Yesterday, a friend came over with her two boys. While the older kids were playing, the adults and the baby were in the living room where Natalie was on the floor, trying her best to roll over. She’s been working at this skill with such good-humored patience for the past couple of weeks; it’s been inspiring to watch her. Wouldn’t you know it, I left the room for a minute, and she rolled over. So, it wasn’t Ron or I who witnessed it for the first time – but my friend! She was so excited about her new trick that she spent all night practicing. She’s still in our room, so all night long this is what I heard: grunt, grunt (as she exerted herself) then a few moments of silence, after she’d succeeded. Then, waaaahhhh!!!! because she doesn’t like to be on her stomach for very long. She does know how to roll back the other way, but I think she was so surprised at being on her stomach that she caught herself off-guard.

Last night, I was trying to clean up the supper dishes while Natalie lounged in her high chair and Sammy sat at the kitchen table, finishing his supper. Natalie was tired and started wailing, but I couldn’t get to her right away. Sammy took matters into his own hands and got right up in her face, saying, “Cut it out, Natalie! CUT IT OUT!” I wonder where he might have heard that phrase? Could it be the million and one times that I’ve told him that while we’re driving somewhere, and he’s sitting in the backseat whining because, I’M STRAPPED IN AND IT’S CUTTING OFF MY CIRCULATION AND I CAN’T RUN AROUND AND WREAK HAVOC AND WAAAHHH WAAHHH WAAAHHH.

I was definitely ready to come back to work this morning.