August Photos

For those who missed the August milestones post, it's hidden below the Zuchinni & Fennel Soup recipe! I couldn't get it to move up. Anyway, it's long, and as usual, it is written mostly for me to remember my children as they were when I look back fondly on these times. They change way too quickly. But, for those who are interested in an update, it's all there. I put the pictures from last month separately in the current post.

Isabella being courted by her doting boyfriend, Ezra.

The baby likey the camera.

Too chic for her own good.

Ari is a little excited about www.BowsForAri.com

Isabella sportin her bow-hawk. Potty time for my big girl. Everyone should have one potty shot during their childhood. Period.
Another great weekend at the Chandler Mall play area. This is going to be the setting of a very large fraction of my kids' childhood photos.

My little darling on a day when she decided to skip her scheduled nap.

The men of my life.Gabe and Lana playing slinkie.First kiss.Gabe wouldn't take his eyes off of the gorilla behind us for one second.

Ariana was horrified by this crocodile. I thought that the Rainforest Cafe was supposed to be a fun place for children. No? Ultimate entertainment.
Little mannequin

recipe: Zucchini & Fennel Soup

Up until recently, I haven't put very many recipes up here. I get distracted and forget. Thanks for the reminders, and I'll be adding my favorites as long as I can remember to do it.

6-8 servings

1 large fennel bulb, sliced 1/2 in thick
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
salt
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4 lbs. zucchini, sliced crosswise 1/4 in. thick
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, smashed
1 qt. chicken stock
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)

I served this over rice, because I love soup over rice (it adds heartiness... and I blame the Asian in me).

1. In a medium saucepan, cover the sliced fennel with water. Add the lemon juice and a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the fennel is tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 min. Drain the fennel.
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the zucchini, onion and garlic, season with salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 10 min. Add the chicken stock and cooked fennel and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until the vegetables have softened completely, about 8 min.
2. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. Return the soup to the pot and season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls. Dollop 1 Tbs. of the creme fraiche into each soup and swirl in.

August Milestones

This post would've been up a long time ago, but it all got deleted after I finished it the last time! It has taken a lot of motivation to write it up all... over... again. Anyway, here goes. Ariana and Gabriel turned 30 months (2 1/2 years exactly) on the 19th and Isabella turned 11 months on the 27th.

Gabriel has been such a chatterbox lately (as if he wasn't before!). He wants to be included in every conversation that's going on around him. If he isn't, he'll either start talking really loud over everyone else or he'll just imitate (parrot) every word that is being said. It will literally sound like there's an echo in the room. Gabe's most frequent utterances are "why?" (in response to a request), "okay!" (his preferred word for 'yes'), "no Bella! Don't eat it!", "I O want to" (I don't want to), "Hey Mommy!" (to get my attention), "it's okay" (comforting his loveys when he's scared or nervous), "what's that?" (wants me to label everything). He loves to tell stories and has several books memorized completely.

I'm often surprised by the things that Gabe remembers and can recall spontaneously. I always say that kids at this age have minds that are like steel traps. I could probably think of tons of examples, but one that stands out in my mind is when I said to Gabe one time, "Mommy is too!" (I forget what I was referring to). Gabe stopped and looked at me a minute, then exclaimed, "No, Mommy! Gabe is two. Mommy is twenty-five!" I don't even remember telling him my age, but he sure told me!

Gabe is going through a bit of a "me". For one thing, he is wanting to do everything by himself, to the point where I'm beginning to wonder if I should draw the line before we cross into OCD territory. If anyone flushes the toilet, opens or closes a door, or turns on or off a light switch in his presence, he will most certainly flip out. Those jobs are reserved for him and him alone in this house, according to Gabe. He is also not wanting to share his toys, or any toys for that matter, even if they're not his. Gabe has never been too keen on sharing, but at least he's been permissive. This month, I don't think I can even say that. He will go out of his way to turn off his sisters' toys or take them away even if he was perfectly content playing with his own thing. It's so annoying!

