.: So much personality...

McKenna is getting quite the personality lately. She's really showing a lot of understanding and communication skills. She'll point to something she wants and says "That" and when I hand it to her and ask her "This?" she'll say "This" matter-of-factly. During a Wiggles song she sings the "quack quack" along with them and flaps her arms like a duck. During a Laurie Berkner song she says "bzzzz" during the part about the bees. During another Laurie Berkner song about having a song in your tummy (and your head/nose/bones/heart) she can mimick most of the actions and sounds for each verse. My favorite is when she puts her hand on her chest and taps it while saying "bomp bomp bomp bomp" like a heartbeat. These are all things she's imitating from the videos or from the dances we do together.

I've also noticed that she's figuring out pretend play. She actually has pretend tea parties with the tea set she got for her birthday. I watch her pretend to sip from the cups and eat from the forks. And yesterday she would bring a cup to me on the couch and hold it to my mouth. I'd say "Num num num.....Ahhhh!" and then she'd walk to Erick, climb up his chair at the computer, he'd lift her into his lap, she'd hold the cup to his mouth, he'd say "Gulp gulp gulp....Ahhhh!" and then she'd slide off his lap and walk back to me to repeat the process.

The sweetest thing is how her affection for Erick and I seems much more genuine then usual. Before kissies and hugs were more like a game. Now she seems to give them out of love. Today she was on the other side of the living room and I got down on my knees and held out my arms to her and she ran to me and I lifted her onto my lap and she wrapped her arms around my neck in such a tight hug that I felt like this little show of affection was just because she loves me and not because I'm the one who can get her out of the crib or protect her from strangers.

I also have to battle her for computer time.