Christmas gifts

Miranda is at a totally fun age, and things keep happening all day and I think 'remember that to tell to people, it was funny!' Because she just learns something new everyday, and does something surprising every hour. So, here's a list of some new tricks our 14 1/2 month old has pulled out of her Christmas bag.

- Miranda tries to put on her own socks by placing the sock on top of the foot with lots of intensity and often grunting.

- She grunts a lot, to show she's really working hard. Sometimes she'll do it purely as a joke; move something that moves easily but grunt and fuss about it - just to be funny! Then laughs about how funny she is.
- She 'fake sleeps' when we lay her down in her crib. Lays down really quickly, and cuddles in the blanket, then pops her head back up and giggles at you as if to say 'see, I know how to do it! Watch, I'll do it again!'
- She can now say, w/ intention and meaning, Mama, Dada, NO, no, no, and Ball.
- She often says, but doesn't understand yet, 'Yesh'. We're pretty sure she's quoting Michael from 'the Office'.
- She's getting pretty good with a spoon; fed herself her entire lunch today, between using the spoon and fingers. The picture is from this weekend, when college kids were baking in our house.

- I changed her diaper today after Brandon had watched her for awhile, and the whole waistline was packed with graham crackers! This was sure a mystery to me, as she was wearing a onesie and didn't have access to her diaper to fill it with stuff - nor has she EVER done something like that before. She thought my shocked expression was DElightful and laughed and laughed as I cleaned them out. Brandon's only comment 'oh, you know, she was kinda itching her belly after we ate'. My guess is she was putting them inside her shirt from up at the neck! Crazy baby.
- Yesterday she was playing in the bathroom while I was using it. She saw the tp in my hand and asked for it. I gave it to her, because I'm a push-over. She took it and immediately started wiping the back of her leg/bum. How funny is that! Miranda is ALWAYS watching...guests beware!
- She figured out she can't reach the Christmas tree ornaments from sitting, or up on her knees. And she can't yet free-stand in the middle of the room. So she gets her walking toy and pushes it over to the tree so she can swat as the colorful bulbs.

- I love to see how she's problem solving now. Today she decided both of her crib blankies should come visit the living room, so she'd grab one and drag it up in front of her, than go back and get the other and drag it up to the first. Then she tried to stuff them both inbetween her legs and crawl/push with them for awhile. It took a long time, but she got them both half-way down the hallway. Meanwhile Mom farmed on Facebook and supervised the project!
- She's learned to tickle you back. She doesn't do it often, but when she remembers it she'll find some exposed skin and move her fingers really gently and say ki-ki-ki then laugh and laugh.
- She LOVES to stand up and reach down to pick something off the ground. She'll support herself on the couch or me, and repeatedly throw something on the floor just to pick it up over and over. Every third or fourth time she'll punch the object up in the air in a victorious celebration!

All in all, Miranda is entertaining her parents and we're loving this stage of postbaby/pretoddler. She's not quite walking on her own yet, but getting close now. Today was perhaps the most fussy, frustrating, tantrum-filled day she's ever had; and I STILL love her at the end of it, so we're doing good there! What new wonder will she have in store tomorrow...