Wicked Tan

It's official. I now have a darker tan than my Papi, and there aren't too many who can say that! I've also started to say "Mama", and I'm so happy to say it that I repeat it over and over in mom's presence. I went to the beach today with my papi, and I crawled around on the sand sans shirt (hence the even darker tan than I already had). Papi took Aenaon and I out for the first time by himself yesterday! It was lots of fun. I can't say all the things that happened, because mom doesn't know, but I assured her all was well. We got to play with our tios and tias and primos. And then we ate rice and beans and went for a walk, hung out on the porch and talked to the neighbors, then played in the house until bedtime. It's fun being with papi. I told mami she should go out more often...(but I really did miss her. Plus, I can't stand to take a bottle. Nothing's as good as mom!).

I'm hoping some of my other relatives come over to visit sometime soon. I've been doing lots of socializing outside the house. But sometimes it's nice to have people visit us at home!

Okay, the above was written weeks ago (or maybe many days that feel like weeks (?). But here's a picture from some time in the recent past.

Notes on Development

Adara started "officially" crawling the first week of July. Sher has plenty to say. She loves to wave, and I honestly believe she says "hi". She now claps if you say "yay!". She really loves playing with Aenaon, and gets frustrated when she can't keep up with him/us. (She is often found crawling slowly after us, and whimpering...it gets your heart every time.) She loves eating sand. Seeing new places. Going for walks. She doesn't fare too well at the gym daycare, but Aenaon has finally gotten to the point where he can enjoy himself. Aenaon unfortunately has been into taking anything she's playing with and throwing it out of reach. Or he's been piling every available toy in the corner of the room.

At her ninth month check-up yesterday she weighed 19 pounds 4 ounces, and she was- ggez, I already forget. Two feet, -- inches. She is much taller than she is heavy.

One funny thing I thought of yesterday is that even though Adara is my child, I have the feeling when we're alone together that one might have when one's been hanging out in a group (of at least three, including self), and then everyone leaves except one. There's this change in dynamic, and you find yourself experiencing a new and different sense of intimacy, focus, and spotlight. It's not that I don't know her, but I am so used to relating to her within a certain context (viz., as the more laid-back counterpart to her brother's antics), that it always feels different when it's just the two of us. "Ah, there you are. Wow. I really should be doing something just with/for you."

Mom needs to sleep. Good night.