Ashton's recent accomplishments

As I was watching Ashton playing in the living room today, I was really amazed by how much & fast she's growing. I feel like she's learned new things overnight! Yesterday, she started to click her tongue (when you kind of suction it to the roof of your mouth & then pull it down). It's REALLY cute to watch, since she only does it right about 50% of the time. I tried to record it on my phone, but she kept getting distracted & then tried to take the phone. You can kind of see it, though. I can't describe quite how she does it... I think it's more off her lip than the roof of her mouth. Either way, it's SUPER cute to see.

Another new thing involves a toy she got for Christmas. It's a "blender" with holes at the top that correspond to 5 shapes that have fruits on them.  You put the shapes through the appropriate holes & then you "blend" them to make a "drink!" It sings & plays music & stuff. Anyway, she used to just slam the blocks together in her hands. Then, I'd put the blocks half-way through the holes & as she pushed each one individually, I'd tell her the color or shape. Now, she'll take the blocks out of the bottom of the blender & hand them to me to put half-way through. I think she's checking to see if I know which ones go where...

She is now the sippy cup pro! Ok, not the traditional ones, but the one with a straw. She had milk this morning & then drank diluted apple juice all day. We're almost bottle- free now. (Thank goodness... formula is SO expensive!) She can use the other "normal" sippy cups, but those seem to be more fun just to chew.

I'm starting to think that she's smarter than she lets on. She has a little pull-out book that has pictures of "Baby's Things" on each panel. It pulls out to about 1 1/2-2 feet long. It includes things like "bear, bottle, duck, ball, rattle, bib..." So, she & I were going through the pictures & then, somewhat jokingly, I asked her if she saw a bottle... and she smacked the panel with the bottle. Craig & I were surprised, but laughed & figured it was coincidental. Then, I asked if she saw the teddy bear... and she smacked the bear panel. Ok, weird, but she can't know these things yet, can she? Next, I asked if she saw a ball, and sure enough she grabbed at the picture of a ball. We went through a few more, and she only got one wrong, and I think she was getting bored by that point. Maybe we'll try again tomorrow... but I was kinda weirded out. She's definitely a smart cookie, though.

Ok, I'm going to bed soon... this mama is tired!