Spurt

So we went to Prescott and Anthem park this week and took great movies, but unfortunately I don't know how to download them from the other camera... We're stuck with the few I took with this one. Check out how short my toes are! And you wonder why I'm not athletic...

This hat and stuffed animal came in a darling package my mom sent Spud for Valentine's Day. I still hadn't decided if I am going to give her anything since she doesn't know what it is and I am TOO CHEAP, so it's nice to have Nana do something fun. Spud is definitely going to wear the hat when we go to Seattle in a month for Jonah's baby blessing - it's awesome!
We had her 15 month check up this week. She checked out completely good and healthy. She is exactly on the RED line of the developmental chart for height and weight which means she is completely average - 22 lbs and 12 oz and 30.5".

Spud has hit a development spurt. All of a sudden she says the first syllable of a bunch of words - ball, bath, book, bird, water, cheese, baNAna, shoes, socks, bruSH, ouTSide, rock, baby. She can name all the parts of the face - eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, ears, and hair. I can give her simple directions to pick something up and take it daddy and she will do it. She calls me "Ma" and Geoff "Da Da." Today while he was at work, she walked around the house calling for him. It was so sweet. She calls dada after every motorcycle that we drive past on the road. She has learned to pucker her lips to kiss by sucking her cheeks into her teeth. She loves to dive on top of Geoff and I when we're laying on the floor. She is so happy and so much fun.

I am trying to break her of some things, though. She thinks it's so funny to claw at me and pull my hair. She loves to try to stick things in the electrical socket. I had resisted getting outlet covers because I thought I could train her out of it... I'm ridiculous. And today I found her drawing on the door with a pen... It's just beginning. I never thought I would need to know which cleaner will get ink off without taking the paint off - any suggestions?

I also received a hint of why I feel so frazzled and disorganized most of the time: Today, Katherine woke up an hour after I got up AND THEN SHE SLEPT FOR 90 MINUTES AFTER LUNCH... You know how much I did? It was insane how nice and normal I felt all day. I was showered, my house was clean, I read my scriptures, my coupons and mailings were organized, I was ready to go on our errands when she woke up and we were home in time to make RIBS for dinner!! That's insane. Why can't Katherine do this every day??
For the most part, I'm doing well. There times when our family is all together is when I'm the happiest. I get sad every Thursday night knowing Geoff has to go back to work. I listen to talk radio to keep myself company. I get angry when I think of how our country is becoming nationalized for its own sake and pray that this administration will only last 4 years. We have been entertaining ourselves by watching The Office. We are now in the 3rd season and it's hilarious. I can't wait to see how Jim and Pam end up getting together! My walking partner just challenged me to start jogging with her, saying that my muscle memory will kick in from when I trained for that marathon years ago... Who is she kidding?!! But I agreed to go tomorrow after a RS training broadcast from Salt Lake.

Well, ten buck Geoff is already asleep on the couch and I'm about to nod off as I write this... Love you all. I'm so glad to hear from you.