A Royal Flush

The title just about sums it up: Annie has learned how to flush the toilet. She has also recently learned how to put non-disposables in the trash, clean diapers in the diaper genie, and clap enthusiastically after doing either. Wait for it... here comes the second recurring theme in my blog: I am in a for a world of trouble! If I didn't have motivation before to keep things tidy, I sure do now. This is the stage where wedding rings mysteriously disappear off of night stands never to be found again, victims of the flushing abyss. This is when the plumber becomes a monthly bill to retrieve stuffed animals who truly lived up to their names in the crappiest way possible (pardon the pun). Yes, this is where you hear your cell phone ringing... where? I understand now why mothers in the airport have their children on those leashes disguised as stuffed animal back-packs!

Annie is quite the conversationalist lately. She carries on in baby-babble as if I knew what in the world she was saying. Sometimes she "sings" in her own little language as well when I turn on the radio. I am also waiting for Annie to start barking soon. Yesterday while I was talking on the phone with a friend, I turned around to notice Annie had disappeared. I ran through the house looking for her. She was perched right in front of the dog bowl, cheeks bulging just about as big as her eyes were. BUSTED. She tried to make haste, but I caught her and started fishing out chunky Iams from her chipmunk cheeks. No worries though, she had two fistfuls that I didn't notice and no sooner than I'd emptied the previous morsels had she stuffed in two more! I mean, does that even taste good? I guess I can't complain though. This is the kid who starts to throw a fit if I don't share my broccoli!

Annie started going to Goddard School twice a week while I am at work. She is adjusting quite well! Annie loves playing with the other kids. What I find hilarious though, is that she will be transitioning to the 1 yr old class soon, where she is expected to sleep on a cot. Oh silly teacher! You have a lot to learn about Annie. Maybe she will have me schooled by the end of next month and prove me wrong, but I think this is a long shot!

I am just now getting into the spirit of Valentine's Day. We received valentines from all of the grandparents over the last week for Annie and even for Michael and I! Today I went out and found sugar cookies that were quite delicious and also quite vegan at Whole Foods. YAY! So, I made some frosting from soy-butter (I really can't tell the difference between this and other frostings), dyed it red, and put heart cut-outs over the frosting and sprinkled red sugar on them. It'll be Annie's first cookie!

Another thing we will be doing on Valentine's Day is taking a trip to the Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist. Annie had a double ear infection last week, making that... oh I can't even count. Maybe four ear infections in six months? Two of which took two rounds of antibiotics. She has been exposed to 4 antibiotics already, which I am not thrilled about. So unfortunately, tubes may be in her future.

Speaking of firsts, Annie will turn one next month. As much as I told myself it would be silly to have a birthday party for a one-year-old who won't remember it, I am feeling very tempted to do it up big-- with family AND Annie's little "friends" (Aka anyone I know with a child under the age of 2). I am not sure what got into me, but Annie just loves to be around other kids and I think it would make her birthday so special! I also want to bum an idea off of my friend Mary and make her a storybook about her first year of life using pictures we took up until now.

Another update is that we may be in the housing market soon. We are feeling cramped in our apartment right now. The square footage is ok, but we need more rooms and more storage.

Well, I am too sleep deprived to keep typing after a week and a half of ear-infection-annie waking up several times a night. Here's to the hope of a healthy girl who sleeps through the night again!