Where My Sister Goes, I Go
We went to the pediatrician today to get an assessment for Zoë. Naturally, Miranda came along. Pretty much everywhere that Zoë went, Miranda wanted to go. The waiting room area is very big and spacious (with many different offices radiating from it), so Zoë was pretty much free to run around a bit and play. I put Miranda down on the floor and she watched Zoë, and wherever Zoë went, Miranda tried to go, although she seemed very frustrated that she can't crawl as fast as Zoë can run.
Eventually, Miranda resorted to calling out, "Da!" and getting her dad to carry her to wherever Zoë was, since he was keeping an eye on Zoë and went mostly where she did.
During the appointment, Zoë immediately dove into the toyboxes and when I put Miranda down, she crawled right over to join in the play. We had a long talk with the doctor about Zoë and her behavior, etc., and then it was time for the doctor to examine Zoë physically. To do this, Zoë had to sit up on the exam table. Miranda then crawled over to the doctor's feet and looked up at the table plaintively. I picked her up (to keep the doctor from stepping on her or tripping) and lifted her to the other end of the table where she could see what was going on, and that seemed to satisfy her.
Later, I put the baby down and she did the same thing. This time her dad picked her up and she very clearly indicated with body language that she wanted to be on the table, too. If that's where the big sister is, then that's where the little sister wants to be, too, by gosh!
Stand up and turn around
Miranda stood up in the middle of the room tonight and turned right around, by taking little baby steps with one foot. Very clever, indeed. So far she's only managed about three little steps before falling down, but she keeps practicing all the time, so it won't be long before she's running all over the place.
She's also very much enjoying her sister's company lately. They play together now, and it's very cute. Zoë can't always be bothered with the baby (well, that's typical older sister behavior, I think), but it's clear that they like each other.
And, of course, a couple days ago they were both getting into a cupboard together. Hooray.
Toddler
Miranda is certainly a toddler now. Tonight she went over to the couch where I had some clean laundry that needed folding and sorting and she pulled it all down. Then she crawled around to where her sister was sitting and took big sister's juice bottle and drank it all herself before coming over to my desk in order to try to grab things off to top. And, of course, when we tried to stop her or direct her elsewhere, she protested loudly.
Yup, definitely a toddler...
That's my sister!
For a few weeks, Miranda's been saying what sounded to me like her sister's name. Andrew wasn't so sure, but today she said it in a context that was unimistakable. We were outside the pre-school waiting for the session to finish and Miranda kept looking in the big windows at the kids and saying, "Zoë?" She certainly does know her sister's name and she uses it when she's looking for her.
She's also saying her own name, as far as I can tell. It's hard to be sure because it sounds like "ah-da-da" and might be just babbling, but the way she uses it makes me think she's talking about herself. I'll have to wait a little longer and see the context for it.
We've always joked that Miranda's going to be talking before Zoë is, and that may end up being the case!
Step by step
Tonight, Miranda took a couple of very small steps by herself. It won't be long before she's walking all over the place!
Wigglemonster
Yesterday, at a family reunion in the country, Miranda managed to fall on her head three different times. Twice was onto the ground, but the third time she fell off a bench onto a hard floor and got a bruise on her head. All three times she fell it was because she stood up when she shouldn't have and lost her balance quicker than a parent could catch her.
I think we can safely say she's entered toddlerhood.
Teeth and more
Miranda's finally gotten that tooth through. It's been showing for ages, and today I noticed it had finally come through. Now she's got four on the top and two on the bottom.
Today she stood up, all by herself. I don't mean that she just balanced while standing (which she can do, briefly), but that she actually crawled a bit, leaned forward onto her hands, and stood right up. She wasn't able to stay up very long, but she did manage to stand.
I don't think it'll be long before she's walking.
What's your point?
Miranda has started pointing at things. I'm not sure she entirely understands the purpose of it, but it's a really fun game. Daddy will ask her, "Where's Daddy?" and she points at him. Then he asks, "Where's Mama?" and she points at me. Well, most of the time. Sometimes she points to the wrong person, but that's funny, too, apparently.
Her other new trick is to "strum" her fingers on her lips to make that "buh buh buh" noise children enjoy so much. And if she doesn't make enough noise to suit her, she supplements by buzzing her lips as well.
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