That said, Gabe does have impeccable manners when he's in a good mood. He always says "bless you", "thank you", "no thank you", "please", "you're welcome", "may I", and "excuse me". It's not the first time I've mentioned it, I know, but I have to keep reminding myself that he is such a good boy... most of the time.

Gabe has gotten to be quite a singer lately. He has always loved listening to music & dancing (as all my children do!), but he's recently gotten really good at singing, and not just memorizing lyrics but carrying a tune! It's SO sweet! My favorite songs that he sings are Twinkle Twinkle and ABC's (same melody).

Gabe has a new favorite movie this month, and it just so happens to be my all-time favorite too: Dumbo. I cry almost every time I see it... and we've been seeing it A LOT. Gabe isn't the only one who likes this movie; Ari flips for it every time it starts. But Gabe is surely in love with the big-eared cutie pie. Gabe loves the soundtrack and requests that I sing all the Dumbo songs at mealtimes. He has started collecting elephants and carrying them around with him wherever he goes. He finds elephants in the strangest places! He carries an elephant figurine, an elephant flash card, and elephant puzzle piece with him. He also carries a stuffed stork around (like the one from the movie). He was thrilled when we went to the zoo and there were pictures of elephants everywhere, and yes, even real elephants! He doesn't know it yet, but he's going to be Dumbo for Halloween, and I'm just so excited!

Like I mentioned in my previous post, Ari has been eating with us at the table in her new booster chair. I can't say that I'm totally satisfied with how it positions her (even with the straps on), but we're getting by. She likes it, it makes getting in and out of her chair at the table much easier, and that's really all that matters. That, and she gets to use a placemat (just like Gabe), which she is so excited about.

Ari has been really making improvements in her crawling. She has gotten much faster, and she has really been using her legs and knees to push off instead of just her arms as she was doing initially. She is always going through my cupboards and chasing after her brother and sister. She does get frustrated at times, but I think that this only motivates her even more to get going. She always has a huge grin on her face as she's crawling, which tells me it's really empowering for her too.

Ari has also been babbling a lot more recently. It's like she has come into the awareness that she can make communicable sounds. She has been trying ever-so-hard to imitate us when we ask her to say a word. She is best at making the 'b' sounds and any words that start with that letter (i.e. "book", "ball", "bye"). She is making small progress in her 'd' sound, but it's inconsistent at best. However, I do need to give her credit here: One morning when Jake was about to leave for work, he asked her to say "bye bye Dada", and she did on the very first try. Simple as that. It was so cool to hear. One word that Ari has been trying really hard to say is "yes". When she says it, it sounds a lot like"ussss", which is pretty close. But, again, reinforcement and repetition is key, and our progress is very gradual.

Ariana has gotten an affinity towards nesting toys of all varieties (blocks, cups, buckets). She loves to put them in, take them out, stack them, nest them. It's good for her on so many levels to do this (cognition, fine motor, gross motor). And she never wants to share them either. I love seeing her get passionate about things like this. This month, Ari has also been trying to help us dress her by raising her arms when she's getting her shirts put on and taken off. This shows a depth of understanding, willingness to cooperate, and physical coordination. Her other favorite playthings are still books, magazines, and musical toys.

Ari has been spending more time in her stander. She tolerates it really well, considering how much work it requires from her leg muscles, but she loves the stander when Gabe is taking her on rides up and down the hall!

Isabella has turned the corner into toddlerhood this month. No, she's still not walking, but she's definitely a different girl than she was even a short couple months ago. Isabella has started lusting after independence, and there's no looking back from here. She is always on the move, and people are constantly commenting on how fast she gets to where she wants to go -- really, she never even pauses or looks back. She has developed quite a spunky personality, and I can no longer refer to her as my "easygoing" child. Isabella has figured out that if she wants to compete with her older siblings (for toys, attention, and whatnot), she needs to find ways of asserting herself. Isabella has become quite the little squeaky wheel. She loves to scream; be it whether she's happy, sad, scared, excited, hungry, or indifferent really. Basically, she screams all the time, and when she's not screaming, she is still talking in a very loud voice. She is always underfoot and wanting to be held. If I make eye contact with her or pass her by and don't pick her up immediately, I've just committed a major offence. Despite her new demanding streak (please, let this be a stage), she's still utterly adorable. Although she is still reserved around unfamiliar faces, with her family, she is so quick to smile and chuckle. She loves to sing and dance and make sound effects, anything to get a smile. Her favorite thing to do it entertain Ari and Gabe -- if she can get them to laugh at her, she feels like such a hero.

