Officially Walking

There really is no denying it.  She is walking and walking well.  In the past week she has even started to run.  Heaven help us!  For instance, last night she was walking around the living room, just to excercise her right to walk.  She walked for about 10-15 minutes, stopping to pick up toys and carry them and then switch them for something else.  All the while she babbles and squeals.  Then she decided to take it up a notch.  She tries to move her little legs as fast as she can.  She is getting better about actually bending her knees this week, so the "running" is goign well.  Last weekend, she really wasn't bending her knees or at least not both legs at the same time.  This weekend she would bend one leg and put it forward and then pick up her other leg and kind of swing it forward.  But since this weekend, she has really perfected really walking.  This weekend we also purchased 2 new pairs of shoes.  One is a size 3 which are her white tennis shoes and then one is a size 4 and there are little mary janes.. or at least that is what I think of when I think Mary Jane shoes. I could be wrong.
This week those shoes have really helped her walking.  And maybe they are the reason she has really started to bend her knees more. 
Samee has also found a new sound.  The best way is to describe it like this... You know that sound you make when you suck in air ?  You know the one.... Like when your spouse/boyfriend does something a little "scary" in the vehicle and you are sitting in the passenger seat.  If you suck in hard enough it makes a weird noise.  She does that but LOUD and sometimes high pitched. 
Also, this week and a maybe a little into last week she has started this different giggle.  At first I thought it was fake....  It is really low pitched and sounds like it is coming from the back of her throat.  I dont' really think it is fake though.  It seems like it's her laugh that she uses to get you to look or to laugh back.  She also does it in response to something funny too.  But yet, she has teh giggle/laugh that she does when something strikes her as funny or hilarious.  This new laugh seems like its more forced, but still real. 
We will only have the 2 bottom teeth, but that is ok.  Sometimes when she gets frustrated she kind of rubs her hands together and flings them around.  Once this week, I put my hand in to keep her from doing that.  Her hands were covered in food and I didn't want her rubbing them up her arms.  I'm not sure if her mouth was open and her bottom teeth just happened to make contact with my wrist or if she did it on purpose. She can get pretty fiesty and rotten when she is frustrated, so I hope we don't have a "biter".

I think I am going to start trying to teach her a little sign language.  She already has a few hand motions that we understand.  She opens her hand all the way and then bends her fingers down to make a fist or like a "come here" guesture.  This guesture has different meanings in different situations
Situation 1 - Simply a good bye guesture
Situation 2 - I have Samantha's jacket on and the blankey and bag in hand but I'm still talking with Aunt Joy before we leave.  Samantha makes this guesture.....and sometimes sighs.  This means..."come on... let's go".
Situation 3 - On the weekends when we don't leave the house at all she will crawl (now walk) to the back door, sit down and make the guesture.  This means ... "let's go somewhere.  I get 2 car rides a day and we're behind schedule"
Situation 4- We've been in the car for a long period than she wishes and she does the guesture.  Meaning..."I'm done with this. I want out of here.  Come on, let's go."

Joy has also taught her a cute guesture.  She puts a hand on each side of her head, a little above her ears. She then drags her hands down her face.  She think's it is pretty funny when you go "oh no" in a funny voice when she does this. 

When she is done eating food, she puts her hands on the inside of her tray and pushes on it.  Sometimes, she makes the previous mentioned guesture. 


Samee has also perfected the point and "uh".  Sometimes the "uh" is a question and other times more of a statement. =)  I use to think she was trying to figure stuff out, which I'm sure is the case 80% of the time.  However, she wakes up pointing and sometimes her eyes aren't all the way open! Too cute.

Last weekend we went to my parent's house for a weekend visit.  That Saturday we traveled over to Effingham with everyone in our vehicle to see Nano in the St. Anthony Hospital.  She was doing well.  The nurse even let us sneak Samantha back to see Nano for a minute.  When Samantha saw all the equipment and lights and beeping boxes she quickly forgot all about Nano.  Oh well, I think it really cheered Nano up for the day. 
On Sunday, we girls went to Church.  Of course Samee, got in good quality time with Grandma during church.  Buffy and Marcus, with their little girl Emma, sat in the row in front of us.  The little girls had fun pointing and staring at each other.  Our cousin Mary Frohning sat down the row from us and played with Emma.  Samantha just couldn't take her eyes off of them!  Samantha also decided to voice her opinion a few times during church but did GREAT.  This is one of the first church times that I didn't need to take her out for a few minutes.

Of course, leaving home is hard.  If I could make it work I would move back in a heart beat.  It would be just that quick.  Many days I wish I could click my heels together 3 times and make that move in an instant.  Unfortunately I cannot do that.  My job is not one that allows me to just pick up and move and have a job where ever I go.  I am anticipating the Ag teacher position in Casey opening up in the next year, but I cringe at the thought of leaving Kansas Schools.  I have it SO good here.  However, I am worried about the longevity of the entire school system.  If the state pushes consolidation, then it is best for me to ride it out here and have a little bit of seniority.  Our school has the money to weather the storm over the next 3-5 years, but there just really isn't any certainty in ANYTHING. I become extremely less employable after the 5-year teaching mark.  Too much experience, which means the new school would have to pay more and they can get a 1st year teacher for much cheaper.  So, I need to make a decision within the next year or so.  It just seems a little coincidental that the Casey position would open at just the precise time.  Even if it were a feasible option, I don't know that we would be able to sell our house in this market.  I cringe at thinking about that too.  Casey isn't that long of a drive, but driving from up here kind of defeats the purpose of moving south.  I just pray for guidance but would LOVE a shove in the right direction. =)  However, I don't want that shove to be something as drastic as loosing my job.  So I guess I better be careful for what I pray for, huh??

=)