We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones.

Here is some randomness I just thought to tell you on my walk...

Every time I see a bunch of marigolds, I smile. Not that they are a particularly pretty flower or that they smell nice or anything. I think they are just the first flower I remember learning about from my Mom. I also remember that she used to let me "deadhead" them and spread the seeds anywhere I wanted and for some reason that felt really special to me. Especially since if I did that with a dandelion, my Dad would come after me with a rake. (by the way, there is an "e" in dandelion? Really spellcheck? Huh.)

Today it is overcast and cloudy, but as you can see from the previous post Evelynn and I made Brownie's for Seth's celebration of the kickoff of the NFL season tonite (I would call it a "party" but I honestly think it might be just us there-which means, as usual, I have made ENTIRELY too much food) and I had to test to see if the brownies are any good since I am, categorically the worst brownie maker ever, even with the "perfect" brownie pan. So anyway after snarfing six brownie bottoms that got stuck to the bottom of the pan, and Evelynn's stout refusal to take a nap longer than five minutes we decided to take a walk even though it looked like rain.
I was pretty grumpy about it, but I ran out of ways to entertain her and was starting to get frustrated that she wouldn't just lay down and take a freaking nap. So off we went. Along the way it started spitting rain. Evelynn was taking in the sites, and generally having a grand old time, which is new for her in the stroller. I didn't want to pull the hood over her and make it so she couldn't see around her anymore and piss her off. As much as I read that I needed to invest in a one-hand operational stroller, it was just too far out of my price range. Carrying Evelynn and pushing the stroller is a feat best left to the gods. So we just enjoyed a little rain. She was giggling and holding out her hands and kept touching the top of her head to see why she was feeling wet on her head. We had our first walk in the rain. She felt the rain on her face for the first time. It was special.

So I'm going to go ahead and just come out and say it, because I've officially had it confirmed by three doctors and a nurse. Evelynn is advanced. I know that it may not last and she may even out eventually, but man, I don't know many six month olds with her fine motor skills, her ability to learn, and her determination to walk and stand up. If she could get the balance thing down, which she works on constantly by pulling herself up and hanging on with one hand, she would be on the move all the time. Its what she wants. She hates being left out. She hates having to look down to crawl so she has invented this sitting up one legged scoot thing. She opens drawers and is happier to be sitting on the counter in her bumbo than playing on the floor, but if the kittes are down with her or I am, she will hang out there a while.
I've been following all of the developmental games that Carol has taught me, I read to her constantly, yesterday when she wasn't feeling well from her shots we just laid in bed and read the original Winnie the Pooh stories. I recently got her some flash cards that are Dr. Seuess themed with colors and alphabet flash cards. I really like the Baby Einstein books. She loves to read those. I like them because it gives me a lot to read her. I kind of hate the normal baby books because there are like five words and they are usually boring. I need to start working on numbers with her. Right now we are teaching her mimic numbering, where we do a task like bang on the table three times and count aloud while we do it and then she mimics it back and we praise her. I can't wait for her to start talking, I just want to know what is going on in that little mind!

Alright well I'd better take my shower and go back to bed to snuggle. I just thought I'd say hello!

Love (marigolds and walks in the rain),
Carrie