Dancey Dance

I've been thinking that Molly should probably try out a dance class for awhile now.  She's always showing off her moves for us and she loves to use the porch at the two story as a makeshift stage for her performances.  Yesterday I called to see about getting her enrolled and BAM!  Next day she's in a class in a leotard with brand new ballet slippers.  Needless to say, it was hilarious.  I think for her first day she did pretty good though.  Especially for a kid who I'm convinced is the worst selective listener ever..."Huh?"  I didn't take any pictures of the actual class (would it be weird if I did?) but here she is afterwards sporting her new duds.

Maggie might as well be mobile these days.  I can put her down, leave the room, come back in 5 minutes and she'll be 3 feet from where I left her, going after some random toy that probably says 3+ on it.  I may have to hide every one of those toys until a later date.  Hopefully that doesn't start a riot in the house.
Here she is hanging out in the playroom in her Bumbo.

Joining in on one of Molly's tea parties.

These books are Molly's favorites (This is our latest blog book).  Why shouldn't she love looking at pictures of herself?

So, the other day she saw this post in her book and saw how she was eating her baby food with a straw.  She then followed me around begging me to let her have applesauce with a straw.  I got her a little cup full, but Nooooo!  She wanted it out of the jar...just like the picture.

Permissive parenting?

Seriously I can't say it enough.  Maggie is the sweetest thing ever (Since Molly).  Do you know what she did tonight after I pushed her past bedtime at Molly's dance class and then fed her in the car (not as nice as the boppy)?  She drove all the way home almost completely contentedly, and then went to sleep by herself in the Amby.  She doesn't do this all the time or anything, but sometimes, she does and it blows my mind.

It was a tad bit chilly the other day.  I took advantage and had her wear my old baby hat.  I think she looks cuter in it than I ever did.  I'm pretty sure my Mom agrees.

I'm not going to complain too much about this since I've pretty much been waiting for this day Molly's whole life, but last night Molly broke my heart a little.  After I read all the bedtime stories, she asked me to stay for a little bit.  I did and while I was laying with her I was thinking about how nice it was since she was mellow, sleepy and snugly.  As if she could read my mind, she said "Mama, you should go now".  Made me a little sad.  Tonight she fell asleep in the middle of the story and so I said "Goodnight Molly, I love you" I thought she was completely out so I almost got a little teary when she whispered "I love you too" eyes still closed.  Funny how they can erase a whole day of "pain in the ass" with one little gesture.

Strolling

I wasn't going to do it, but after taking a walk the other day and using our terrible Cosco umbrella stroller to push Molly around, I broke down and bought a double stroller.  I'm glad I waited since I haven't seen this one before and it's pretty nifty.  It's arranged so Maggie's seat is higher than Molly's so it isn't like pushing a bus around and the back seat reclines enough that you could supposedly put a newborn in it...although I'm not so sure about that.  Maggie however sits just great in it.  We took a walk to try it out and I had hoped that Maggie might take a little nap, but instead Molly passed out.  Right now we're at this weird place where she probably still needs a nap, but doesn't really want to nap.  Since bedtime has been such a bitch in the past, I can sort of get on board with the whole no napping thing since I can get her to bed on her own by 8:30.  If she for some reason naps, we're up until 10 and it doesn't seem to change her 7-8 wake up time.  Jonny had proposed a compromise of letting her nap but then waking her up after an hour, which actually does seem to work, except it is nearly impossible to wake her up.  Today when we were going down some steps in the stroller, her head flung all the way up to an upright position and then slammed down on the front bar.  She flinched, but didn't wake up.  The other day she passed out on the couch and when I went to get up I accidentally rolled her off. She fell face down into a ceramic bowl full of popcorn and didn't wake up.  She didn't even wake up when Jonny and I, instead of helping move her back onto the couch, stood there and laughed at her.  When I do attempt to wake her up, it requires all sorts of special treatment.  Juice is alright, but not as good as chocolate milk.  Chocolate milk is good, but not as good a dumdum.  You never know what it's going to require from day to day.  I've joked that only way I could consistently get her up from a nap would be to put cigarettes out on her, but since neither of us are into smoking or child abuse, we're just going to have to wait for this phase to work itself out.

No naps for Maggie, but as usual she was all smiles!

Maggie's been enjoying the jumper.  Molly would like to be enjoying the jumper, but so far we've been able to prevent that from happening.  When we first set it up, we had it apart so we could clean it and there was the hole in the center which was easily large enough for a 2 year old to occupy.  My Mom watched them the other day while the hole was still available and Molly stood in it trying to get my Mom's attention while my Mom ignored her (letting Maggie have things is kind of a struggle sometimes).  In the end, she stood there for a half hour...pretty stubborn.

Maggie has gotten really good at trying to sit up.  I can even get her to balance and sit by herself for short periods of time.  She's pretty pleased with herself when she does.

That's a pretty conniving look she's sporting there.