Is it just us, or does Tessa suddenly look old? She’s really just shy of one year old; how did that happen? She’s turned into this upright, squirmy, opinionated, directed little kiddo. She will, in no certain terms, tell you when she does not like what’s going on. When Maggie snatches away a toy, when you put her down on the ground, when you take your time giving her another bite, when you let go of one hand while she’s standing — these things elicit a squealy scream and arched back and even teeny scratching fingers. She pretty much always wants to be standing somewhere. The hearth is her favorite place still, but she is now exploring the bookshelf, her piano, the couch, the oven. She is uninterested in signing, unlike Maggie at this age. I think it would help ease some frustration on her part, but she does not seem to want to learn them yet. Occasionally she makes noises that sound like “more,” but they usually come after screaming. She is super social and socially aware. She laughs at jokes when other people laugh; she copies sounds and intonations in conversations; she’s experimenting (I think) with nodding her head “yes;” she gets disappointed when Eliza moves away from her advances; she waves “hi” and “goodbye” when appropriate. When we touch fingertips, I always make a “bzzzzzz” sound, and now she does it too, with this big smile. She really is getting old.
Magrilless 