i don't know where to start -- anna is just leaping forward into all sorts of new efforts. first, the talking. she has so many different expressions, but my all time favorite has to be her "oooooooooooooh" -- much like chinese, the meaning all depends on her inflection. one is a request for attention: "ooooOOOh?", one is to note that something hurt a little: "OOOooooohhh", one is to express excitement: "OOOOOOOOOOOH!" and one is sort of a little dialogue with herself about something in her hands: "ooooo. ooo. oooooooo."

the other day she fed me a cheerio. i asked and she plunked it right in my mouth.

she still looks a lot like ava, but yet different. she has a much more elf-like look to her. her features are a bit more pointed. well, by that i mean her chin. her nose is just a nose. not pointy. but there is something more delicate about all of her features.

she adores playing in the playroom with the big legos--and things mixing them up as fast as possible in a pile on her lap is the best thing ever. it makes a great sound.

in the meantime, when we are not adoring anna, we have been very very busy craft-wise. we made felt balls out of raw wool which will hang on the tree, we cut out felt christmas trees and snowmen and decorated them for the tree, we put glitter on pine cones, we made cinnamon ornaments, ava finished her finger knitted scarf and yes some whiteyarn blue so that she can make carter one, i manged to make a hat (SO proud), and we are almost finished with ava's finger knitted garland. if it all works out, we will have a very full christmas tree.

carter has also been busy with his new favorite art supply: the stapler. he staples everything can get his hands on. well, paper-wise. he keeps making "books" but her staples them entirely together so that you cannot open them. it is pretty cute.

they are both at school, after a long break. none of us wanted to go back. i mean, i really really really need a break/vacation/day alone, and i do appreciate the chance to at least have 2 hours, but i felt like i was the meanest mommy in the world when they both clung to me and cried. granted, we had a rough morning, but despite everyone's assurances that this whole school thing is for the best, i harbor some serious doubts. but the one thing i know for sure is that ava is learning like crazy. so...off we go.