It's SUMMER!

Hi everyone!! It's officially summer in my book! I finished school on Tuesday and spent a few great days with my baby girl and now I am home alone today. It's a very strange feeling as I haven't had a day to myself in over a year. Elle is going to go to daycare a few days a week to keep herself in a bit of a routine and to make the transition in the fall easier. I really want to keep her home every single day, but I do think that this is best for her since I am returning to work next year. She loves it there also. She smiles and is so happy when Jeremy drops her off. Many days she doesn't want to leave and I have a heck of a time getting her out of there. She puts her arms out for Sandra or tries to get down. It doesn't make me feel very good, but at least I know she enjoys it. That makes it easier. Elle and I had a great first two days of summer break. On Wednesday we went into D.C. to see daddy for lunch. We were going to take the Metro but there were no parking spaces available at any of the lots so we just ended up driving in. I was surprised that Elle endured the whole car ride just singing and talking in the backseat. That NEVER happens. She is not a fan of the car. She didn't nap either. I was worried she would be grumpy when we saw daddy. She wasn't. She was pleasant and fun the entire time. She was quite a ham for all the people in the cafeteria. She was spinning around in circles and pulling up her dress for everyone and running from table to table to show them her dolly. When we headed home she immediately fell asleep and didn't wake up until we pulled in the driveway. On Thursday we went for a walk to the grocery store (at 7:15 a.m.) and got a muffin for breakfast. We ate that outside together and walked around the neighborhood. When we got home we went back to sleep after daddy left for work and didn't get up until 10!! We got up and got ready for the pool and stayed until noon. Elle had a great time this time around and was smiling and saying "yeah" as I twirled her through the water. She took a nice nap that afternoon and then she helped me do some laundry. We ate dinner and played outside some more. She was a such a happy girl all day. I am certain her medicine has kicked in. I am happy to have my girl back. She is not a happy camper when she has an ear infection! Here are some recent pictures.

Here is Elizabeth at 12 1/2 months. This was taken a week ago and she'll be 13 months this weekend. :) She's about 23 lbs. and 31 inches long. She is getting her fourth tooth right now and I think some of them on the bottom are thinking about coming in too. She is quite the character. She can walk now and rarely crawls. She's been walking fairly well for the last three weeks and took her first steps at 11 months. She loves to climb stairs and is learning to go down them now. She can also climb up onto the ottoman and onto the couch. She loves to sit in "big people" chairs and kicks her legs and laughs once she gets onto them. She is trying to say more words now too. She says "duh" which means done. She says "no" all the time along with the head shake. She always lets you know what she does and doesn't want. She also says oh no, uh-oh, yeah, mama, dada, baba (even though she uses a sippy), and a whole lot of other babbling. She hates diaper changes and still won't sit still for them. She can mimick a snake and a doggy sound. She loves to give hugs and kisses. If you ask her to give you a kiss you had better watch out because you're going to be very wet afterwards! She loves baby dolls and will hug them and rock them. She is very opinionated and stubborn but we wouldn't have her any other way. We're glad she's got a strong personality...or at least I am because it is something I lack. ;) I could just do without the temper tantrums that weren't supposed to arrive for another year. Are there such things as the terrible-ones?