a few more from the beach

Here are a few more fun photos of Nadia from our time at the beach a couple of weeks ago. It's hard to believe how much she's grown.

Just today, Phil and I were looking at her, and talking WITH her - and we both feel like she's turned a major corner from babyhood to toddlerhood just within the past few weeks. She repeats EVERYTHING (in two languages), she laughs at eerily appropriate moments, she runs and plays with suddenly acquired coordination, and even acts like she's telling jokes (who's kid is this?).

Our baby has moved on. We are now beginning a whole new stage of fun with her as she's becoming more and more responsive and interactive. Our big-little girl... since when did we become parents? Suddenly, with a toddler, things don't feel nearly as scary as they did in infancy (shudder)- but strangely now more parent-ish. I find myself slicing apples and rolling playdough. Phil tosses a soccer ball over and over, trying to teach her to catch, kick and throw (good luck, pal - you can ask my dad how that one went over with me...). We aren't running around like idiots with bottles and diapers quite so much now. We're explaining things and helping and actually playing.

This is much more fun.

Right before the waves would come and wash around her she'd say, "Wait for it... wait for it..."

I wish you could hear her saying, "Ocean? Ocean? Ocean? Ocean? Ocean?..."