Sticking to the happy stuff.

A LOT has happened since I posted last. Some of it spectacular and some of it spectacularly crappy. I will post on the spectacularly crappy stuff another day.

On the spectacular side, it was wonderful having my Granny & Pop here to visit. We drove up a couple of mountains, picked some cranberries, ate more than once at the Klondike Rib & Salmon, and generally had a great time visiting and telling stories.

Jade's hernia hasn't slowed her down at all. We went to see the doctor, who suggested that we get an ultrasound and then see a pediatrician. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of concern about it. In fact, I haven't even noticed it since the first day we found it.

Jade is crawling like a maniac, zipping all over the place. It really keeps us on our toes. Fawn had to call me for assistance this morning. She had stepped outside to collect the mail. In the three seconds it took for her to reach the mailbox, Jade crawled onto to the floormat behind the door, blocking the door from opening. Not even a year old and she's already locking us out of the house.

Jade seems to be interested in four things now (not necessarily in order of priority):

1. My computer (and any wires that might be attached at the time)
2. The dog's food.
3. The cat's food.
4. Any piece of furniture that she can use to pull herself into a standing position.
   

And, oh, does she ever want to stand! She'll scoot all around the kitchen, exploring things like the vent (wow!) and the floormat (neat!) but she'll always end up at a piece of furniture where she can pull herself into a standing poisition.

Then, when she's standing, with a serious expression on her face, she'll look at Fawn until Fawn takes notice. As soon as Fawn sees her standing there, Jade breaks into a giant, beaming smile. And then she'll do the same to me. "Look at me! Look at me! I'm standing!!!"

Of course, it was intensely frustrating for her when she crawled under the coffee table and tried to stand. That big piece of wood just wouldn't move!

Jade's interest in the dog food has been especially challenging. Right now, we are trying to teach her "no". She'll make a bee-line for the dog food. When she's within a foot, we'll shout, "NO!" Then, she'll stop. And then she'll start towards the dog food again. It's at this point that we pick her up and move her away from the dish.

Of course, she scoots herself around and heads right back for it and the whole cycle repeats except that each time we move her, we move her further and further away from the dog food.

It was a lot easier with the dog.

I can't help but beam every time I see her. She's so very different than she was just two weeks ago. This new-found mobility has suddenly given her a depth of character and personality that wasn't there before. She's determined. She's curious. She's adventurous. Now she can explore the world on her own steam.