Mimicking Laughing Baby - Miss Independent

This week has been SO wonderful. I LOVED having everyone home for at least a day. It was extra amazing that we actually got a few days with Grand-Princess One.
 
Princess One sent me this video a week or so ago. I guess the baby sneezed and her mom gasped and so she started "fake" sneezing and was laughing so hard she had tears after she would fake sneeze, over and over. She actually did this at our house this week as well. It was SO cute. I dare you not to laugh as you watch the video.  

I can't tell you how many times I have watched this video and how many times the girls have watched the video. It just makes me laugh every time. I must have taken four or five videos this week that just make me smile. I don't know that anyone else would appreciate them all but I love watching them. 

Not that it isn't great seeing my girls but I know they will agree when I say that having a baby in the house makes it more fun. We each got our "special" time with her one on one which we all LOVED!

I got her when they all went to see a movie and I was trying to get dinner ready and have it waiting when they arrived home. I quickly forgot how much trouble a toddler can get into in a minutes time. Lets just admit here that I didn't have dinner waiting when they arrived home.

She is only 16 months old but she knows many signs for things. She is potty training and signed several times for the "potty" and said the word she uses. She can sign for diaper change, drink, sleep, eat, more, thank you, please and many other signs. To the untrained eye, the sign she does for "Finished." looks an awful lot like music to me as the hands are raised up and shaken in the air. Also, I got confused between thank you and please.

There was no mistaking her "more" sign and my favorite thing she did the entire week. . . . . When I would walk into a room, she would stop whatever she was doing, get a big grin on her face, it would light up and she would say, "HI!" and I LOVED it! I joked Princess Five that she needs to greet me like that now. She tried it today after they left and it just wasn't the same.


This week was also one of my best friends birthday and she just happened to be traveling near our home so we met them on their way to say "hi" for a few minutes. I was grateful they called and we were all able to rush over and say "hello."

Her twins were born within 24 hours of Princess Four's birth and I spent 8 of the first 11 weeks of their lives up at her house helping her with them while she was going through a divorce. We have been friends since high school. Here is a post about her.

I enjoyed catching up for the few minutes they had and it was great that all my girls were still here as they were leaving just after she visited. I don't remember the last time she saw all my girls.

We also got to wish Princess Five a "Happy Birthday" as she is not going to be around on her birthday this year. The funnier part is that I have been giving her "birthday presents" all summer. I will buy something, have her try it on and then say, "Happy Birthday!" and tell her she isn't getting anything for her birthday because I have continually given her stuff. We had the shopping spree a few weeks ago as well. Click here for that post.

It just so happened that Princess Three bought her "Jesus" sandals and gave them to her already, Princess Two bought her a cute shirt or something and already gave it to her and we all started laughing that she had gotten all her gifts early. I even joked that she had gotten all her gifts early and I bought her a nice tennis racket as she likes to go play with her best friend and I thought she had seen it in my bedroom so I joked her about her tennis racket and she looked at me with a weird look.

She asked me if I got her a tennis racket and I was surprised that she really hadn't seen it but now knew about it and guess who used it to play tennis last week wit her friend.... Yep. So I asked her if she wanted cake and she said she didn't and just wanted ice cream.

We got a few of her favorite flavors and sang to her and look at the smile she has on her face. She is thrilled with the ice cream and all the attention even though she wasn't getting any gifts on her actual day.
 
I think she loved the fact that we were all there playing games and spending time together. Who could ask for more on their big day? I would LOVE that on my birthday! I think at 16 that she isn't the baby anymore but she will probably be mad at me for posting this but I noticed that when the baby was at the house, Princess Five started leaving out all her stuff, kinda like marking her territory. I tripped over her shoes several times and picked up sweaters, purses, lip gloss, brushes, papers, and after they all left today, I picked up three pair of shoes in two rooms and another pair in another room.

When I mentioned this, she actually blushed and said she hadn't done it consciously. I know it wasn't but I thought it was still cute that she sees herself as the baby and likes her position there but also LOVES playing with her niece and there were MANY comments to Princess One on how they could have as many as they wanted as they do make cute kids together! 

I LOVE that Princess One picked such a wonderful man to marry and that he is so willing to go along with whatever she researches. He is great using the cloth diapers and is a pro. They even have reusable wipes which I am sure is better for baby. I don't know that I would be so willing to go along but I think her sisters see what a wonderful man he is and how great he is with the baby and realize that dad's can be amazing! 

I smiled every time I would hear him walk into the room and she would light up. I LOVED when he would get on the ground and chase her and how she would delight in his attention. I would be in the kitchen cooking and hear him interact with her and it was always so sweet. 
 
The great parents they are show in what an amazing baby she is. They tell her when they are leaving and kiss her good bye and she waves them off happily content. She is independent, smart, and I am looking forward to seeing where life takes her. I saw this little shirt before they came down and had to buy it as it fits her personality but also fit the fourth holiday. She is "Miss independent!"

I felt so blessed all week realizing how blessed we are to be living in this land free from war on our streets. To have healthy children that all live active lives. To have a healthy grandchild that is so smart, healthy and amazing. To have as much health as I do and be able to see, walk, hear my sweet baby laugh. Those are the memories I will always be grateful for when I look on my life.