Paige

While packing/unpacking I came across Paige's baby books and realized I needed to write in them as it had been awhile. Here is the latest and all of the sweet, sometimes funny and always wonderful things about Paige.

(1) She now has a baby cousin named Hannah. She is going to LOVE holding her little cousin and loves to look at the pictures. She says "Baby Hannah" perfectly and in her little voice she says, " OOohh, look at Baby Hannah." You know how we all change our voices when we say something like that...she's picked up on that.

(2) We all know my neurotic dislike for animals, especially dogs and cats. As I have already noted, our new place comes with a dog. The owners of the place still come out to their shop and decided to leave Carmen the dog here to run around. Well thankfully Paige did not inherit my dislike and loves the 'puppy.' She loves to go get her treats. This is how it happens: Carmen stands at the door, Paige sees her and goes and opens the door, says, "Hi Puppy!" (with changed voice like she is talking to a baby), closes the door and tries to tell Carmen she'll be right back. Carmen knows and waits. Paige yells, "Tay!" ('ok') runs across the house, opens up the back door, gets a doggy treat and brings it back. Opens the door, throws the treat at Carmen, giggles and then closes the door. Sometimes when we get home she stands there and pats her tummy and says, "Get me Puppy!" Crazy girl, she actually wants the puppy to run around her and lick at her. The best part, it is great bribery - "Paige, do you want to go home and see Puppy?"

(3) When Carmen is off running around at the river or in the trees, Paige becomes devastated that she's not at the door. Jesse taught Paige how to call for the puppy. "Puppy! **Whistle** *Whistle**" Paige obviously doesn't whistle, but like all kids makes a whistle noise in a high-pitched, "woo woo, woo woo"
Well...now she calls her parents like that. "Mama, woo woo, woo woo."

(4) We finally let Paige graduate from her crib to a bed a few months ago. After we go to bed she walks around in the dark and stands outside our door hoping we'll invite her in. We've learned that if we ignore her she'll just go back to her bed. But it is pretty funny to see her standing there in the dark, peeking around the corner at us. One time I followed her back in there and watched her climb up onto her bed, for some reason I just thought it was the cutest thing ever. Little Big Paige climbing into her bed.

(5) Paige, a few months behind most kids her age, has reached the independent stage, "My do it!" She must do everything. It's actually really cute and you know, kids can handle more than we think they can sometimes.

(6) When Paige goes potty on the potty we make a big production and clap and say good job and "Yay, Paige!" She returns the congratulatory behavior when Mama goes potty on the potty. Great to have the encouragement. Now just if I can get her to bring me some M&Ms.

(7) My most favorite thing of all - Paige comes up to me says, "Hi Mama" and then cups my face in her hands and puts her nose to mine and gets this sweet little content smile on her face and then proceeds to run her hands through my hair and caress my face like we do to her because we love her. She gives the best hugs a person could ever want. Being a mommy is most definitely the best thing in the world!