Along with this difficult stage, Isabella has been struggling with nap time. While I still think 11 months old is too early to cut down to one nap a day, Isabella has been resisting her naps a lot lately. She frequently cries when I put her down in her crib and wakes up after only an hour of sleep. I think part of this might have to do with separation anxiety, teething (she has a total of 6 teeth now), and her not wanting to miss out on any excitement that might go on without her, so I'm going to see how it plays out over the course of next month before I make any schedule changes. Another point of resistance is eating. I know, who would've guessed that my little glutton would ever turn her nose up at food?! Well, she's gotten to be pretty picky with the kinds of foods she likes. She tends to favor meats, noodles, cheese, and fruit. She has trouble with vegetables (my other two loved veggies!) and bread.

Isabella has been talking a great deal more lately. She's always jabbering about something or singing a song. She loves to be the center of attention. The words that she says include "mama", "dada", "uh oh", "wow", "dog", "no", "mEyo" (milk), "ball", "ticko" (tickle), and "bye". She's exceptionally good at imitating words (but I don't count those) and sound effects. She can frequently be heard making the sound of the washing machine, blow dryer, thunder, or whatever other sounds she hears. She is very accurate in her imitation, which makes me wonder if she'll be a singer or really good at languages.

Isabella has gotten to be such a little monkey! She can climb right up the stairs within seconds, and I am ashamed to say this, but I frequently lose track of her whereabouts for a minute and finally locate her playing happily in the ball tent upstairs (her favorite place in the house). She tries to climb onto the console table behind the couch, and one time I came out of the shower to find her standing on my nightstand, hanging onto the blinds with one hand, and throwing objects off the table and onto the floor with the other! I have no idea where she got her acrobatic genes, but it certainly wasn't from me.

Special Tomato Chair

Ariana has been outgrowing her highchair for a while now. Her legs were just getting super long, and we couldn't lift her out of her highchair the way we used to, because her legs would just get stuck. We had to make do with a special routine, where we would bend her legs up and then ask her to stand up in her highchair while holding onto our hands. She didn't mind this and neither did we, but I'll admit it did get to be a chore if we wanted to get her out of her highchair quickly. Also, it was pretty impossible for anyone besides Jake, Brooke, or I to maneuver. Anyway, a new feeding seat was long overdue for her, but she couldn't move onto a booster seat the way Gabe did a few months back, because her trunk still isn't strong enough to support her in that position (especially while eating). So we followed a lot of good advice and got her the Special Tomato floor sitter. Only, we're not using it to sit on the floor; we're only using it at the table. I ordered it about a month or two ago, and it just came in yesterday. Ariana loves it! She gets to sit right up to the table with everyone else, and I think it makes her feel so grown up. Plus, the novelty of anything new that comes in is sure to get smiles all around from her. She sits pretty well in it. It doesn't give her perfect posture, but it definitely offers enough support for her, and it's the right height for her to be with us at the table, and it is so easy to put her in and take her out. Jake had to jerry rig the straps, because she is a little tall for it, and the straps weren't long enough on their own. Now, it's perfect.

August Fundraising Stats

As of the end of August, HOPE for Ari has raised $5,900 towards its goal of getting Stem Cell Therapy for Ariana (this does not include recent funds raised at Old West Days in Holbrook, which will be accounted for in September's tally). Thank you so much to everyone who's helped. I can't tell you how much we appreciate all you do!

recipe: Oregon Tuna Melts

Here Sarah :)

One 12 oz. can albacore tuna
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. minced basil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 ciabatta rolls, split
Dijon mustard and mayonnaise, for spreading
Eight 1/4-in. thick lengthwise slices of kosher dill pickle
Eight 1/4 in-thick slices swiss cheese (6 oz)
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened

