sick

Sadly, Lara D is coming down with another cold. It's not too bad, or at least, it is still in the early stages. Nonetheless, I have been carrying around a box of tissues and have once again gotten

out the vaporizer. I am not really complaining; after all, in 14 months, we've only dealt with one fever and haven't experienced any diarrhea or vomiting (excluding those snotty moments). I'd say we have a pretty healthy little girl.

In my pre-mother days, I was somewhat judgmental toward other parents, like most pre-parents are. My friends' children would be sick ALL the time and I couldn't help wondering...do you not feed them healthy food? Do you not bathe them?? Do you not clean your house?? But now I understand...no matter what you do, little kids just get sick all the time. And then you hear people say, "Well, it's just that time of year when it starts going around." They say this in the Spring, Fall, Summer, and Winter months. Is there ever a time when something ISN'T going around??

Well, anyway, despite all that, Lara has been in a great mood today and has been very "self-sufficient," as daddy likes to call her, in which she is content to crawl all over the house and play by herself.

Lara does pretend play now, and it is very cute. For instance, she will pick up her nativity set people and babble and walk them over the carpet. Then she will say, "Ahhhhh!!" and knock them all down. We didn't teach her that.

Now, when I say "babble," I am referring to baby-language. It's more than just making noises; it's like she is carrying on a conversation with herself. She especially does this when she is looking in the mirror at herself. In the English language, Lara is picking up words pretty well, so that I don't really keep track anymore. Sometimes she will forget a couple when she learns new ones, though. And you also have to pay attention to her tone. She will say "thank you" "excuse me" and "here," but you can only tell by the tone in her voice, because it pretty much just sounds like "da u" "da e" and "duh".

Lara has finally found enjoyment in walking around the house using her push lion toy. She will go up and down the hall and into all the rooms.

Here was Lara one year ago around Christmas time. How time flies.