Take a Stand

After a couple of weeks of "standing" on her knees, Molly finally took the plunge and pulled herself up to a full stand today. I was sitting on the couch and she was on her knees, peering over the top of the couch, when she finally managed to get her foot underneath her and push herself up. She looked a little surprised and was holding tight to the couch cushion, but she demonstrated her new trick a few more times before deciding she was tired and fussy and in need of a nap.

Of course, her newfound ability makes it even easier for her to get into things. Molly has a sock fetish -- she loves to take off her socks and chew on them. Now that it is warmer, we don't often put socks on her (we love seeing those fat little baby feet), so Molly has devised other means of getting her sock fix. She has figured out how to pull herself up on the baby laundry basket and rifles through it until she finds a sock. Once the sock is in her possession, she stuffs it into her mouth and crawls away as fast as she can (apparently, socks are the best sort of dirty laundry to chew). Of course, we then have to give chase and attempt to pry the sock out from between her firmly clenched teeth. Good times. ;)

Max had his checkup with the pediatric orthopedic surgeon on Friday. Max was being his regular charming self -- waving and says "Hi!" to just about everyone we passed on the way to the appointment. When we got there, the doctor checked him over and gave him the all clear -- his leg is perfectly fine and everything is hunky dory. Max must have been pleased with the news, because he gave the doctor a thank you hug and a kiss (which must have brightened her day). I think that was probably the speediest hospital appointment we've ever had, so stopped by the NICU for a brief visit on our way out. A few of Max's favorite nurses were there and they were happy to see how big and strapping their little NICU grad had become! We're hoping we can make the NICU reunion picnic this year, since we weren't able to make the last two. On our way out of the hospital we ran into one of my old co-workers and her little boy -- we hadn't seen each other in about four years and it was funny to bump into each other at the hospital!

We're enjoying our holiday weekend. Grandma was in town briefly yesterday and we had a very important second birthday party to attend this afternoon. Max had a grand old time playing with (or at least around) a pack of kids. He came home full, tired, happy, and grubby -- definitely hallmarks of a successful day in the life of a two year old. He had such a fun time playing with all the yard toys in their back yard that I'm convinced that we need to figure out a plan to divide our back yard into dog and kid zones. Of course, that's assuming we can even find the back yard under all the weeds (that was supposed to be my weekend project, except that it has conveniently rained all weekend ;).