Dancing queen/Drama queen

All of a sudden, Estelle has an opinion...and personality...and a mind of her own. It's fascinating and frightening at the same time.

On the "I like to make mommy smile and laugh" side: This week, when music plays in the car (Beyonce seems to be a favorite) she bounces her head and dances in the car seat. It's very entertaining...and distracting to my driving, I must say.

On the "I'm asserting my own will and giving mommy a headache" side: Lately, almost every time I put her down, her body goes limp, she arches her back, throws her head back and screams in the most dramatic fashion possible. Of course, if I walk away and ignore her, it stops almost immediately. Ah, temper tantrums...not liking this part of parenting so much.

It's interesting how she fluctuates between wanting to be a baby and wanting to be independent. She wants to be held, yet squirms to get down. As soon as I put her down, she does the tantrum bit. I just try to maintain a sense of humor and distract her as much as possible. I know that this is just another phase. But that knowledge doesn't keep me from marveling: she's only been on the earth for a year...how does she know to do this already (the fascinating part)? What more is in store (the frightening part)? I still love it though.

Bath bubbles

Estelle's love for bathtime grows and grows. She's discovered she can get in all by herself if she bends at the waist and lets the weight of her head take her over the side. Unfortunately, this has landed her in the tub fully clothed at times.

Her dad is teaching her not to be afraid of putting her face in the water. Click here to see how far she's come!