago, that he keeps on telling her, "say mama! where's mama?" and even if she doesn't want to say it, she turns her head toward me. thomas is so excited about it, in fact, that he is back to calling me "mom" all the time right when i had weaned him off that... she can also identify her ears, her nose, mama's nose, dada's nose, etc. the other week i was doing a snort for a pig sound, and she tried to say it but it came out, "ggggghh ggghh" instead. so cute!



she is awesome at playing peekaboo and will hide her eyes with anything from a pair of pants that she puts over her head to a pillow, or even a small lid. she hides daddy's face with a pillow or blanket, then tears it away, and is so excited and squealy when she sees that he is still there. it's so fun to watch her figure out spatial relationships. she is having lots of fun in her pack-and-play with its mesh walls.

i think i pick up and wash all the things from the measuring-cup drawer about 5-7 times per day. she pulls the spoons and cups and beaters out of there and flings them on the floor while i cook or wash dishes. i now also have to regularly check the trashcan to make sure she hasn't thrown any of them in there. (after i caught her in the act a few times.)

she has a little sound she makes when she wants something, esp food: "hheh, heh," urgently. she has taken on a bit of a bothersome habit of wanting to eat our food more than she wants to eat hers, so i can't really eat at the same time as her anymore. today i had to make her a sandwich that looked like our sandwiches, but had only baby-friendly foods in it, then i had to pretend i was eating at it, and when she made the "heh heh" sound i would give her a bite, and that is how she ate her lunch. quite effective. today was also the day that she really did a recognizable "more" sign that didn't come out as merely clapping her hands. naomi or i would say "more? do you want more?" and she would subsequently point with one into her other hand. it is so amazing to watch all this stuff develop, and it being so amazing to me, means that i am the one (and thomas too) that is most able to deal with her squirminess and willfulness that is quickly growing. maybe we have to wait on the discipline thing til after she's a year old, as we haven't really researched it as much as we want, and besides, we are not quite on the same page about it yet.

she is IN LOVE with her daddy. cries when he goes to work, sometimes even when he just leaves the room. gives the biggest, happiest smile whenever she sees him and starts turbo-crawling toward him, sticks her hand under the bathroom door in the morning when she knows he's in there... they are so adorable together. she says "dada?" and looks around the car expectantly if i put her in her car seat and tell her we're going home to see daddy. on thomas' birthday (2 days ago) she gave us both kisses on the lips... well, she touched her lips to ours, which was the most precious gift... ah. the kiss-sound synching with the motion will soon follow, i am sure.

it has been cold for at least 2 weeks now. but we did have a few warm days, and took advantage by going to the beach, where sparrow proceeded to eat lots of sand and had the best time playing in the sun.

our latest nickname for her is "haferflocken stachelschwein," which means "oatmeal porcupine." random, but it sounds so good together!