Well, since Christmas, we've had a few things going on around here. Jan. seemed to fly by with the kids keeping me busy. Elliana discovered her love of touchy-feely books. We read them every night before bed, and she know exactly which spots to look for on the pages. She also does not like to share them with Ryken. When he sits beside her and touches the book, she grabs his hand, pushes it away, and starts hitting her book and screaming. We have attitude already! She has "found her voice" and everyone knows it! When she screams so loud, i tell her very loudly to "stop screaming!" She does stop...looks at me, and start giggling. She is really very funny, and loves to giggle. She always wakes up happy in the morning, and is usually the most chatty, then. She says a few words already, "da-da, ma-ma, wow" and we've even heard a few times, "hi dad." She waves and claps her hands, signs all done, and leans in when you tell her to "hug." she's going to be 9 months in a few days, and I can't believe it! She's almost crawling now. she rolls around everywhere, and can get up on her hands and knees. Not quite going forward yet, but give her a few weeks, and she'll be everywhere. Ryken has said that when she starts crawling, he needs a baby gate on his door. He's quite protective of his cars...which she loves to play with! I just painted her room a very pale pink. Looks quite pretty with her pink crystal chandelier (which she reaches to touch every morning) and the "La Belle Princesse" sign that I hung above her crib. I'm trying to make everything so cute and girly, but I can just see her being a total tom boy, trying to keep up with her big brother. I can't wait to see them play and grow up together, but at the same time, I'm trying to hold on to every sweet moment. The smell of her hair, the feel of her soft, pudgy knees, her low voice babbling away, and the way she looks at me, like I'm the only person in her entire world. Mine too, Elleroo.