To My Baby-Monkey (Who Is Not Quite A Year Old)

Today you are eleven months old! It sounds strange, but I don't think of you as a baby anymore. You're more like a little foreigner. Like an exchange student from the country of Minutia, where you're all little and yell at each other in strange languages and have to touch everything. Now, I can't find Minutia on the map, but I can kind of guess what it's like from from what I know about you.

First off, there's no gravity where you come from. You have no regard for it because you've never seen it before. It is still an utter shock when you miss a step and fall on your butt. "Where did this ground come from!?". We put you on the bed to play with the kitties and as soon as they jump off, you go right after them, like you got wings or something! You're in America now, little girl! What goes up must come down! It's in the Constitution.

Secondly, where you come from, sometimes things can be solid, then change. You must therefore check everything vigorously and repeatedly to make sure it is still solid. There's nothing as treacherous as a solid thing that's not solid anymore (I guess). But you're very good at it. I'm sure you do your fellow Minutians proud.

And more, I know you're saying something in another language. You have been walking around for weeks saying something that sounds like "pootaapootaapootaa". I swear, I have tried to sound out every variation of things we say to you that might sound like that - dippy? potato? boater? But you'll even say it silently to yourself.

At night when I'm rocking you to sleep, you will open your eyes a little and whisper something, like it's something you just remembered and you have to tell me before you go to sleep. Sometimes when I answer you , you look me in the eyes and say "pootaaapootaapootaa", then fall asleep again.

Other than that you've been a perfect houseguest. I know that one day you'll learn to love our all American, gravity enhanced, constantly-solid lifestyle. You seem to enjoy the food. That's good. Oh, and sorry we won't let you out of the cat door anymore. It was really cute, but you got a little scratch on your leg, and in America we bleed.

I love you very, very much, and will write again soon.

Daddy.

Mommy, Daddy and Danae Go Play

We went to the park this week! Well, not the actual park (too many people) but the little mini-park in our apartment complex. It was wonderful!

We walked with Mommy...

..and picked up a lot of things from the dirt. Daddy is happy to report that very few things made it to her mouth.

Mommy And Daddy Have A Night Out!

Danae spent her first night away from Mommy and Daddy with the GG's. Mommy and Daddy went to see the Tragically Hip and eat steaks. It was wonderful for everyone! Although we did get up early the next morning to get her. We were very happy to see each other! Danae almost spit oatmeal across the room.

Our walking is coming along brilliantly. It's almost our preferred method of travel - right behiind walking with someone else. Daddy is gonna miss it when she stops grabbing his hand to walk.

We are also starting to mimic words! Cousin Kaine swears he heard her say "ducky" at the toy store.

We have also started to play ball (poorly).

Everyone of these pictures was taken trying to get a shot of her blowing on the window and getting all fish-faced. Daddy is just too slow.

Happy Easter!

We had a wonderful first Easter! We wore a pretty dress and ate at the table with the grown-ups and had a special no-sugar cake made as a trial run for our first birthday! We are getting pretty good at walking. As long as we don't know we're walking we're cool. By the way, the whole "spring has sprung" thing was premature. It's 25 degrees outside. Not the springiest weather.

On Easter Uncle Rusty and Aunty Jen did a funny dance where Aunty Jen squealed alot. Uncle Rusty has proven unphotographable (that might not be a word).

We got Easter baskets! Did you know that the easter bunny hides toys for babies that don't eat candy?
He does! The best Easter basket was put together by Cousin Kaine. It had many balls (we love balls!) and many cups (we love cups!)! It kept us occupied for a good hour!

We have discovered a weakness. Any sort of robotic or animated toys makes us cry. We got the cutest little bunny-ducky-froggy trio that sang "At The Hop" and it just freaked us right out

Actually, it made everyone a little sad.

Then we discovered balls and cups again.

As long as we don;t know we're walking we're fine...

Anybody who wants to see all the movies can click here.

Spring Has Sprung!

It has been beautiful outside! We have gone for many walks and worn many stylish hats. Our walking is coming along well - we're up to 5 steps on purpose!

We found out what was up with our tiny little red blood cells. We have thallasemia minor traits. Which isn't thallasemia major (whew!) and isn't thallasemia minor, it's just traits! That means she has to be careful if she meets a boy (much MUCH later) with thallasemia traits.

We actually fell asleep during dinner the other night. We missed our late afternoon nap, so we just caught the next one that came along: the 5:35, right on time.