Walkin' Mazie

With only weeks to go before my first birthday, I am officially a walker! I'm getting more and more confident on my feet, and Mom and Dad can tell how proud I am to be moving around like a big person. Along with this mobility, I'm really enjoying my independence, and I spend more time entertaining myself. As Mom writes this (I'm dictating to her of course), I am happily pacing around the front porch and playing with my toys. Right now I'm pushing my Elmo vacuum around -- the one big kids like Tobin and Miles used to play with. Who's the big kid now?

Speaking of Miles and Tobin, last week we went to Durham and I got to see them!! Jacob, too, of course. We sure had fun together. Our parents couldn't believe how big we've all gotten. From little blobs that could maybe drool on each other a bit, we've now become a bunch of toddlers that can play together, share toys, and give hugs and kisses. Of course, we're a little harder to manage now, too. Our parents tried to line us up for a group picture, but this is the best one they got.

The candid ones are better. There are more here.






Here's one of me helping to change Jacob's diaper!


Of course, Tobin is still the really big kid in the bunch, putting together elaborate racing tracks for his cars and equally elaborate stories, and Miles is pretty advanced, too. His dad told my dad that after we left Durham, Miles reported that he missed me! I miss you, too, Miles, even if my language skills aren't quite up to the task of expressing it. Mom and Dad haven't taught me the "I miss Miles" sign yet.

I am getting better at using other signs, though. I use "more" and "milk" the most, and have started pointing to my mouth to mean either "food" or "water/juice." I'll sign "bath" back to Mom when she tells me it's bath time, and if you ask me how big I am, I'll let you know that I am "SOOO big." I'm definitely understanding a lot more now, too. I'll "throw" something if you tell me to, I'll point to my mouth if you ask if I'm "hungry," I'll "sit" in the bath when Mom asks me to, and I DEFINITELY know that "no" means "do it again!!" So even though my verbal words are hard for Mom and Dad to understand now (with the exception of "Da" = dog or cat), it won't be long before I'm a talkin' Mazie, too!  

Oh, one more funny thing that I do.  When Mom and Dad are in the front seat of the car talking and laughing (Mom laughs a lot, so Dad must be pretty funny), I'll chime in with a little "Ha ha ha" of my own.  I don't really get the jokes yet, but I figure I might as well just laugh along anyway!