Still no idea what happened with Anna.  Richard came in after 9pm and asked me to help him get a late email out.  The computer was all shut down and Anna was in her night night, and so I left her there and came to the office to help out.  

She was getting fussy, in the few minutes that there was a change… and I hollered I hear you, I am trying!  Well Richard went into my room, to talk to her  and she was fine.  A bit later he went back in to talk to her, and must have startled her.  All of a sudden she is screaming!

I run in there, thinking she has a finger stuck, or a toe or something BIG to make such a HUGE noise.  No, she is sitting in her night night, yelling at him.  laughs I have no clue why or what.

I said ANNA are you ok? yeah ….. What happened?? she is looking at me… I am moving the block from in front of her (so she can not move the night night all over) and opening the door and taking her out.  She gave me the biggest hug and was big deep breaths girl lol

So I took her out to the office, down to the dryer and did a couple of extra things, before back to bed.

She was fine, the whole time.  Apparently she missed her mommy :)

 

love

anna’s mom

got paperclips?

Last night I decided to teach Anna how to use, a paperclip as a tool.  She has an old phone base, has played with it for, hmmm, 3 years now.  The place where the batteries fit, is protected with a little door, that hides the place, and you open it with a paperclip point. 

So all these years she has looked and tried and wondered; and I decided she was big enough to safely learn the trick.  We head to my desk, open the paperclip tin, and I take ONE out, and she takes one HANDFUL!

Anna!  She drops “them” to the floor and I pick up about 6 of them.  I can not see her, on the back of my neck and ask is that ALL of them? she drops about 4 more.  I pick them up and ask again, is that ALL of them???  and she drops about 3 more – repeat.

So I had a pile on my desk to fix with out her help later.  This morning I found 2 more on the floor.

All for one paperclip. 

How did the tool lesson go?  Well first it is no longer needed, after we opened it up the third time she broke the “hinges” that held it locked in.  Laughs 

She never did use the tool correctly, she just placed it near and expected me to fix it for her!

 

love

anna’s mom

changes!

Since we temporarily are living in a house that is being remodeled, Anna and I have been sleeping in the dining room.  Well yesterday afternoon, I moved my bed, her night night and our stuff into a bedroom.  A room with a DOOR!  Trust me when you have been in the open for months, a door is a good thing.  

So Anna watched me killing myself moving the boxspring and bed, all by myself, and the cabinet, and her stuff.  All of it going away and not coming back and she was starting to wonder, what was going on.

Then I take her to see, and we get in our old room and it is worse then she thought! Nothing came back!  She was worried lol 

I said it is ok, let me show you, all of our stuff is in brothers room.  Now thank the heavens her poor brother was not here, becasue she was pissed, and ready to eat him for having OUR STUFF!  I said as we were walking remember brother took his stuff and moved to his house, well we are going to have OUR room be in here now.

She came in ready for a brawl – laughs – and then went HEY all of our stuff is here and it IS OK! on to the bed, look over all the edges, to the window, to her night night to her toys to …..

and we slept great last night!

love

anna’s mom

Ahh her phone!  Anna has one of those Fisher price phones, that when you push the button it plays a nursery rhyme tune.  Like a part of Mary had a little lamb, or This old man, or London bridge is falling down.   It is cute, and a sturdy toy (fyi Fisher Price holds up well for monkeys) it also lights up, and has a place where you can “dial”. 

Well she has not played with it for some time, she has ignored it in the bottom of her toy box.  Mostly she has been choosing her books, and a whistle, and such.  Well last night she remembered how much she LOVES that phone.  Of course it was the same night I had a crushing headache, one of those where it hurts to breathe or move your hair aside.  

Any bets on how she plays tonight? when I am headache free??

love

anna’s mom

We are working on new stuff this week.  A new mommy look, and see if Anna is ready this time around.  You see I used to have a braided ankle tie, on nearly always well at one point, the one I had was getting tired, and she got to be part of it going away, and a new one coming on soon after.  Well she would NOT leave it alone, and I do not remember what else was happening with her at that time – but I chose to take it off and not put it back till after…

Well that has been a long time, and I am ready to put braids in my hair too, so I thought now is a good time, to get the anklet on first.  That has actually gone pretty well for the last few days, so yesterday I got one braid in with a ribbon.  Last night was the first night to see if she would bother it.

Frankly she seemed to not care as much about that, as to the clip that was in a different spot. 

laughs

She was last night still pulling at the anklet some, so we will see.  But she is more mature now, so I have high hopes!

