New Little Things We Can Do

It's awesome the number of new things Isabelle can do. They come at the rate of about one per day now, or at least it seems that way.

She has found the stairs and learned how to climb them. We ordered baby gates a week ago, and thankfully they will get here at the beginning of this week. She learned this because Robert was sitting on the steps up to the upstairs room and Tesla (the cat) went up to lay beside him. Isabelle wasn't even thinking about what she was doing and took off up the stairs to try to get to Tesla. That's the way she does most new things - to get to Tesla. She almost never gets to him because he takes off, but she tries.

She can clap her hands. That started on Thursday, Thanksgiving day. I think it's wonderful so I encourage her so now she does it all the time. She can also put her hands together and lace her fingers together. She usually does that when she's finished clapping. Now I'm working on teaching her "patty cake". She's interested in it, but doesn't really know what to do.

She reaches out a lot more, with things in her hand and without. It's like she's learning to interact with Robert and I more. She gives us toys. Without anything in her hand, it's almost like she's doing a bear imitation, with a claw swipe and a growly expression. Robert and she use it as their secret handshake.