There is an ice cube in my shoe...

Toddler shenanigans are in full swing around here. Picture a tiny tornado with fluffy, curly hair swirling and twirling through the house, leaving cheddar bunny crackers and the dog's hair brush and all of my shoes tangled with various cell phone and computer paraphernalia.

Shoes are a huge hit. Especially when they are my shoes, on her feet, and she triumphantly scuffs her way into the kitchen. This is a huge accomplishment- previously she would get as far as perhaps one shoe on one foot, and then it would all fall apart. She couldn't stand up, the shoe wouldn't stay with her as she walked, and it would all dissolve into screams, head banging, roaring terrible roars, gnashing terrible teeth, and showing terrible claws. Lather, rinse, repeat.

This is, after all, the life and times of a toddler: Wake up, nurse, inspect what Mommy's doing, see a task OH NO! FRUSTRATION FRUSTRATION FRUSTRATION hey, victory! Accomplishment! But then- FRUSTRATION FRUSTRATION FRUSTRATION oops, I'm distracted. Insert various eating and diaper changes and a nap if we're all lucky, and there it is.

The love/hate relationship with the dog has headed into smoother sailing. Lola has discovered that Gianna loves nothing more than to cram a tantalizing bite of toddler food (Yum, kale! I'm the best mommy...) into the dog's mouth, and then pull it out and give it a lick herself. Over and over. She also knows what the dog's treats are, and adores giving them to her. As soon as she spies the container and gives the yell, "Teeeeeeeet! WOWA TEEEET!" Lola comes galloping. Lola may act forlorn and put out at each dog anatomy lesson Gianna gives at the top of every hour ("Ear? Ear. Earearear. Butt? Butt. Buttbuttbutt. Eye?") but today acted genuinely happy to see Gianna when I brought her outside to play after a whopping two hour nap.

From the moment she wakes me up by cracking her skull into my nose, until she falls asleep while scratching contentedly at my side as if we're all just a pile of cats, she's on the go. I know I say this at every stage, but this is truly one of my favorite stages. Until she masters the doors leading to outside...