Vintage

cool jazz
Originally uploaded by toyfoto.

Ama broke out this little frock last week. It's a dress she bought for $18 from the Peerless store in Troy, N.Y. nearly four decades ago. She estimates that the cost in today's prices would be about $140. Annabel seemed to think it was worth tooting her horn about.
It's strange how a little dress made of cotton and ribbon can make your heart all aflutter. When Annabel was first born, we had dressed her in the footed zips and other things Jed's mother had saved. It was sweet that she was wearing some of the same things that her father had worn, especially when there were photographs of old to prove the connection. I had been feeling a little sad that my mother had turned most of our best dresses into ornaments for the church Christmas bazaars. The proceeds may have gone to a good cause, but I was sad that none of my hand-me-downs would proceed. I can't tell you how nice it was to see this pale blue dress make its way into the fold.

Gotta boo-boo?

Originally uploaded by toyfoto.

Annabel is getting quite a charge out of getting her boo-boos fixed with kisses and Band-aids. After falling off the picnic table and the playground and landing on her little face (no obvious cuts or bruises) I kissed the top of her head only to be told with various 'NO, no, nos,' that I had gotten the wrong place. She didn't give up until I kissed the ACTUAL injury site: her cheek. When we got home she also wanted a Band-aid after watching Jed affix one to his own thumb (I won't elaborate on that boo-boo). Since she wasn't actually marked from her misstep at the playground I tried to put the colorful Seasame Street bandage on her knee where she could see it ... 'NO NO NO NO NO.
Pointing to her cheek.
This doesn't keep her from pretending, though. She was happy to help me with my non-existent boo-boo, too.

Bottoms up

bottoms up
Originally uploaded by toyfoto.

What a big girl she is! This morning she even drank juice from a real glass. It was a small, thick-bottomed water glass -- pinched perhaps from a Canadian hotel many moons ago -- and accomplished under careful observation, but she sucked down the orange juice, replaced the glass on the table and wiped her mouth with a napkin like a pro.

Sweet Nineteen

Annabel is nineteen months old today! She is doing all the things a baby her age would be doing: She is starting to say more words and even adding small phrases, she is enjoying running away from us as we chase her, and she is THRILLED with being able to hold things in one hand and manipulate them with the other.

She is so smart it's frighening. Tonight we let her watch Mosters Inc. for a little while before bedtime but I couldn't find the clicker. As I was walking around the living room like a chicken with my head cut off, Annabel calmly found the remote control, held it up and said Ma. Mam. Mama ... MA! until I finally looked up at her an noticed what she was trying to show me.
She giggled like mad.

Sleeping beauty

sleeping beauty
Originally uploaded by toyfoto.

Just to give you a sneek peek ... This is Annabel at 12 a.m. on the morning she turns 19 months old. It always amazes me how she moves herself all around (and through) her crib and doesn't wake up.
She is just such a wonderful and fun little bean to watch, even when she's sleeping.

Muwaaa aa aa aa!

Muwaaa aa aa aa!
Originally uploaded by toyfoto.

Simple pleasures are often the best. Art Omi's annual open day was today and Annabel got a chance to do a little bit of artwork of her own at the breakfast table. The centerpieces were Styrofoam heads and two Sharpies on the table. The idea was to draw your own designs on the form. Annable chose the stipple effect. It was grand as you can tell from the expression on her little face.

The wanderer

Pool gate
Originally uploaded by toyfoto.

She gets really busy after her big nap of the day and wants to see and do just about everything. Today we went to Tierney's pool party (I was a chaperone) and Annabel had a wonderful time walking around the deck and in and out of the gate. She also enjoyed playing with ice cubes sitting in her new little chair at her new little table. When Tierney took her in swimming, well, she was just over the moon.
Annabel is starting to venture forth just a little bit. She's knows we're watching and she's ready for the chase. After she had climbed the little grass hill outside the gate she turned around and came back, walking faster than she had planned she put on the brakes and said: "WHOA!"

The scrutinizer

baby scrutinizer
Originally uploaded by toyfoto.

Annabel is such an intense little girl these days. She's just advancing leaps and bounds in so many aspects. She's starting to say 'please' automatically when she wants something, and her memory amazes me. Today she remembered that Lori put a flap from Elmo's alphabet book in her pocket for safekeeping once it was torn off from constant use. She motioned to her own hip when Lori asked her where it might be. "That's right, I put it in my pocket," marveled Lori, who then took another moment to think about what had just taken place: "Oh, I must have washed it by now," she laughed.
Annabel seemed fine with the remedy. They're going to tape a piece of paper over the opening and mark it with a Z.
Also new this week: Annabel seems to be changing from her usual two- to three-hour morning nap into some form of an afternoon nap. It's been kind of gradual, and she's teething again so it might not be a permanent shift. We'll have to see how it goes.
I also noticed a new freckle. This one appeared a couple of days ago on her face near her left ear with a series of scratches she must have given herself in her sleep. I thought that's what this mark was too until today when I looked at it more closely. Definitely a freckle.
She got her first freckle (on her right thigh) when she was only about 8 months old. And recently I noticed another freckle on her left thigh as well.

All in the family

at the same age
Originally uploaded by toyfoto.

For a group project on Flickr, there has been a few of these montages put together of parents and kids at relatively the same ages. This one is mine. I'd be interest to hear what similarities you may find.
I think she's definitely a "daddy's girl."

Extra, extra: Read all about it

hmmmm
Originally uploaded by toyfoto.

We traveled to Concord, Mass. on Sunday to spend Indepence Day with Jed's family. Although patriotism was the broad theme the real party was for great grandmother Peg's birthday and the Millers' 70th anniversary. We had a leisurely cruise up and down the river on a pontoon boat while its skipper and a crew member took turns offering us various chicken, pasta and fruit dishes. How wonderful is that? The only bad part was the life jacket (also known as a Mae West we are told) that Annabel was compelled to wear much to her displeasure.
Annabel even celebrated a few firsts of her own -- she started saying her name ... sounds like "Ahbell."