14 months

look at those eyes!

it took zoey 1 year to realize that avo will scoop her up in her arms if she goes near enough to her. so she walks toward avo, then gives a sly smile and veers off before avo can grab her. avo is fast for a woman in her late 80s. still, zoey loves her, even though she smothers with kisses as a storybook grandmother would. the other day, i was nursing zoey, sitting next to avo on that horrible plasticky couch you see in the above picture. avo can't keep her hands still any more than a 2 year old can, so she was rubbing zoey's foot and leg. usually zoey is distracted by something as small as a fly farting in the next room, but she was fine and seemed to enjoy avo's massage. it lasted for like 5 minutes, then zoey pops off and has the biggest smile, and looks at avo, and wanted to go to her. so i put her in avo's lap and she gives the best hug ever and kissed avo on the lips. then she hugged her again. she's gives the greatest hugs lately, she squeezes tight and for a long time sometimes, and repeatedly grasps and un-grasps her hands on your arms. what a sweet pea. i was so happy for avo who is always in search for a kiss or hug.

zoey enjoyed time with coco chanel at alexa's birthday part (eric's cousin). the dog weighs about 1/10 as much as zoey does and licked her face and was so cute and spazzy.

in addition to laundry basket pushing, she also enjoys pushing coolers around the kitchen and living room. big coolers.

i decided to let go of my mess issues (yes, i have mess issues, about food and stuff, not clutter obviously) and let her feed herself oatmeal. in retrospect, i should have started with pasta or something and when she was actually hungry.

my baby looks like she's in a cult because she was wearing this cute prairie dress when i realized we didn't have her sunhat at an impromptu park visit.


i swear she was happy, even hugging me. the camera always catches false emotions.


leaf! band-aid is from hitting the corner of an end table in our living room. close call!

zoey says a lot of things now. she can point out any picture of her cousin kohle and say koh. she was trying to perfect water last night. wa-ah. so cool. also she calls a lot of things dah for dog. she loves dogs. walking is old hat and she only stumbles a little here and there due to the elements, like a piece of paper underfoot on the kitchen floor. she is eating much more of our dinner type food and baby oatmeal every morning. i have to distracte her the entire time or she reaches into her mouth and pulls the oatmeal out. hmmm. sweet pea. it's breakfast time now actually.