Tidbits

- We got Anna some little sunglasses. She wears them really well, not even taking them off when we go into stores. I was a little bit worried because she was so old when we got them but I think the fact that Jason and I wear them all the time helps her to see that they need to stay on her face. She can even put them on herself. Sometimes she'll put them on up side down but if we tell her they are and to turn them around, she will. She is so smart.

- Anna has learned how to open doors, at least the kind with the handle-type doorknobs. So a closed door is not the impediment it once was. Ironically, she can only open them if she has to pull it towards her but hasn't figured out pushing the door open yet. So she can get out but not back in. There are definite pluses and minuses to this arrangement.

On the hammock with her cousin Brennan on the 4th of July

- A while ago, we took her to the doctor. He turned out to be the dad of a girl that Jason and I ran with in high school. His partner is the doctor that Jason went to when he was little. It's always a little strange being home again.

- At said doctor's appointment, we learned that Anna is in the 30% in weight, 60% in height and 75% in head circumference. I'm not too surprised because her clothes always get too short before they get too tight and it's almost impossible to get some things over her head (don't get me started on baby clothes proportions).

I'm ready Mom, you can let go.

- Also at the doctor's appointment the doctor was saying that this is a hard age for kids because they know what they want but can't articulate it yet. For the parents, it's like caring for a stroke victim and for the kids, it's like playing charades with an idiot. Frustrating for everyone involved. I think about the charade comment when Anna is being very insistent about something and I have no idea what that is.

- Anna has decided against sitting in a high chair even though she isn't quite tall enough to sit at the table. She often stands on her chair to reach her food or she will put the bowl or plate on the chair with her. This means that quite a bit of our meal is spent in putting Anna back on her chair until she is done eating. For some reason, she feels a need to sit to fold her arms for the prayer (which she does quite well). I don't know why but it's dang cute.

In a tribute to Philadelphia, Anna does her best Rocky pose.

- Jason is working hard to find a job in two different markets. He is looking in Boston for a long term job (so if anyone knows anyone who lives or has lived in Boston, preferably an architect but we aren't picky, let us know). On top of that, he is looking around here for something short-term on a contract basis so we have some money coming from somewhere. Talk about switching mental gears.

- We are staying at my parent's house while they are away on a cruise. It's really quiet here. The first day Anna took a three hour nap! Plus, she is needing me more to entertain her. I thought getting out once a day would be enough for us but she has been needing to get out more than that. We are spending at lot of time at the little park down the street.


- I'm doing a diet with Kristen. I haven't been weighing myself though so I didn't really know how it was going until we got to my parent's house and used their scale. I think I've lost 10 pounds (I don't really know where I started). When I told Jason, he was not surprised. Apparently he notices my weight loss before I do. Strangely, when I was eating ice cream last night (not on my diet but oh well), my cheeks looked kind of gaunt. Strange considering my chin often looks fleshy to me.

- We found a web site with funny t-shirt designs. Some of them are really funny so Jason saved pictures of the designs and made a collage background out of them. One of my favorites says "Free Tibet* with purchase of another Tibet of equal or greater value". We giggle whenever we look at them.