Rocking & Making Strange

Every year my parents go on a rather long camping trip.  Growing up I have been to many state and national parks in various states such as Florida, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Oregon, Alabama, Michigan, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and then all of the states you must pass through to arrive at the above mentioned states.  I am sure that I have left some of them out.  Last year Andrew and I had the privilege to join them at Big Bend National Park.  This year, they went to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park near the TX & NM border. On the way back to St. Louis, they stopped in for a few days to visit us, I mean Ellie.  They arrived a day earlier than schedule because there was a huge wind storms with gusts of up to 80 mph.  The wind fractured one of the poles on their picnic table canopy.

Mom & Dad were in for a big treat for Ellie is starting to become more mobile.  In the past few days Ellie has started to get up on all fours for a few very short seconds.  Sometimes she rocks back and forth.  As of yesterday, she has moved backwards a few times.  

Ellie is also starting to sign "eat" without grabbing my hand and without prompting.  She sees the food and signs "eat".  If I am not fast enough for her, she will sign "eat" again.

My dad was also privy to one of Ellie's stranger anxiety meltdowns.  Yesterday my mother and I went to Joann of Fabrics.  No, I did not buy out the whole store, but I did want to.  My father was left in charge of the little sleeping Bear-Bear.  When mom and I arrived home, Ellie had snot and tears streaming down her face.  Apparently my father is very scary.

See, she looks alarmed.

If you look closely, you can see Tama laying on the island in the background as well as Andrew installing a new kitchen faucet.