What's New Wednesday: Fourteen Months

Tomorrow, my girl will be fourteen months old. One year ago today, she looked like this:

Today, she looks like this

Can you believe it!?

It seems that every day this week she has shown off a new skill, and most all of them have been things I've had to warn the daddy about. "She can climb onto her chairs now, but she likes to stand on them, so look out." "She can open the kitchen drawers now, honey." It is becoming more and more important that I keep a watchful eye at all times, because Annabelle's zest for adventure only gets stronger by the day.

She is able to communicate so much through sign language now, and is trying to say words all the time. Her bestie has taught her to say, "car" and she does so quite clearly, especially after today when he came over and brought cars with him. When Annabelle walks into a room or sees someone around whom she feels comfortable, she lets out a high pitched and enthusiastic, "he-ey!" She gives us hugs - something that makes her daddy incredibly happy, and she will even hold hands while out for a walk. She grabbed bestie's hand without prompting earlier today, and I immediately became a pile of mush.

When no human body parts are available, the duck gets washed instead!

Of late, the girl is very interesting in the bodies of others. While bathing, she now spends less time putting soap on herself and puts it on the hand, arm, or whatever she can reach, of the parent who is overseeing her bath. At mealtime, if there is a body part in reach, she wants to drop food on it. Yesterday, that meant dropping food into the top of my blouse at Garden Day and today it meant handfuls of dal on her daddy's hand. I'm not quite sure what to make of this game, but I trust that eventually it will lose its appeal.

All of that said, I ought to go to bed so that I'm ready when Annabelle displays her newest daredevil skill tomorrow. What have your children been up to lately? Do they do dangerous things like stand on chairs and shelves, too? Do you know how long the putting food on other people stage lasts? Fill me in!