Keila Love-Bug

It's crazy to me how it's nearly the end of April and I haven't had the chance to post anything all month! Life just seems to get busier and busier and in my few moment I muse over the changes that have occurred and wonder how could I have missed it all!

Keila has lost all the markings of a baby - no more the unsteady gait, the use of sign language or the chubby dimpled hands and feet. She's slimming out a little more especially as she runs the particular waddle of a toddler to keep up with Isaac. Her imagination has really begun to develop as in agitation she'll point to a corner and babble about some 'cary, cary' object. As with Isaac we've taught her the magic in touching the monster and they disappear which has satisfied her to some degree. Isaac was a dear in making a pet rock for Keila which he named Peacock Conner (don't ask me where that came from, I have no idea) that sits in her room to keep all monsters at bay. She giggles complusively when she can get the feather to flutter on the top of Peacock Conner's head and religiously greets him after a nap.


The famous Peacock Conner!

It's delightful to see her venture out and play with other children. Perhaps it's because she has Isaac, but she's learning to play cooperatively with others. (or at least not argue when the older ones tell her what to do!) Of course she's at that stage when words are limited and sounds much like the seagulls in Nemo, constantly yelling, "Mine? Mine? Mine, mine, mine' and I sigh a little at all her screams of frustration in communicating. But Kent and I have to chuckle becuase all too soon it'll turn into the constant chatter, and we can't quite decide which is better.



Playing with bubbles during a General Conference session.

She loves ... I mean, LOVES animals! This means Sunshine our rabbit, the dog next door to the worms in our worm farm. (Yes, we have a worm farm, but that is a post for another day) Just lately she's taken notice of babies and has shown a motherliness (is that a word?) that never fails to get some 'ohs' and 'ahs' from others. For all her feeding and cuddling of little people, she still refuses to hold a doll. I think I scarred her by showing her one of those 'Baby Alive' dolls. They're a little freaky in how their eyes and mouths move to imitate the real thing and now Keila runs in alarm if you attempt to put a 'fake' baby in her proximity. We hope this changes soon because we bought her a birthday present in advance (back at Christmas time) which consists of a doll with all it's accessories. I'm in for it otherwise!