Jump Shake Your Bootie!

Apparently, this is another week full of constant discoveries for Annabelle.

I'm continuing to read "James and the Giant Peach" to Annabelle on a daily basis. I try to read 1-3 chapters a day to her (one in the morning, one before one of her nap times and then another before bedtime). She seems to really like the cover of the book as she will point at all of the characters on the cover until I tell her the name. "That is James Henry Trotter." "That is Miss Spider." "That is Ladybug." We are just now getting to the chapter in the book where the sharks are starting to attack the giant peach.

Well, anyhow, since I now read "James and the Giant Peach" to Annabelle about three times a day, she seems to be very aware that this is a popular book for us right now. This evening, my husband and I were sitting on the floor with her in the living room, and she decided to trail off to her bedroom. We heard her knock something down in the bedroom, and then "pitter patter," and there she was...Miss Annabelle was back in the living room with us again holding the "James and the Giant Peach" book. Coincidence? I don't think so. I think that she really understands that this book has been a focal point for us over the past few weeks. I don't know that she brought the book in the living room with her because she wanted me to read it to her, but I think she can relate to the book. Her three books of choice right now include her "100 First Words" and another picture book and "James and the Giant Peach."

I am thinking I'd like to read "Superfudge" to her next because I remember loving that book. There were two of those books, weren't there? Was Superfudge the 1st or 2nd one? I remember that I liked the 1st one. I also loved the Beverly Cleary books, Amelia Bedelia books and Little House on the Prairie books. I have the set of the Little House on the Prairie books, so maybe I should pull those out to read them to her.

So, as for the title of my blog. You are probably wondering where the title came from? Well, this evening as my husband and I were studying one of Annabelle's picture books with her, we pointed to a picture of a lady jumping, and we said, "That is a lady jumping." The word description under the picture literally says, "Jump." Strange, if you ask me, because most of the pictures in the book are of animals, objects, etc., but not actions. Well, it was the cutest thing I have seen so far...she started jumping! Every time we said, "That is a lady jumping," Annabelle would start jumping up and down on the floor (as she was standing up next to the glider stool while we read the book to her).

I am amazed at how fast she learned the word "jump." On Monday evening, I had just started using the word with her to show her the action (besides pointing it out in the book as I've already been doing for a few weeks). And when I started using the word with her on Monday, I didn't even have the book in sight. Instead, I just started jumping like a bunny rabbit towards her, and I'd say, "Jump!" I cannot believe that it clicked that quickly!

Of course, when I realized that Annabelle understood the word "jump," I had to stand up with my rear end facing her to sing "Jump shake your bootie! Jump, jump, shake your bootie!" We actually would sing this to her when she was probably about 3-6 months old. We would bounce her up and down and shake her little bootie as we sang the song to her, and she would just smile and laugh. She thought it was so funny. My nephew actually starting referring to the song as "Annabelle's song," and now my niece, my nephew's sister, refers to it as "Annabelle's song" as well.

When I showed Annabelle how to jump and shake her bootie though, my husband turned to Annabelle and said, "Annabelle, we don't do that out in public though." I laughed and said, "Why not? I think it would be kind of cute." He said, "You think it would be cute for Annabelle to go to church and then jump and shake her bootie for everyone there?" Well, maybe not at church!

And some more words that seemed to click with Annabelle today...I pointed to a picture in her "100 First Words" book, and I said, "Crib." Then, I pointed and touched her crib. She understood the connection because she would then look at the picture book and then at her crib as if she understood. On another word, I would point at a teddy bear in the book and say, "Teddy Bear." Then, I would point at her own Teddy Bear that she was holding. After that, she'd look in the book at the teddy bear picture, and then she'd point at her own teddy bear.

Also, there was a picture of a "Queen" in the book. When my husband pointed out the picture to Annabelle, he said, "Queen. Mommy is a queen." As soon as he said, "Mommy," she looked at me, and then she pointed at me. It was sort of funny though because of the context of the conversation with him saying, "Mommy is a queen."

I also asked Annabelle, "Where is your Daddy's nose?" this evening, and she went to his face to find his nose. She was very close as I think she pointed right below his nose.

And, last, but certainly not least, Annabelle sat down this evening on the floor on her own with such grace, and she didn't even use her hands. She had two toys, one in each hand, but she lowered her little body to the ground to sit, and it was without a bump and without her hands as support.

My baby is no longer a baby! It is still so bitter sweet!