Annie is also really into helping around the house.  She loves to push the buttons on the appliances, flush the toilet, feed the cats, toss things into the trash can, put her clothes into her dirty clothes hamper, etc.  One of her cutest jobs is helping Jeremy put away his work boots at the end of the day.  They are nearly as big as she is.  She carries one and Daddy carries the other as they place them side by side at the front door together.  She won't settle unless they are lined up together and standing upright. (She did not get this trait from Jeremy).

Speaking of Daddy...Best Buddies...he and Annie.  She screams with joy when she hears the garage door open when Jeremy arrives home from work.  Jeremy doesn't even have a second to put his things away before Annie is pullling him back to the bedroom to play "Ringa" or "Bring Back" (Ring Around the Rosey and My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean).  She also enjoys watching Cav's games with her Daddy.  Just last night after I had put Annie to bed for the night and gone into the living room to watch TV Jeremy came home went in to tell her good night and the next thing I knew they were both back in the bedroom together lying on our bed yelling "Go Cavs"!  Annie is going to fill the roll of basketball fan for Jeremy.  I don't mind a bit!  It gets me out of watching endless games of basketball from November-June.

Annie's BIG accomplishments this month are singing her alphabet (still needs some work), counting to ten, naming her shapes (triangle, rectangle, circle, semi-circle, diamond, square and oval) and her colors.  Yellow seems to be her favorite color.

Annie fills our house with smiles and laughter.  She is becoming a little comedian.  She revels in making us laugh, which she does quite often.  Her sense of humor is unbelievable for a one year old.  She enjoys being the show stopper but is very discrete about it. 

Some of Annie's favorite activities include, playground time, coloring (with markers...yay!), painting, READING (on her own or being read to, she has several books that she can almost read on her own, she's heard them so many times), bathtime (as long as she has her bath paints and crayons), riding her bike (unless she's being made to wear her helmet), watching Baby Einstein and Bid Duck (Big Bird) and Elmo, playing with her friends, looking at pictures, singing, and puzzles.

Some of Annie's favorite foods this month are...popcorn, smoothies, yogurt, cheetos, strawberries, jello, peanut butter, orange juice, cheese, beans, cranberries, M&Ms, waffles, french fries, mac and cheese and peas (which she now calls popeyes...thanks to some confusion at Pa and T's house).  Meat seems to still be the enemy and oddlly she won't eat pasta.  Come on, what toddler doesn't eat pasta, hot dogs or chicken tenders? Aren't these the staple of a toddler's diet usually?  Oh well. 

We took a step backwards in potty training after our two weeks in Ohio.  If we are lucky she will go once a day on the potty.  Too busy to go these days I guess.  She does tell me when she has gone poopy.  Which is nice that I no longer have to smell her rear to find out.  This is a step in the right direction I think. 

As for Annie's reaction to a new sister....she doesn't want one she tells us.  I ask her "Do you want to be a big sister"  her answer is always a resounding "NO"!  I ask her do you want a little baby" again..."NO, NO, NO"!  I even tell her she can be like Zoe on Sesame Street and she tells me "NO"!  So hopefully she comes around in the next few months or we may be in for a rough time when we bring Millie home.  I am going to have to buy her some books about being a sister and see if that gets us anywhere.

What a fun time we are having with Miss Annie.  I can't believe she is almost two years old.  I find myself saddened because she is growing up so fast but overwhelmed with joy at all she is accomplishing and how much happiness she brings us on a daily basis.