Laurie, you asked for this again ...

Where we live

Anne, as the Capitol building comes into view: "That is Capitol Hill. That is where I live. My house is right over there."

Bugs

So far, Anne is unafraid of bugs. She giggles at ants. "Hello! Where is your mommy?" She looks at a painting in the living room that has a beetle in it and says, "He's my friend. He loves me. He hugs me."

No more biting for Annie. She stopped at age 8

Annie has stopped biting at age 8!!!

The imperative

Anne discovered imperatives today. She asked for a book while still in her crib this morning, and I couldn't find it in her bookcase. "Look up there!" she said as she pointed to the top shelf.

Somebody loves you

Me: "Anne, what's Mommy's name?"
Anne: "Somebody ..."
Me: "Mommy is somebody?"
Anne: "Mommy is somebody who loves you."

Chef Anne

Anne cooks at Lucia's

Are you kidding me?

Some recent exchanges. Normal conversation, except that it's so new to her and tickles us.

Me: "Are you kidding me?"
Anne: "No!"

Anne: "Miss Bernadette is very beautiful with her clothes."
Me: "Did you like Miss Bernadette?"
Anne: "I really did."

Anne: "I want to see Annalise."
Me: "Annalise is gone, honey. She's in Mexico."
Anne: "I want to go to Mexico!"

"Daddy, will you ask me a question?"

Anne asks this over and over. Dan says Elmo does it.

Dressing like Mommy

Anne made her daddy put my bra on her while I was gone the other night.

Favorite books

We decided to work on updating the blog again in part so that we could write down things we want to remember. One of those things is Anne's favorite books right now. She likes some so much, she recites from memory along with us as we read. Some current favorites: Madeline (she likes to see the girls cry), Madeline and the Bad Hat (she yells, "Au Secours!"), Alice the Fairy, Where the Wild Things Are (she giggles when they show their terrible claws), Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, No David, Harry the Dirty Dog (she calls it Harry Dirty the Dog), Llama Llama Misses Mama (because she worries a lot about being left at school after her bad preschool experience).

Name that song (video)

(Anne is wearing a Cinderella dress and playing with her Disney princess palace.)

Jump! (video and photo)

Anne on the trampoline at her nanny, Lucia's, house.

Anne behind the wheel (video)

Anne with her nanny at the park ...

Anne is digging Paul Simon's "Cecilia"

She says: "Cecilia needs to wash her face."

Ballet! (video and photos)

Anne is very excited to have started toddler ballet class. She may be most excited about her red leotard, which she picked out. The last picture is of Anne once she was at the actual class -- took her a few minutes to warm up, but she quickly decided to try to help the teacher teach.

NOW you can have a popsicle (video)

It took some negotiating and coaxing and tears, but Anne finally has the hang of it -- she can have a treat or dessert once she's eaten some of her meal. She says, "NOW you can have a popsicle!" or "NOW you can have a cookie!" (The video is pre-popsicle, but this is her favorite way to eat them, with Daddy at the table.)

Anne's princess arm

We don't know where she got it from, but for several months Anne has insisted on wearing her tops and dresses with one arm out. Like a one-shouldered number. "Like a princess," Anne says. She has us help pull her dolls' arms out, too (see dolls below).