The finest form of flattery

That is not magic fairy dust. Nope, that is good old fashioned gray, filthy furniture dust! Annie has been copying me and I have decided to invest in my future by cleaning cleaning cleaning! Annie complained very loudly when I resisted giving her my duster. She won it over and went to town "dusting" the furniture! It was very cute. She also enjoys taking her pigtails out and then setting the hair-tie on top of her head, as if the hair will just jump into the tie all by itself! She also loves to stand up on a chair next to me while I cook dinner or lunch. I mean, in a few years, maybe I'll have my own live-in cook! Hey, don't laugh. She's very quick for her age. It could happen! ;o)

Annie got to go to the Children's Museum for the first time recently! We had a blast with our friend Mary and her daughter Lyla, who is a little older than Annie. Annie enjoyed following her around and driving her crazy. :o) There is a toddler area specifically made for little ones just her size! She loved the padded playground where she could run across the bouncy bridge and climb up and down the padded stairs! She really enjoyed climbing up the chipped-rubber hills and even tried pull a fast one on me and go down the slide without me! We finished up our trip with her first ride on the carousel, which she just LOVED! I think I have a little dare-devil on my hands.

I have decided that Annie has figured it all out. She knows. She's cute. We walk around in the grocery store and Annie flirts with her big snaggle-toothed grin and then burries her head in my shoulder, then teases the unsuspecting passerby with another shy grin. Oh boy. I'm is so so so much trouble.

In fact, the day Annie turned 11 months old, she threw her very first hissy fit. I told her it was naptime, and proving my point, she pulled my glasses off of my face and threw them on the floor. I said, "No Annie. Time for a nap" and picked up my glasses. She took them off again and threw them on the floor in defiance. When I didn't allow her to do it a third time, she arched her back and went limp, heaving in full-body sobs. I set her on the floor, where she dropped dramatically to her knees and then her stomach, rolling across the living room floor pausing only to jabber angry protests and kick and throw her fists. I don't know what she thinks she is saying during those rants, but I am fairly certain it isn't Disney-channel approved. I picked her up, put her over my lap, and spanked her bottom. Then she laughed. Holy Moses, someone please send me a book. And then pray for me. Hard!