Strength

I think it would be easier to learn how to crawl rather than learning to do push ups first, but what do I know? haha

Determination

Maggie wanted more than the toys I'd given her to play with so she turned herself around and figured out how to get all the toys she saw in the box. There was a lot of frustrated crying but I left her to figure it out and she was very pleased with herself when the box tipped over so she could reach inside.

Exciting Weekend

It was an exciting weekend for Maggie. She pushed herself further up into the position to crawl than she's done before.

Maggie was finished eating before the rest of us so I gave her a cracker. She didn't get it into her mouth but she found it fun to play with.

8 Months Old

Maggie is now 8 months old. She takes an hour nap at about 9:30 each morning, an hour and a half nap at 12:30 pm, and frequently takes a third nap about 5 pm for an hour each day. Then at night she's sleeping from 8 pm until 6 am (better than the 5 am she was getting up at).

Maggie really only wore the 6-9 month clothes for about 5 weeks and has been in the 12 month clothes for a few weeks. On July 9th we noticed her first tooth had broke through the gums. It's her lower right tooth (our left). Maggie weighs 20.8 pounds.

Maggie has been watching me sing and watches when Mena joins in to sing with me. Now Maggie has started singing with us. Her little noises are cute.

Amigo's

We took the girls to Amigo's (Eegos according to Mena) for supper. Mena is drinking her rootbeer float and Maggie enjoyed playing with the empty sacks and a few puffs to snack on.

Jake's Rocking Horse

Jake is outgrowing/getting bored with his rocking horse so Peggy brought it over for Maggie to use. Maggie can't balance on it herself but she got excited when I helped her ride it!

Motivation

Maggie enjoys playing with her toys or reaching for grass, but what motivates her the most is when she can reach Mena's toys or chair.

Activities

Mena and Kylinn enjoy spending their days together reading books, stamping, playing with the new flannel board, and painting.

Relaxing with his Girls

Gene was playing on the floor with the girls. I should have scooted the camera over so Maggie was in the picture, too. Maggie and I were watching Mena giggle that she was sitting on Daddy's back.

Wizard of Oz

Early Head Start gave Mena and I tickets to go see the Wizard of Oz at Pinewood Bowl. We ate a picnic supper. I showed Mena how to put a piece of cheese and a piece of meat onto her cracker. She chose to layer cheese, cracker, and cheese for her sandwich. It was very, very hot (temps were in the upper ninties with heat index over 100) so Mena was drinking lots of apple juice in her sippy cup. Then she realized I was drinking rootbeer. I didn't have much rootbeer left after she stole it from me :) The last picture is of Mena cheering for the lion in the second act. Mena really enjoyed it and we're planning to go to more plays in the future. She did great with my friend Beth and I when we went to Shakespeare on the Green in Omaha so that will be a yearly habit for Mena to join the two of us, also.

Play Time

Maggie's preference is to sit on her bottom and play with all the toys within her reach. She occasionally will tip over but that is happening less and less frequently. When on her tummy, Maggie tends to push herself backwards which frustrates her as she gets further and further from the toys she is looking at. Maggie can roll over both ways, but rarely does so.

Look at Me!

Mena can lean on her arm, just like Mommy.

On Knees

By mid-July Maggie could hold her bottom off her feet for an extended amount of time.

2 Years 10 Months

We went to a neighborhood association ice cream party and Mena got a butterfly painted on her face.

Mena is now 2 years 10 months old. Her last 2 year molar has poked through her gums. She weighs 35 pounds and is 39 inches tall. She's hit a growth spurt so the only shoes that fit are the flip flops that have room for the toes. She's now in size 4 tops and shorts. She's really thinning out and losing the toddler look. We have a little preschooler on our hands just in time for Mena to go to preschool at LPS in the ExCITE program. We received our official letter telling us that she starts school on August 22nd.

Mena is learning her ABC's when she repeats them after us. She can count on her own to 5 or 6 before she starts mixing numbers up. She's continuing to learn her colors and shapes; she knows some of each.

Mena is showing more willingness to try a few new foods. She'll at least take one bite and has discovered she likes cucumbers with salt. About once a week Mena will fall asleep in the rocking chair while watching a Barney video. On those nights she'll stay up a little later, otherwise she's going to bed between 7:30 and 8 pm and sleeping until 7 or 7:30 am.

Mena has become quite the talker when we are home alone.  So much so that on one afternoon, I posted on Facebook "OMG, she won't stop talking.  Is this what it was/is like to live with me?!"  My mom responded saying we get 3x what we gave and she was sorry to say I'd be in for a lot of talking!

Pushing Up on Knees

On July 7th, Maggie pushed herself up on her knees for the first time. I got a picture of her on the way back down.

Drill Team

Aunt Peggy's old Drill Team dresses and pom poms are a hit with Mena and Kylinn.