Our Little "Cleopatra"

[Please forgive the infrequency of our posting...the Christmas season is taking its toll. :)]

Since my last post was all about Cavan, in all fairness, I now have to post all about Kellyn. Let me explain my title. She indeed is our little "Cleopatra". If you have spent any amount of time with her, you would have noticed her much favored side-lying position. She will lay on her belly and she will lay on her back, but what she seems to prefer most is in the middle of the road. She will balance on her side (what appears to be an amazing feat to us as she often has her chest and legs tipping farther back than you would think gravity allows), with much of her weight resting on the side of her forearm. It really is something that needs to be seen firsthand. As it is the position reminiscent of what the real Cleopatra would have assumed (or at least, what we have been led to believe she would have assumed from what the movies portray), Heath and I have affectionately dubbed her as our "Little Cleopatra".

Kellyn seems to grow and change daily, as all infants do in their first year. She absolutely ADORES her older brother and has found hours of amusement and giggles simply by watching him in his individual day-to-day antics. She really gets a kick out of him when he is running around as a car, train or any number of animals. (Incidentally, Cavan knows an insanely high number of animals for a 27-month old!) While it still may be too early to tell, Heath and I are pretty confident that these two are going to be thick as thieves as Cavan dotes on her equally as well.

Probably about a month ago, she began true "babbling"...almost overnight. One day, she was making an airy "puh" sound with her jaw bobbing up and down and the next...she was stringing off "bababa...dadadada...nananana...mamama"! She has not since really vocalized "mama", seeming to prefer the sounds in "dada". No worries for me. Her clear arm reaching and body lunging assure me as her mother that I am still the preferred parent figure. ;) (At least until we get to the age of pitting mom against dad when it's time to go out with friends for a night.)

Kellyn has also recently began attempts at crawling. She will rock on hands and knees, but is not quite sure where to go from there. So, she has artfully begun pushing with her monkey toes and pulling with her little arms to get where she wants. It is not exactly the typical "army crawl" that Cavan demonstrated for awhile, but it is similar in form.

Lastly, she has really begun to show some peaks of separation anxiety from mama. At times, this is really heart-warming... but it can also be a VERY frustrating phase for a mother. Having her in the sling or baby wrap does help during the day in getting some things done, but there is only SO much you can do with a baby attached to you! It can be mentally and emotionally exhasuting as well when all I want is a little respite alone. I try to take comfort in knowing that "this too shall pass" and when these stages are over, they will be missed. I do look forward to the days when my sweet babe gains some independence from me, but I try to remember that for now, I need to serve her as best I can. God has called me to be a mom, and I want to be the best that I can. Ultimately, that means seeing Christ in her little eyes and living as if He was living in my home (especially during those times when all I want to do is run). Just as Cleopatra was served by others, I shall serve my little Kellyn...until the day when she can spread her wings and fly from our nest.