Already Harvard Bound

I know every parent on Earth thinks their kid is the smartest kid EVER... but I don't want to forget everything Kayla is doing, so here's my brag list. 

She knows "where her shoes go," and can point to her toes, ears and nose when asked.  She knows what a doggie says (though it sounds more like wuh wuh) and in addition to "cracker" she has picked up "baby" (when pointing to herself in a picture) and "duckie."  She babbles all the time and I'm always listening in for more words coming through. 

She's walking really well now, and loves to hold my hand and walk up the path at daycare.  Last weekend she started taking little steps sideways and backwards.  She's getting really quick at going up the stairs, and knows when we go up.  If I say anything about bed time, bath time or nap time, she scurries over and waits for me to move the gate so she can climb up.  She will normally run right into her room, pull some PJ's out of her dresser drawer, and run up and down the hallway with them.  Sometimes she will go straight into our room and bounce on the bed.  As soon as she hears the water in the tub though, that becomes the sole focus.  This girl still loves bath time! 

When in front of the mirror, she gives herself kisses when we tell her to; she's also giving us kisses when we ask again (she had been doing that but stopped for a while).  The other night Shaun had her in his arms and he told her "I love you" and she leaned in and gave him a kiss.  I nearly died of the sweetness of it all. 

The most recent thing has been trying to put her own socks on.  She used to just hold them up to her feet, but in the last few days she has started stretching the opening out the way I do when I put them on for her.  She's also recently started to feed herself with a fork and spoon.  It's a little messy but she gets the job done! 

Every day is an adventure seeing what else she's going to pick up or say or do.  I love it.  I didn't think I'd love anything as much as the cuddly newborn phase, but there is just nothing like coming in the door after work and hearing the squeal of joy just before she comes around the corner and runs into my arms.  What a great feeling.