No! Mine!

Shae has learned to say 'No' and 'Mine' and uses them liberally.  She tells kids at the park the slide is hers and even bosses the dog and cats around.  Picture her saying "No Duke!", to a 110 lb. dog, while pointing her finger at him (and he actually listens sometimes).  And yes, he's 110 lbs... but it's glandular, I swear.  He's on thyriod medication and a diet, so we hope to get him back down to 80-something.  It's also tough with the smorgasbord of food he gets when he lays under Shae's highchair at mealtimes.  He's almost completely blind now, so she's learning how to tell him where things are by patting them so he can hear it.

She says 'beep beep' when she wants something out of her way, and has also started hitting.  Not many things can humble you quite as quickly as being smacked in the face by a one year old.  When she's strapped in her car seat and mad, she'll hit her own leg since there's no one else she can reach. 

She is still a Mommy's girl, and I love to watch her grow and learn.  It seems every day she knows another word or how to do something she didn't before. It really is amazing, and I constantly hope that I'm doing things 'right'.  I have no idea what 'right' is but, for the most part, it feels very natural.  I've never felt better suited to anything.

She makes very dramatic and expressive faces, maybe she'll be an actress.  She likes to dress-up and look at herself in the mirror.

check out those long legs!