Lots of Videos - Because you asked for them (And some pictures too)

Eating a bapple




Bowling




Chowing Down




How do you work this thing?




Cookies!




Jingle Bells




Lello?

Taking out the trash

Snow! (Well, Atlanta snow, there were a few flakes)

Trying to eat the candy cane ornament




Plastic bags are always a fun toy!


Noey!

Halloween

I was feeling a little like a lame mom because we got Mabel a last minute Target costume, but it turned out to be adorable. By the end of the day, I just started saying "yes" when people asked me if I had made it. We went to a party at a friends house with a bunch of kids and we all went out trick-or-treating together. Frances had helped Mabel practice trick-or-treating at home earlier, so she was a pro. Watching Mabel trick-or-treat in her garden gnome costume was possibly the cutest thing that ever happened in the history of the world. She held on to her bucket almost the whole time, fought her way up stairs and around the bigger kids and reached into candy baskets.

Catching Up

Okay, I know it's been it's been a while. Here's a bunch of cute stuff:

Books and cookies - her 2 favorite things.


Chocolate!


Mabel's first amusement park ride (at 6 Flags)


All done




Practicing animal sounds with Frances.





Mabel's first hike.



.

Couch potato





Mabel reading to herself while I do stuff around the house. Is my kid awesome or what?

Mabel's First Real Day at school

Getting ready for school the weekend before. Mabel is too cool for school





And her first day. I never got any pics of the fun and chaos when she first got there, but is snack time. It was so cute I almost died.


Unfortunately, after sitting at a regular table with her little friends, Mabel wanted nothing to do with the high chair for babies. She refused to let me put the tray on that night. So she wound up with stewed vegetables all over the place.

Mabel's First Day at school

Well, it was more like a trial run. John was lucky enough to bring her to her new classroom for an hour or so to see her schoolmates, the room, the other kids, etc. I was in maternity class, so I couldn't be there. She officially starts on Monday.




This is not at school, but just a really cute picture of Mabel and Frances.

So Proud

I'm pretty sure that some day Mabel will win the Nobel prize for literature. At 14 months, she's thoughtful and observant and she loves reading. I picked her up from the daycare at the Y the other day and she was sitting in the corner reading to herself. I know I'll be very proud of her Nobel prize and all, but I really can't imagine that I'll be any more proud than I am now of all the things she does, like ...


Using a spoon



Performing itsy bitsy spider (sort of)



Walking



Just being generally adorable and delightful

Mabel's Favorite Pastimes

Sorting through my bag.



Sleeping


Playing with the recycling




Looking up to Frances




Okay, this one's not really a pastime, but I thought it was a cute picture. Waking up happy from a nap.




Foraging in the fridge



Booty Dancing


And some other cool new things not caught digitally:

-Hugging her dolly
-Doing itsy bitsy spider
-Talking on the phone into everything (phones, remote controls, articles of clothing, pieces of deli turkey, shoes, etc.)
-Playing with her (or anyone else's) belly button

Holy Sh*t!!

So for over 2 months she's been walking holding one finger but refuses to let go. About a month ago, John and I started making her take steps between us, and she did just fine, but then stopped, and we've hardly gotten her to do it since. Suddenly, tonight, she decides she's ready. I was holding her, and she just kind of let go and took a few steps on her own. I quickly got John to come help. It started with a few steps and by the end of the night she was walking all over the house.

Trip to NY

Well Mabel somehow survived our week in NY. It was tiring for her, but she made it.

Mabel after our first day traipsing through the rain (she looks so pathetic!)



Sleeping through the many sites










Mabel at Ellis Island

Her shoes on display in their museum



Lady Liberty

Mabel meets Xavier
In the Apple store with her I-phone shirt

Toys!!!
On the train


At Aunt Joannie's and Uncle Steve's