1. In a medium bowl, mis the tuna with the onion, olive oil, vinegar, basil and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a panini press or griddle. Spread the cut sides of the rolls with mustard and mayonnaise and top each roll half with a slice of cheese. Spread the tuna salad on the bottoms and cover with the pickles. Close the sandwiches and spread the outsids of the rolls with the butter.
3. Add the sandwiches to the press and cook over moderate heat until the cheese is melted, about 6 minutes. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve.

recipe: Hainan Chicken with Rice & Two Sauces

Here Lisa :)

Chicken & Rice:

One whole fryer chicken (bigger is better)
6 large scallions, charsely chopped
One 3-in. piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1.5 cups long grain white rice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2.25 cups chicken stock or broth
salt

1. Set the chicken in a large slow cooker, breast side down, & cover with water. Add the scallions and ginger and salt generously with Kosher salt. Cook for 6 hours on low heat. Flip chicken once, about half-way through.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Stir in the rice and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 13 minutes, until the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice and season with salt to taste. Cover and keep warm.
3. After chicken is cooked, transfer to a work surface. Reserve the stock for another use. Discard the chicken skin and remove the meat from the bones. Slice the chicken into thin strips. Arrange the chicken on a platter and serve with rice, Chile Dipping Sauce, and Scallion Dipping Sauce.

Chile Dipping Sauce

3 medium fresh hot red chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 Tbs. finely grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs. chicken stock or broth
1 garlic clove, smashed or minced
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. Sriracha chile sauce (Asian section of grocery)

In a mini food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Transfer the chile dipping sauce to a small bowl and serve.

Scallion Dipping Sauce

6 large scallions, finely chopped
2 Tbs. finely grated fresh ginger
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil

In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the scallions with the ginger and salt. In a small saucepan, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Pour the hot oil over the scallions and stir to combine. Serve.

Grammy & Grandpa Visit

Last weekend we enjoyed a really fun, albiet short weekend with Grammy and Grandpa Taylor. This time they came to visit us! They got in late Friday and left early Sunday morning, but the time was well spent. Saturday morning, we all went to Sunsplash and hung out in the lazy river and the wave pool. They took us out to dinner on Saturday night at Chipotle. Everyone (especially the kids) got to enjoy the quality time spent with their grandparents. It was so nice that they came down for no reason other than to hang out with us! It was a bonus that Jake and I even got a date night out of it. Can't wait to see you again soon!

Soapy Mess

On Sunday, when Gabe was in time-out, he managed to get revenge on me for his punishment. Gabe's time-outs are always in the downstairs bathroom, because sitting in a corner never made much sense to him. During this time, Gabe decided to go into the bathroom shower, pump out about a full cup of my Jason liquid body wash, and proceed to massage it all over himself. This was all occurring unbeknownst to me, as I was just happy to get a minute sans his misbehavior and whining. Isabella is known for her sixth sense for finding messes wherever they are, and she crawled over to join him in the shower for their soap-fest. All of this occurred within a five minute window, during which time I was so happy to hear Gabe and Bella giggling and seeming to be playing together nicely. I was reluctant to check on them and ruin the moment. I should have known better. This is what was waiting for me when I returned:

So, naturally, I moved the body wash, feeling smug in a lesson learned. The next day, when Gabe was sent to time-out, I thought surely I was in the clear. I was surprised to hear Isabella shriek soon after she approached the outside of the bathroom door. BUBBLES... yet another form of liquid soap... this time poured all over her head and eyes! I peeked inside the bathroom and the floor was liberally coated in the entirity of a 16 oz. bottle of bubble fluid. Gabe couldn't walk across the floor without slipping and falling with every step. It was just one of those many moments in which I find myself torn between whether to laugh or cry.

Goodbye to our Brooke

As many people already know, Brooke has been our nanny over last year. She has been here at our house, nearly every weekday afternoon since weeks preceding Isabella's birth. What many people may not know is that she has been so much more than just a nanny to us. To us all, Brooke was like a sister.

