She's begun to really hug! I love love love this stage when the Littles first start to squeeze your neck. It's so endearing because the hugs are no longer one-sided.
Of course, there are times when Raegan does it because she doesn't want me to put her down or she doesn't want someone in the nursery to take her...but seriously, who cares?! :) The end result is still a death-squeeze of a sweet hug.
She has always been an easier baby. At least after the first 6 weeks, when Jet and I thought we'd die from sleep deprivation.
But since that time, she's gone to bed easily. Talking and reading in her bed before going to sleep. Talking and singing to herself when she wakes up in the morning, waiting for us to come and get her.
Jet and I have always made it a habit to put our girls down to bed early. Usually by 7 or 7:30 PM. I recently told someone (when questioned about the early time) that it's because Jet and I need a life outside of our children because we are still married...and not just co-parenting. Thus, our girls think anything experienced during the 8 o'clock hour is REALLY special. Like a sunset for instance...they never see one during the summer months.
Well as of last week, Raegan's newest bedtime ritual emerged because we kept them up a little later than usual. 7:45 PM!
Raegan walked into the room where we were all sitting. Declared "Night night!" Proceeded to dole out kisses to anyone within reach. And then, while continuing to yell "Night night!", she promptly walked over to the gate on the stairs to wait for us to take her to her bed!!!
It was the cutest thing ever!!
And the other day, as Jet was putting in a new door at my parents' house, Raegan did the same thing for naptime. She suddenly decided that I wasn't going to put her down and took matters into her own hands, running to "her" room at Grandma's. I came into the room with her trying to climb up the port-a-crib.
I don't think she could be any easier in the whole realm of sleeping. Of course we DID pray while she was still in the womb for a baby who needed lots of sleep. :)
She's also begun to speak in sentences (more than the rare times she did it some months ago). "It's a doggie!" "There's a baby!" "That's a no!"
Not surprisingly (with two very talkative older sisters), her vocabulary has, again, taken off as she is adding new words daily. At this point, there's no way for me to keep up with all that she's saying. She's already at the stage where whatever you say, she says it. Or will knock herself out trying.
And on top of her loving, smart side, her aggressive, bold nature continues to blossom. Usually it's a good thing. Yesterday, not so much...
I walked into the room to find her armed with a broom. hitting our ever-so-sweet doberman repeatedly on the head. He just looked at me pitifully, doing nothing.
Though he's large, he's relatively harmless. Unless you are a stranger and "his girls" are out in the yard playing. Then, not quite what I'd dub "harmless".
But regardless of his sweet nature with the girls, you have to consider it from her point of view. It's like she's looking up at a very large horse, showing no fear, and taking matters into her own hands by beating the large beast into submission.
Just to give you an insider's view at the size difference... here they are together a few months ago.
Bottom line, the girl is fearless.
