Almost rolling!

These pictures are from the weekend of April 9th and 10th. Anna was getting SO close to rolling over (she'd done it here and there, but never very intentionally or consistently).

She'd pivot with her leg and be about 80% there.

But she couldn't quite do it and would flop back.

The singing glow snail was always good motivation.

This stage ended soon...by the next weekend, she was a heckuva roller. :)

Got It! A Bath Time Victory

This is what a bath time victory looks like!

After she found the water and tried to get a good grip on it...she discovered the hose itself was way more fun.

Because not only can you grab it.. But you can also use it...

...to take a swig!

Whee!

Flipper

Why is it that the non-toys are so much fun??

The Real 25 Weeks.

Anna was shocked to find out that I had my weeks mixed up and had accidentally called 24 weeks 25. This is the real 25 week photo!

Can't...Quite...Grab...It.

It's been so fun watching as Anna has started to see things, focus in on them, then grab them.

She seems to get better and better. She's intense as she works at it and we get a kick out of it.

Several weeks ago, she found the water coming out of the spout:

Tongue out, she worked ever so hard to seize it!

It was funny to watch...

And anytime I do bath pics, I can't help but take a picture of these sweet little toes!

We think this one resembles Jabba the Hut. Just a little.

:)

A Musical Trip

A few weeks ago, Anna and I ventured north to the frozen tundra for a visit.

While we were there, Anna was serenaded...

...and she enjoyed every second of it!

She loooooves music....

...and was lucky to have a couple eager teachers!

This is the piano my grandmother, brother, cousins and I have enjoyed for years.

It's an antique player piano that, with a simple switch, plays glorious tunes on its' own.

But this day, Anna was making music of her own.

And her instructors had just as much fun as she did. :)

The Elusive 24 Weeks

So the days of undisturbed, orderly blocks are coming to an end.
This week...the week I thought was Anna's 25th...(turns out it was the 24th. Oops)...was the first where I couldn't keep her out of the blocks.

She worked and worked and focused and focused and reached and reached...

...until her concentration was rewarded.

Then, she went back for more.

It was all downhill from there!

So focused! So drooly!

Good times.
At least arranging the blocks will be easy next week!

"Great" Aunt and Uncle

Spring break brought a visit from my Uncle Doug and Aunt Sue! This was her first time meeting Miss Anna...though Uncle Doug was able to come spend some time with us over the holidays.

Anna had a ball spending time with her Great Aunt and Uncle.

They were the best guests.
They cooked delicious dinner.
They watched Anna while I worked.
They stayed with her while we ran errands.
And they loved to lounge around, drinking coffee and playing with the baby.
You know, our favorite past time!

Uncle Doug took several great photos that I copied off his camera.

This particular weekend, she was really starting to use her thumb and forefinger
to grab a specific, small thing. She was supremely focused and said thing
always ended up in her drooly jowls.

So cute.

We enjoyed a couple of great, lazy days...

Catching up and swapping stories.

(lots were about my favorite cousin, who has yet to meet Miss Anna. Yes, she's holding
it against him. Bzzzz)

So glad they spend some spring break with us!

When Irish Eyes are Smiling....

So if there were ever a mutt of a baby, it's ours.
So many ethnicities make up who she is.

Even though her dad doesn't have a bit of Norwegian or Swedish in him...and I don't have any Bohemian (?) or Italian...there is one bit of heritage we have in common.

We celebrated St. Patty's day by donning the green jammies...
And putting her in dad's "Ireland" cap.

I don't think she really appreciated the fun of St. Patty's.
But then again, she can't drink green beer.

23 Weeks

Anna's 23rd week brought the first round of March Madness.
So, in honor of her favorite team....

...she wore her K-State shirt. And though we were watching the games, she was oh-so-interested in her blocks. The need to GRAB EVERYTHING IN SIGHT was starting to take off.

Hands, feet, bears...anything would do.

Needless to say, the blocks didn't last too long.

The games brought in some great daddy-daughter time, but unfortunately
Anna's team spirit didn't do much good.

They lost in the second round. Not the greatest
intro to March Madness, but hey, we've got plenty of years
of watching to go!