Bookachila

If you're wondering what the title of this blog is about, "book-ka-chi-la" is Anna's first official word!!! (I crack myself up) All day today, she has been repeating this. I think she's just figuring out that she can string all these random noises she's been making together to make a new, interesting noise. It's pretty fun - and if you just pretend a little, it actually does sound like she's talking!

Actually, the point of this blog is to post two videos demonstrating Anna's newfound sense of humor. She's been laughing and smiling for a long time, but in the past few weeks, she has really blossomed and finds so many things funny. She's also discovering that she has a sense of humor that she can use to make us laugh - as you can see from the "blowing bubbles" video. This isn't the best example of her abilities of blowing bubbles, but I love how mischeviously she smiles when she realizes she's being funny.

We're also having a blast at Musikgarten, which we started last week. This week, Anna regaled the whole group with lots of squeals and attempted clapping - she loves to "sing" and "dance"!

Pops!

After much begging, pleading, and non-stop "popping," Pops has finally gotten his wish - Anna is saying "pop!" Here's a video to prove it - and congrats, Pops!

Holiday Catch-Up

As I hope it's been for all of you, the Christmas and New Year's holidays have been a time of excitement, happiness, and non-stop insanity! We had a wonderful time with our friends and family, but I have to admit that I'm glad we're back to our normal routine today.

It has been forever since I posted, so I'm going to create a giant post this time with lots and lots of pictures from the last month.

Mimi and Anna looking pretty for a holiday party

Our Christmas Angel

Earlier in December, we decided to take swim lessons as a family - she loves the water, and is a great paddler!

Daddy / Daughter snuggle time

Opening Christmas presents at Ma and Paw-Paw's

Mid-splash in her rubber ducky bathtub

We love our tub time...

...because we frequently get very messy!

"Making" cookies for Santa (hey, I took the easy way out this year!)

Coming in to see what Santa brought. I wish I had taken a picture of everyone crowded around to see this event - there were about 15 people in our living room, all with cameras!

Getting ready to jump into the loot

With our new ball and pound 'n roll

All those toys, and all she wants to play with is the pieces of flooring!

I promise to post soon with videos of Anna talking, crawling and pulling up. She is now saying "bwa," "ba," "da," "ma," "fa," "ca," and making lots of razz sounds. As far as crawling, she is now so adept at it that we are constantly finding her in rooms that we didn't leave her in - this morning she followed me from her room to the bathroom to my bedroom to the kitchen, all without me helping her at all! Pulling up is her new thing, and she has mastered the safety gate on the playroom, her crib rail, and the walker Ma and Paw-Paw gave her for Christmas. Pretty amazing for a little girl who, just a month ago, was only saying "ma" and scooting around!

Thanksgiving in Ruidoso

We just spent four wonderful days in Ruidoso at my parent's cabin with Will, Audrey and Keegan celebrating Thanksgiving. We all had a great time relaxing, snow tubing, shopping and eating, but the best part of the trip was getting 5 inches of snow on Friday night and Saturday morning. Ruidoso looked like a winter wonderland Saturday morning - how fun for the kids and for us!

Hanging out with Don Will and Donna Audrey

Reading with Audrey

Snowflakes in her hair

It's cold!
This is the view from the cabin - wow!
Don't you love her giant puffy snowsuit?
We were lucky to get snow in Midland this morning, too - so we made a cowboy snowman

Kansas City

Last weekend, we went to Kansas City with Mimi and Pops and had a great trip. It was Anna's first time in a plane and she did a beautiful job. We were all amazed at what a great traveller she always is!

The most exciting development for Anna as of the past few weeks is her ability to scoot. She has been performing for Jimmy and I in the evenings and we are blown away by how fast she is growing up. 6 months old! It doesn't seem possible...

Enjoy the pics and videos below!

Anna's first girl friend, Emily

In Union Station

Check out the beautiful fall colors of Kansas City

Be sure to listen to the sound on this video - I love all those little grunts!

Our little girl LOVES water :-)

6 Month Pictures

Hello all! No pictures from me this time - but I wanted you all to be able to see Anna's 6 month professional pictures that we took yesterday. They're wonderful!

Just go to:

www.rachelparkhurst.com

Then go to the "Clients" tab. The password is "anna".

The Cutest Ladybug Around

Happy November! Last night, Anna dressed up as a ladybug for Halloween, and though she wasn't terribly happy about her costume most over the evening, I did get a few good pictures of her right after we put it on, thank goodness! I'm also posting pictures of us and our pumpkins we made, pictures of Anna taking her first few bites of rice cereal, and a video of her sitting up. Just in a week, she has improved this skill ten-fold and is able to sit unassisted for several minutes at a time. What a big girl she is!

Be sure to notice Jimmy's mouth in this picture (ha!)