It was a dry, boring time, but Mom finally made it through the bar, and now she and Carmela can get back to more important things, like playing, taking walks to the park, and updating Carmela's blog.
Carmela has been quite a busy girl the past couple of weeks. She's so far beyond crawling that now it seems strange to see her do it. She's quick, too; she's not quite running full bore yet, but she's pretty close (if only her feet would cooperate). Carmela doesn't eat quite as robustly as she did a few months ago, but she has an adventurous palette, and more or less likes anything we put in front of her. A few nights ago, she had smoked salmon and white beans for dinner; tonight was Red Baron pizza. She ate both with equal gusto. Her very favorite thing, though, is cherries. In this, she takes after her Great-Grandpa, who also loves cherries. Carmela also really loves grapes. They're great.
It's been hot here the past week or so, so Carmela has been spending lots of time outdoors, getting lots of fresh air, sunshine, and exercise, and trying to keep cool in the process. She and Mom and Dad went to the community wading pool a few times; Carmela was tentative at first (very typical for her temperament), but by the third visit, she was an old pro. Mom and Dad got her a purple sparkly ball that she likes to take to the pool (or the park, or the playground) just so some kid can take it and she can snatch someone else's toy. (It seems to be de rigeur among the under-3 set to play with someone else's toy; never your own.) Mom also picked up an inflatable pool for the backyard. It was fun, but boy the water coming out of the faucet was cold! (Also, Carmela would like everyone to know that the water coming out of the spray nozzle is scary, and she'd like to be held if you're going to use it.)
As with all new developments, there are behaviors that are wonderful and some that are less desirable. Among the less desirable behaviors: Carmela is impatient, and she hits whatever she's mad at. Among the wonderful behaviors, however: Carmela is immensely sweet and affectionate. The result: When Carmela hits, if Mom or Dad says (very seriously), "Carmela, no hit," Carmela immediately offers a conciliatory hug, caressing the hit part with her cheek and giving little pats on the back. It's very charming. Carmela lately has developed even greater affection for her soft blankets, and a measure of affection for some of her stuffed animals. It's very sweet to watch her pick up her stuffed polar bear from her toy box, tuck it under her cheek, and give it a big hug.
Wheelybug remains a favorite toy these days, but it's rivaled by an empty cardboard box that is the perfect size for climbing into. She loves the Big Toy at the playground, and is particularly thrilled with the slide and the steering wheels, but she's pretty much over the swings and doesn't care to play in them for very long. Most of all, she loves big open stretches of relatively flat lawn that she can run over. She's also fond of falling down into patches of clover at the park and rolling around in it.
Much of Carmela's latest developments include a growing sense of humor and a love of games involving others, such as variations on peek-a-boo and games of chase. When she wants to be chased, Carmela will peek mischievously over her shoulder until she knows she has Mom's or Dad's attention, then she'll throw her head back and run away, squealing and laughing. Then she'll stop, look over her shoulder again, and run away again.
Things really are going well for our little girl. She enjoys daycare and has little friends there. She seems to enjoy playing with Mom and Dad, and has enjoyed a nice summer of sunshine, visits from friends and family, walks up to the ice cream shop (and licks of Mom's and Dad's ice creams on the way home), and lots of other small and big adventures. Now that the bar is over, stay tuned for more regular updates.
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