Snow Angel

This winter, Hannah finally understands how cool snow is. We put on her snow suit and let her outside before she started sweating in it. Before we got our own clothes on, Hannah had already made it up the hill and figured out how neat the snow felt under her new boots.




Due to the odd winter we're having, this was the first chance Hannah got to try out her new sled from Santa. For those who have seen our back yard, it doesn't seem like we have much of a hill; but for Hannah, it was plenty big enough.

As you can see from all of the tracks behind her, she went down more times than we could count. Each time was just as fun as the last. Of course, playing in the snow isn't just about sledding; mommy and daddy had to teach her how to throw snowballs, too.

Within hours of her first sled ride, the snow had melted. Hopefully she'll get to ride again soon.

Big Girl Bed

Part of the "big girl" transition is moving up from a crib to a toddler bed. It wasn't much of a transition, though; it was more like here's a big girl bed, the crib is gone, hope you like it.




So, the first thing she had to do was try it out. She laid down and pretended to sleep. She didn't even wiggle to get comfortable (not surprising as this is the same mattress from the crib.




Next, of course, she had to try jumping on it. This was a little different as the frame of the new bed is wood and the crib had a springy support system. Still, she found it to her liking and has had no trouble sleeping in it.

The difference for us is that now she can get out of bed by herself. She probably could have before, but she never tried it. Some mornings, when it's light enough for her to see, we will wake up to the sound of tiny footsteps in the hall and the slowly opening bedroom door.

Anyway, the "big girl" transition has officially started.

A Doll From Aunt Juls

Leave it to Aunt Jul's to get Hannah a black baby doll. She teaches at a school with a higher than average percentage of non-white students and wanted to make sure Hannah was exposed to different kinds of people.

Due to Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Playtime, Hannah actually plays with her black baby doll more than she plays with her white baby dolls - even if they talk or have other fun features that she would rather play with. None of the other dolls say anything, though, for fear of being labeled as racists.

Seriously, though, Hannah doesn't seem to notice that this baby doll is darker than her other baby dolls. Judging from how she plays with dolls in general, I think she will make a great big sister some day.

Inside the Lines

She's starting to get it; those scribbles in the coloring book are pictures she's supposed to color in. Before, it seemed, she thought coloring books were just scratch paper and someone had already started using a black crayon.

She doesn't fill in the pictures completely and only uses one color, but she attempts to stay in the lines. She does a pretty good job, too. Personally, I was happy when she started coloring only on paper. Granted, all paper sitting out is still fair game; including wrapping paper on presents, Daddy's half-finished SuDoku puzzles and especially anything that looks important. At least she stopped coloring on the coffee table, file cabinet and TV.

We are pleased she tries to stay inside the lines and will encourage her to continue to do so. Some people say that being taught to color inside the lines will stifle creativity later in life and even force you into the stereotyped identities imposed by society. I think she's just learning how to color a picture.

Anyway, we're just happy to see that she is still learning and growing. Maybe my sister, the art teacher, can post a comment about what this means as far as her artistic development.