I learned three important lessons from this adventure:
1) There is a reason this stuff is non-toxic. Hello, mouthful of red finger paint. It must not have tasted very good, because she didn't try it again.
2) It comes off of everything...except some things. This day will forever be remembered by the yellow stains on her tray. Of course the red came off perfectly. Gah!
3) Life is messy. If it's not, you aren't really living. And yes, I'm the one learning this lesson from a very wonderful 29" tall teacher.
"Look, ma! I can already mix colors!"
Get your warrior face on!
It took a little clean-up, but as you can see, Zoë had a blast! And now I have her very first work of art hanging on the fridge. *Sigh*
Today Zoë and I joined our friends, Joanna and her two year-old Caedmon, for a trip to Frederick Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids. Zac and I went two years ago and I have been looking forward to a chance to take Zoë to the Butterfly Garden for several months. It was a beautiful day and we all had a great time!
Zoë, showing her excitement!
Checking out the butterflies, and the lovely tropical flora
After enjoying a stroll through the Butterfly Garden, we headed outside in the *hot* sun (is this March or July???), and fortunately found some water to play in. Zoë had a blast splashing and watching the fountains, and mommy had fun taking pictures (as you can see.)
Thanks Didi for the shorts and whoever (I can't remember) for that adorable hat!
So darn cute!
We ended our tour with a trip to the "big horse" (Caedmon and Zoë chillin' out by his hoof :), and a yummy picnic under a gazebo. What a great day!
Happy 10 months to our rapidly growing and developing little girl!
#10: When she toots, I say "excu-u-use you!", and she gets this mischievous little smirk on her face. Hysterical!
#9: One of her favorite pastimes is to pull up on something to her knees and then bounce and sing, and bounce some more.
#8: Zoë laughs hysterically in two specific situations: 1) when being tickled, especially under the neck and 2) when she is doing something she knows she should not be doing and mommy or daddy come chasing after her. Then we have to keep from laughing and sound firm and serious. Haha!
#7: The little "humph" sound she makes. She will carry on a conversation with that one sound - "humph...humph....humph-humph."
#6: Her singing. Right now she is a little loud one-pitch-wonder, but I can tell she is singing. And it is beautiful to my ears. Most of the time.
#5: Those big, gorgeous brown eyes that are always curiously exploring.
#4: The way she looks when she crawls, with hands slightly turned inward and hips swinging her little bum (which is cutely enlarged by her cloth diapers) back and forth. Sometimes she will catch a toy or blanket by her knees and carry it with her all the way to her new destination. Never. Slowing. Down.
#3: How she explores an item with her hand - placing the palm flat on the surface, then lifting her fingers up and down and up and down, tapping ever so lightly. But then once she gets used to it, she starts banging.
#2: Her angelic sleeping face. And little baby snores.
#1: Her wrinkly-nose-pudgy-dimpled-cheek smile - it melts my heart.
And many, many more. This past month has been brimming over with new developmental skills, like waving, clapping, stair climbing, more articulate babbling, pulling up to knees and then standing, and a little bit of cruising.
But it is difficult to just tell you about it it - so we will show you. Here are two videos to give you a little glimpse of what our go-getter has been up to - enjoy!