My children always looked foward to the afternoons when they would get to play and laugh with Brooke. They never had to share her attentions with the duties of daily life like they do their mom and dad. She was there for them alone to enjoy. In addition to being safe and cared for, in Brooke's hands, my children were always happy and being stretched to their fullest potential. But more importantly, with Brooke, my children were being loved. And they loved her in return. As a mother, that is what I valued the most.

To me, Brooke was a trusted confidante, friend, and helper. Having her around was like having a second self (only a calmer version). She helped me bear the burdens and revel in the joys of motherhood on a day-to-day basis.

Brooke loves children more than anything, and she is so wonderful with them. I am so happy for her that she is now expecting her own baby. She deserves it as much as anyone. In accordance with her doctor's recommendation, Brooke will not be working as a nanny anymore, so she can try to stay off her feet and take it easy during the first trimester. This news is, of course, so bittersweet to us. We are excited for her to be moving on to this new chapter in her life, but also sad that she won't be a part of our daily lives anymore. We will definitely be keeping in touch and planning on seeing each other as often as possible, but her absence will still be felt.

We'll miss you Brooke. Thank you for everything.

My Birthday Soiree

You may recall that I turned 25 last month (July 29). Well, in all honesty, it was kind of a hard birthday for me -- turning a quarter century! So, to make myself feel better, I decided to keep celebrating into the month of August so I can continue to feel like I "just turned" 25. So, Saturday, we corralled some friends together at the last minute and all went out for tapas -- which is very authentic Spanish cuisine -- at Lola Tapas. I had a really great time. Thanks to everyone who came out.For those who missed this one, that's one great reason to do it again soon. :)

Baby Clothes & Accessories For Sale!

I'm at it again... selling adorable baby boy and baby girl clothes, accessories, and Halloween costumes on Ebay, that is. Please check out my listings! Not to brag, but my kids tend to have pretty freakin' adorable apparel by anyone's standards (my mom gets all the credit for that). And because of the economy, recently Ebay items have been selling for way below their value, so anyone who bids is pretty much guaranteed a steal. Oh, and ALL proceeds go to HOPE for Ari!
http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/elisamtaylor_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_ipgZ

July Milestones

In July, Gabe & Ari turned 29 months on the 19th, and Isabella turned 10 months on the 27th.

