Learning to walk (video)

Anne saw her developmental pediatrician at Children's Hospital today -- likely for the last time; the verdict is that Anne has pretty much caught up from being a preemie! The doctor says Anne can obviously walk; it's a matter of when she WANTS to. She's beginning to get comfortable with walking, as you can see in this video. Her neighbor friend, Owen, gave her his walker toy to play with. (She stops to play with some boxes at the end, and stands while she picks one up.)

Put the ball in the hole (video)

Anne's friend Alexa (and Mommy's friend Malia) gave Anne several toys for her birthday, including this one with little balls that poke through a hole. There's a mallet for when Anne is old enough. Mom was so surprised to see Anne pick each ball up, set it in a hole and push it down. That's new -- for a long time, Anne could push a ball through a hole, but she didn't pick it up and try to push it through herself. That's a big developmental step.

(There are also some Russian nesting dolls from Alexa that Anne was trying to open in the video.)

Anne's friend Alexa came to play last week. She brought Anne some wonderful gifts for her first birthday. One was the pink-and-green tunnel in these pictures. Another we'll post video of soon. Anne LOVES bigger girls and trying to keep up with them.

Anne's 13-month pictures, as she turns 14 months old ...

Seems like we always put off taking Anne's monthly birthday picture till the end of the month, and as usual, we didn't get the 13-month pictures taken until Anne turned 14 months old TODAY! Our neighbors Roxie, Paul and Annika spotted us taking pictures in our front yard and suggested we move to their lush, pretty backyard. So Anne had lots of entertainment while we took her pictures. Of course, Anne the dog lover went for their dog's bowls.

What does Anne do at 14 months? She can:

Crawl and climb on everything, from our stairs to playground equipment and things you didn't know could be climbed on

Push her walker and other toys around, on her knees but also while standing. She's ALMOST walking.

Say "up" as well as "mama" and "dada" and, once, "dog"

Pick up, touch or look at familiar things whose names she knows, such as "ball," "choo-choo" and "yculos" (that's Porguguese for "glasses)

Respond, usually with tears, to a sharp "NO"

Give us something, such as a spoon, if we ask for it

Play hide-and-seek

Drink her milk by herself (finally) and find her pacifier and put it in her mouth ... and toss it out of her crib

Drink from a real glass with assistance

Go to sleep by herself without being rocked

Let us brush her teeth

Turn books right side up and turn pages in the right direction

Put a small ball in a round hole

Push a ball and chase after it

Make up her own games with her toys

Open and close doors large and small