Rose can walk!

Rose has really refined her walking techniques over the past week. In about 10 days flat, she went from 2 or 3 stuttery stumbly steps at a time to power-walking down the hallway like a pro. It’s so cute (and slightly startling) to have her come strolling on into a room instead of crawling. We’re still getting used to it.

The narrow hallway in our apartment is the longest stretch of open territory for Rose to practice—she’s not the best at stopping and turning corners or dodging toys on the floor yet.

I love how Rose’s hair is long enough to pinch into a ponytail and clip a bow on now, because she will not keep a headband on atall. I also rather love her little pink diaper. She loves that fuzzy satiny pink bunny blanket.

Do you see that belly? I took this picture after lunch on Sunday. Sunday lunch usually means Jeff’s specialty crepes for us. Yes, we’re spoiled. Jay and Rose eat SO MUCH on crepeday. This past Sunday, Rose and I ate the same amount of crepes for lunch, and Jay ate MORE than us! I guess when you’re learning how to walk, you need the energy.

Rose is exploding with sweetness and new skills—I love this age because there are new developments almost every other day! And I am enjoying this time especially with Rose because I was kind of a pukey-preg0-zombie when Jay was this age, so I missed a lot of his early one year oldness.

It surprises me how much Rose is learning all on her own. With Jay I was trying to teach him things for fun all the time, but Rose just watches Jay and picks up almost everything. She says please (dee) and thank you (deh deh), for goodness sake! I never taught her that. She just watched me drilling some manners into her big brother, and learned some of her own.

Some things aren’t learned—Rose is a natural TEASE! She pokes Jay, hides her face, peeks at him, and then pokes him again, over and over. It is hilarious to see Rose giggle and Jay get annoyed at his little Rose Monster sister. But one night, Jay did say “thankee for the Rose Monster” in his bedtime prayer. They do love each other.

There are definitely plenty of squealy screamy fighty cooped-up moments around here (check out that boo-hooey lower lip in Rose’s shadow), but being Jay’s and Rose’s mom is still mostly totally awesomely FUN.

[kiss]

And last but not least, please enjoy this song. We do.