That was then, this is now!

As I chased Annabel all around the pumpkin patch last Sunday, I couldn't help but think how different the whole experience was last year. A year ago, she couldn't walk or talk - she couldn't even stand on her own! So out of curiosity, I pulled out the pictures from last year's trip.... and the difference is amazing. How did this happen in just one year?

October 2008

October 2009

She is getting so big, I can't even handle it..... this weekend, she did a couple of things that illustrated this perfectly:

First, I was kissing and hugging on her one morning, in the annoying way that moms with defenseless children do, when Annabel turns to me and says "STOP!" very forcefully. Well ok... I guess those days are coming to an end. Darn it!

That same morning, Annabel was playing with her babydoll, feeding it, trying to put a diaper on it, etc. She sat on the ground next to her ride-on car, turns to it and says "Get out of the way!" I didn't really believe it, but I turned to Nate and he swears he heard the same thing. Her talking is really taking off!

Finally (and this one was the most funny to me), I was walking from our bathroom to our bedroom, and was complaining about how Annabel will let everyone brush her teeth except for me (the babysitter said she let her do it the night before).... I was being real dramatic about it, and waving my hands around. Then two seconds later, here comes Annabel, waving her hands in the air and jabbering with the same inflection in her voice that I had used. Nate and I lost it.... she is such a little parrot!

Sigh...... my little pumpkin isn't so little anymore!