Changes

Marley has gotten so mobile lately. She can't crawl yet, but she is always moving. When I sit her down on the floor, she is trying to go for all the toys that are out of reach. When I have her in my lap, she is trying to stand and crawl over my shoulders. It is so tiring to hold her now!

She has learned a new little trick. When I put my hands out in front of her, I say, "Give me you hands" and she does it! She puts one hand in each of mine. Once she does that I either pick her up or let them go. If I wait long enough, she tries to stand up using my hands as support.

She can stand up against the couch holding on to the side of it for a little while. She usually falls when she is trying to get to something else. But yesterday, she actually took a step to the side while holding on to the couch trying to get the remote!

I am so excited about how strong she is getting, but I really want her to crawl first. She still gets pretty pissed if she gets on her stomach because she can't do anything once she gets there except roll around. If she could get herself back into sitting position, she might be a little happier. But every time she gets on her stomach now, I have to go pick her back up. I know she is close to crawling because she is reaching for everything and ending up on her hands and knees, but then she just falls. She can almost crawl backwards. She gets up on her hands and scoots backwards. I have been trying to get it on video, but it's very short lived. So, by the time I turn it on, she's already done.

She also loves being outside more than ever. We have been taking her on a walk every night after her bath. She gets really relaxed and watches all the trees and flowers as we pass them. It's amazing to see her look at them and wonder about them. Yesterday, we were sitting outside under a tree after work. She was leaning against my chest, just staring at the tree above us. She sat there for a few minutes, just watching the tree blow in the wind, like it was the neatest thing in the world. She talked to it a little bit and kept looking back at me like: Can you see that? Isn't it cool?

Why don't babies ever slow down and enjoy a stage before moving on? I need a chance to catch up! She is so amazing and smart and innocent. What happened to my little newborn who couldn't hold her head up? I miss her, but I love this girl too. We have so many more exciting things to encounter together and learn about. Soon, she will be taking us on walks and telling us what to do. I can't wait... but at the same time, I can.