This month, Gabe has been talking so much! He carries on full conversations with complete sentences, and I think he sounds coherent to most people by now. The only time people might not know what he's saying is when he combines some words by slurring them together ("I don't want --> "Iaowant") or when he starts talking about something completely unexpected and at times irrelevant to the conversation taking place :). But it feels kind of strange to finally have someone in the house that replies to me during the day (I'm so used to talking to babies that just make noises). His favorite thing to do lately is memorize movies and books. He pretty much has the entire 'Cars' and 'Air Buddies' movies memorized including sound effects and soundtrack. His mind is like a steel trap, and he just parrots everything we say, which is why I hear him tell me everyday how it's "freaking hot" outside (thanks Daddy!). Don't get me wrong, Gabe definitely still sounds like a toddler sometimes, and I love that too, like when how he calls 'hamburgers' "hangamers" and 'tomato' "ponano" -- I don't discourage that one bit. Gabe's personality is starting to show so much as he's growing. He is starting to sometimes exhibit shyness when new people are around. He already has an acute awareness of privacy, and he will demand that the door be closed when he's on the potty. If Isabella happens to crawl over to the bathroom and push the door open, he's burst into tears until she's out. And when my sister who will remain nameless was here the last time, she started smacking her butt while dancing. Gabe saw this and got the most embarrassed look on his face. When my sister then tried to apologize to him, he looked away in humiliation and wouldn't make eye contact with her for some time after. Who would've thought a 2 year old would know the difference? He also has periods of bossiness, and he can be a real tattletale at times -- earning him the nickname "hall monitor". More often than not, it actually comes in handy because he saves Isabella from quite a few potential mishaps by eagerly alerting me or taking away her coveted weapon of mass destruction. While I'm in the shower, I'll hear this "No Bella! No eat it! Garbage Bella!" as Gabe proudly trots into the bathroom and disposes of some soggy ripped page from a magazine. Generally though, he's just a really good boy; eager to please, affectionate, inquisitive, and rambunctious.
This month, Gabe has been wanting to be more independent. In particular, he likes to get into and out of his carseat and his booster seat at the table by himself, and he likes to open and close the front door to let people in and out. He gets really frustrated when anyone tries to do these things for him, and he won't relent until he gets his way, shouting "Gabe do it!" over and over and over. He has also been doing great using table utensils to eat as well as using his napkin to wipe his hands and mouth. It's nice to have at least one of my children stay relatively clean by the end of a meal. Ariana has been really getting around using her belly crawl this month. Instead of just using her arms (as he was in the video from earlier), she has really been starting to use her legs and knees to kick and help her gain momentum. I love watching her get to where she wants to go, even if she does make a huge mess as soon as she gets there. She loves emptying cabinets and my purse. When I catch her doing it, she gets a huge grin on her face as if she is just delighted to be the one breaking the rules now! Speaking of her budding independence, I decided to start introducing Ari to the potty, and she LOVES it. She is ecstatic at the mention of the word 'potty'. We usually only put her on it once a day, at bedtime, but she has been consistently going potty whenever she's on it. There have only been a handful of times when she hasn't gone #1 and #2 in the potty once on it. This is huge, because Ariana has always had problems with constipation, so I was dreading the day she would associate the potty with discomfort. Fortunately, I find that it's been quite the opposite -- I think it's easier for her to go in a seated position, and she feels like such a big girl that I think that motivates her to actually try to go. Not only that, but she's been able to balance quite well sitting on it by herself! If she slouches, I just ask her to sit up and she perks right up again. I will decide to pursue it further when I figure out a way for her to communicate to me when she has to go throughout the day. Ariana has also been trying to articulate much more recently. She has been heard jabbering consonants frequently (especially when we let her talk to people on the phone). She likes to say "hi" or "ha" for 'hi', "dadadada" for 'Daddy' and sometimes 'all done', and "ba" for 'bye', 'block', 'ball', and 'book'. I feel like she is actually starting to try to express herself verbally now, which is really half the battle for her.

Isabella has decided this month that she doesn't want to be a baby anymore. Somehow, she got the memo that baby food tastes awful (when she used to love it), and she has been turing her nose up at it ever since. Not only does she do that, but she'll slap the spoon, shake her head, scream, and yell "dododododo", which clearly means 'no'. So, she's been eating just regular table food -- whatever we eat -- and almost just as much too. I am so surprised how much and how fast that baby can eat with just 4 teeth (2 top and 2 bottom). Certain foods that even Ariana won't eat now, Bella will devour.

Bella has also started giving closed-mouthed kisses and blowing kisses this month. She gives kisses as she says "um-ma!", which sounds like a big 'ol smooch. She has been waving hi and bye, giving 5, and pointing to things that she wants. Her words are 'dada', 'mama', 'dO' (no), 'ba' (bye & book), 'baa' (ball), and she has been trying to imitate whatever else we say too. Usually, when we are encouraging Ari to pronouce a word by repeating it over and over, Isabella will tend try and steal her thunder by imitating us first.

Gross motor wise, Bella has started cruising (walking along furniture), and 4-point crawling (up on all fours!), but her preferred method of transportation is still belly crawling. And it's no wonder why, because she is so efficient at it -- really, she looks like a baby crocadile chasing her prey. I, personally, can't wait until she walks, so we don't ruin all of her pretty clothes. Isabella has also started climbing furniture, and she can climb right up our stairs. Isabella, though still so good-natured, is also getting an attitude. She will let you know when she doesn't like something -- whether it's being put down, if she's bored, if you take away one of the dangerous and/or dirty objects she thinks are her toys, or whatever. She likes to scream and, recently, hit. I don't know where she learned hitting, because not even Gabe does that anymore, but it's become a reality for us. If Gabe or Ari tries to grab a toy from her, she will slap them silly across the face, while yelling "dOdO". It was funny the first time, but she's been getting reprimanded for it, which kind of baffles me. I never had to reprimand or discipline Ari and Gabe until they were about a year and a half. It's just starting kind of early with her (but then again, so is everything else). She's growing up too fast!