I didn't get it when parents would...

... brag about their kid's recitals or grades or social skills.

... yell at their kids in Wal-mart

... let their kids yell in Wal-mart

... whip out 16 pictures of their kids

Until now!

A few weeks ago Kayla started pulling herself up to stand, then she started to let herself fall to sit down, then she started to sit down purposefully, then she started to reach down to pick up something off the floor, then she started to turn around while standing (and still holding on to something) and with each new "achievement" I got excited. I never thought about that when I said "I want a baby" (mainly, I think, because I hadn't seen any other child grow up). I didn't think about being witness to firsts like this - I knew first tooth, first step, first smile, etc - the big ones that everyone always talks about. But these "little" ones are so cool! Because I can see her trying so hard, I can see that she's being brave, and that she's saying to herself "I can do this." I can see her growing up, right before my eyes, becoming a more independent person, wanting to do and try new things. And this is just the beginning. How exciting is that?!?!

In other, similar, news tonight I fed her her first actual "solid" food - some banana cereal puff things. I would hold it out and she would open her mouth wide in anticipation of it or, if I held it out for her, she would grab it and try to feed herself (though she wasn't exactly successful since it kept getting stuck in her grasp). This is what I'm talking about - simple, every day things, being new and exciting. What an experience to be a parent - I can't say it's unique because there are a lot of parents - but it is AWEsome! I'm lovin it!

(Oh, and about the yelling in wal-mart statements that I made above... there are times when Kayla just wants to yell - she's not mad or hurt, she just wants to yell and there's nothing you can do about it. And, in the future, I am sure there will be times (because you're never not a parent) that I will probably do some yelling at her in wal-mart because I can see she's going to be a little diva throwing temper tantrums in good ole wally world! Just thought I'd throw that in there to round out the post.)