Walking and Talking...

Rachel has become such a toddler in the last month. She is taking steps, literally, and really developing her personality and expressing herself. Though she doesn't have the confidence to walk for very long on her own, she has taken as many as 8 steps at once, and every day she tries harder to take one more step before plopping down on the floor. She also walks like an expert behind her push-along toys, zooming so fast that I can barely keep up with her.

She is becoming quite the talker too, though I can only discern a little bit of what she is trying to say! She likes to yell...and she laughs at us when we tell her "No!" now, so I fear for the teenage years. Duane and I have been singing the alphabet song to her, and she repeats "Ahhh-bayy" back to us. She seems to enjoy that song the most. And she "reads" constantly, which makes me very happy. I always loved to read as a child, so I encourage her reading.

But our new favorite game is "tea party." My cousin gave Rachel a tea set her daughter no longer uses. I showed Rachel how to pretend to eat out of the bowls and how to pour tea in the cups. She LOVES it! She grabs it and pulls out the plates and forks and stabs at the pretend food and "eats" it. She even makes noises while she pours tea!

We are very close to finding a new babysitter for her, which is bittersweet because we will dearly miss Melissa. She has been such an important person in Rachel's 1st year of life that I can't imagine the impact she has had on my daughter. However, I am very hopeful that the new sitter will bring new friends and experiences for Rachel and be another positive influence in her life.

On another note, my job is still in the transition stage, and I know very little about where I am going. I know that my responsibilities will definitely change. I welcome the adventure, but I worry because I am going from a very large department to a very small department, and I am not sure how I will fare in the new environment. All my friends are being scattered as well...it is the end of an era.

But I am taking this transition and using it across my life. I have been really trying to do better to lose this last 10 pounds of baby weight. I go to Kickboxing on Tuesdays and AquaFit on Saturdays. I try to go to workout on Thursdays too as well, and I have been trying to adjust my diet to a healthier style and smaller portions. I am also trying to take on a healthier attitude about things -- most especially the people with whom I associate. I have said it before, but this time I am making a stronger effort to weed out negativity from my life.

I hope to have even better news in the next few weeks (no, I am not pregnant!). Stay tuned!