Then again I still have high hopes on please and thank you in sign language too!

 

love

anna’s mom

You might thing it is all fun and non-stop excitement here at Casa Anna.  But no, often it is quiet, and simple and even boring.  That trust me is a good thing!

Last night however she was in a fiesty and naughty mood, and trying to find a way to sidetrack her was NOT HAPPENING.  So I get up, say come on! She jump on my back at my shoulder and take her outside in the middle of the yard, where it is dark.  Now she is not real fond of the dark, and was torn with getting down and playing on the stepping stones, and staying on my shoulder, and going back in.  About 2 minutes and she was in a different thinking place so in we went.  

All was well and she was being sweet and good, and stood up and I said – pretty anna — over and over.  She LOVES that and it happens often, even from strangers, “oh you are pretty”.  So after saying it a lot of times, I asked her, is that your favorite song?  YES 

So we ended up with about 10 minutes of Pretty Anna.  laughs try it yourself, a) you will smile b) you will laugh and c) you will think how long did she do this?

Anna is a labor of love…laughs

 

love

anna’s mom

Yesterday was clean up my desk day.  Since I work from home, other stuff tends to get left on my desk.  On top of that I got a new monitor this week (which btw I LOVE!!) so I needed to rearrange where stuff goes on the desk and wall.  The new monitor is a skinny one, and can sit in front of me, instead of off to the side.  

So anyway … I am filing stuff and needed to be in the file cabinet that is next to Anna’s playpen.   The one she wants IN and that I have to keep locked.  So I am standing right there, and leave it unlocked and a bit open and she is amazed and filled with HOPE!

She gently reaches out, and pushes the drawer closed.  I smile at her and say well THANK YOU what a big girl helper you are! (knowing full well that was not her real intent lol)  So as I continue to look, and look for the darn page I need in a pile a good 4 inches thick.  She reaches out, watching me carefully….she gently starts to open the drawer, ever so sloooow.  I say Oh thank you for reminding me it is not locked, and she quickly pushes it shut.  I giggle to myself, and keep looking for the illusive page.

Then I have to turn my back, still looking but now on the files on the love seat.  The tempation is too much for poor little Anna – as she manages to sneak the drawer opena  good 5 inches and is trying so hard to see and reach IN to the drawer (that was changed out while she was in bed a few nights ago) and seems to no longer have a reachable set of files!

It was pretty darn funny, but I think the word she would choose is frustrating.

 

love

anna’s mom

Today I was at the dollar store for a couple of little things – an extra for a game for the baby shower, and some toilet paper (seriously soft and thick and a BUCK) and perhaps an Anna toy.  I told her that while I was out I would look and see.

Well I did bring something home, and she was very excited!  

So do you wonder waht I bought or what makes a good toy?

 

Toys need to be very, very durable, since she is very storng, and has strong teeth and a strong jaw too.  She also loves to take anything and everything that she can – apart.  And I mean, to the last detail. 

Often cheap kids toys, are a mere moment of ripping and then a mess to clean up.  

Today I chose a set of 3 white funnels.  They all fit into each other, stacking; you can see through them and move air through them, or other things like food or liquid or string. 

Should keep her busy for awhile.

I handed it to her, with the plastic tie holding the 3 together, the cardboard label and the plastic plug that ran through all three.  After all that is half the fun for her!

love

anna’s mom

from a 5 year old friend

to anna — kids love her :)

Hi Anna~

                                Thank you for the birthday card.  I love Anna and wish I could give her a kiss.  I am five and Anna is five.  We are big girls.  I like to dress myself.  Today I put on my socks and shoes, but I can’t tie them yet.  Does Anna wear shoes? 

    Thank you, and I will send a card to Anna someday too. 

For those that think a monkey is simple …

Yesterday in a nutshell

I don’t want my vitamin.

I am hungry.

I want more food, I want a bottle, I want water, I want a bottle, I want more food, I want to play, I am not tired.

Finally a nap and some quiet.

Then I want lunch, I am hungry, I want a bottle, pay attention to me, I see a fly, pay attention, hey I need you, right NOW!!, I want a drink, I wnat a different drink, I want to play, I see a fly, I want attention, I don’t want a nap.

Then 15 minutes later — repeat!

all afternoon…THEN I take her to play early, and she wants to jump on my tummy, jump on my head, jump on my tummy, jump on my head, spill her puzzle, have a bottle, look outside, look at tv, move all the pillows, slam down the puzzle … repeat.

No I do not want to go to bed!

sigh ….

love

anna’s mom