Adara, The Beautiful

So our sweet girl-child is growing so rapidly. I will have to post a picture tomorrow. It's hard to believe she's almost a year old already. (It definitely seemed to go faster with the second one.) Adara's definitely saying things now (or doing her best to). So far, her vocabulary list includes balloon (vhaooo), Aenaon (ehnay), Mama, Baba, hi...I'm trying to think of other definite names or words she's said or repeated, but that's what's coming to me right now (of course, I'm sure I don't properly interpret a number of her attempts at talking to me).

Now it's October 1st.

Well, let me tell you! Mom hasn't been writing near enough, so I'm going to take over. As people say, I've been growing in leaps and bounds. You should see me now! Mom thinks I'm ever the character, and well, since I mainly have only my brother to compare myself to, I don't think I'm so distinctive. (But Mom tells me how many quirks we share!)

I've been into everything, and I still can't get enough. I just love playing with outlets (even though Mom's got all the open ones plugged), and any wire I can find I will do my best to trace it to its source. I like to "rock out" like my brother does, thrashing my head in a frenzy. I really know how to make myself laugh! (And I'm a pretty easy audience for everybody else, too.) I am as fast as a person can get on all fours, and I've adopted my brother's game of speed away from Mom when it's time to change my diaper. (Mom is slightly more amused when I do it- I guess that's because she can always catch me and I haven't started to scream in protest yet (well... there's a little yelling here and there, but it's mostly manageable, and even a little bit cute).

Mom loves taking Aenaon and me for rides in the car, because now we can play games, and make each other laugh in the back seat. Mom says moments like those are magical. She can't imagine one of us without the other (and me, well, I've only known life with my brother).

Oh, Mom just reminded me that maybe this observation a friend of ours made today will provide you with some insight: "Adara really like to cuddle, huh? If she's got somebody to cozy up to, she's just as happy as can be." That's me, the Libra.

The truth is, it's hard to write "through" Mom, because my filter of the world isn't so restricted yet. I don't see everything in black and white, and words and definitions. That's one of the most beautiful things about being me right now! I am! I feel! I live, love, laugh, cry, play, enjoy! Life is a wonderful adventure.

I am pretty tough, even though I'm just a little one. (Just over twenty pounds.) My 235 pound Papi stepped on my shoulder by accident the other week (he was trying to get Aenaon who was ripping Mom's books off the shelf and throwing them in a corner), and when he stepped backward he landed right on my shoulder. I couldn'y crawl for a couple of days, but I bounced back pretty quickly.

Ooops, hey, Mom says we've gotta go. She'll write again soon!

Lots of love to you all!

Hiya!

Adara's cruising is equivalent to her initial stage of crawling-- it's very deliberate and paced. And, well, if she doesn't really want to "cruise" anywhere, she won't. She's not foolhardy. She takes her time.

I remember Aenaon began everything by throwing himself into it completely. When he began to crawl he would throw himself upon the ground, and proceed to do a breakstroke/bellyflop to get wherever he wanted to go (as quickly as he possibly could). He didn't start "walking" either. He stood up and ran across the room and fell down. I later asked myself if that would be considered the day he first started walking.

Adara is also definitely saying 'hi' and waving now. It started a couple of weeks ago, and I wasn't sure if it was just a coincidence that she sounded like she was saying 'hi' when she waved at people. But now I'm convinced it's no coincidence. It sounds more like "(h)iya", but I am positive it is her attempt at using our conventional salutation of "hi" (and it's always accompanied by a wave). She also doesn't do the backward wave that Aenaon (and most babies I've seen do initally).

More later. Our most recent blog entries have not been appearing on our pages, though, for some annoying reason. Hopefully this one will.