Secrets

Dr soc took Little Turkey shopping with him for my Christmas gift, and reminded her don't tell mommy which she took to heart. She was well aware this was a secret. They get home from shopping and she is so excited. While daddy gets things out of the car she comes right over to me with her little hands covering the biggest smile on her face. She leans in and very emphatically whispers:

girl 1: Mommy! We didn't get you ponies!* --pause--
(dr soc walks in the house) 
girl 1: We got you a mug! 
dr soc: (face palm, laughing hysterically) Little Turkey! I just told you that was a secret! 
me: (laughing hysterically) That's why she whispered!

We were both laughing so hard that she actually started to look a little unsure that maybe she hadn't  done the right thing. I felt bad about that, so still giggling I beckoned her over and stage whispered if she wanted to know what we got daddy for Christmas. She nodded eagerly.
me: okay! We got him a pineapple! But shh! It's a secret!
girl 1: Okay! (turns around to face dr soc and whispers emphatically with hands over her mouth again) Daddy! We got you a pineapple!   

*Her gift suggestion. Also her suggestion for what we should get daddy, what the baby wanted and what she asked Santa Claus for. Got to hand it to her, she covered all her bases so that one way or another she was going to get those ponies.

Skill Set

So my niece is growing up so fast and no sooner that she mastered crawling, she figured out how to pull herself up on anything she can, walks along furniture, and pushes things around to use as a walker! She's also screaming just to scream, babbling just to babble and melts my heart when she blows kisses through the aunt machine (ipad).  Wasn't she just born, like 2 days ago?

She also has figured out how to take everything out of her toy basket. She's really good at that. What she hasn't quite mastered yet, is how to put things back into the toy basket. But honestly, she may never really master that skill. Because truth be told, putting things back is not a strong skill for the women in my family. If Birdie takes after her mom and aunt (and she already looks like me as a baby so she's off to a good start), she's going to be a great sprawler.

Girl's Best Friend

My niece on my husband's side is 15 months old and she's starting to talk, but she isn't so much into the walking yet. Her main mode of getting from point A to point B is to scoot super fast on her butt, but sometimes she grapples along side a piece of furniture.

Well, over Christmas she and I were playing and we both had out hands on the coffee table. She grabs the center stone/halo part of my engagement ring because it has a high profile. Knowing she can't get it into her mouth (because that would involve removing it from my cold dead hand), I pull my hand away, show her my ring and say:
me: Look Ella! This is a diamond!
Ella: OoooOoooo!

Diamonds are a girl's best friend!  

Cuddle Buddy

How do I not take a picture of this?   

Hey, mom. We don't take pictures of you while you sleep.

Seriously, I was powerless against the napping cuteness.