What a week! There is so much I wanted to record here but work was really busy Monday and Tuesday and then yesterday I worked from home and my list of items was at work! I wanted to tell you about all the cute things Annika did last weekend. Saturday night was Amanda and Dean's engagement party. Grandpa Dan and Marcia came over to babysit Annika. Annika was standing on the window ledge on the stair landing looking outside ("side" in Annika speak) when they drove up. As they were walking towards the house, I told Annika they were coming to our house to play with her. She turned and scampered down off that ledge as quickly as she could, shoving me out of the way as she went. Then we ran down the stairs, almost falling, so she could get to the front door. She ran to the door as they were walking in but then stopped, turned around and ran around the living and dining room like a crazy girl, laughing and hopping and skipping and shouting with glee. Yes, she was a tad excited to see "Gampa" (Annika speak again) and Marcia. Kris and I were preparing to leave when I asked Annika if she wanted to take a bath. She LOVES baths. I hardly got a kiss and wave good-bye before she was headed up the stairs with Marcia for her bath. Kris didn't get a good-bye at all. She was not sad in the least that we were leaving. When Kris and I arrived home that night Auntie Krystle gave us the rundown on the evening. She had come to relieve Grandpa and Marcia of their duties about 8:45pm or so and guess who was still awake? Yep, Annika. She was too busy playing to go to sleep, I guess. She was happy and in a good mood so, of course, Grandpa and Krystle let her stay up so they could play with her some more. She went to bed around 9:15pm or so and then slept in late Sunday morning to 8am. She's usually up by 7am so it worked out just fine.

Sunday Annika and I headed to Grandpa Dan's house to help clean out the basement. Grandpa's basement was loaded with all my, Krystle and Mathias' old toys, books and games. We worked for five hours and went through every box, deciding what we were tossing, what we were keeping and what we were selling at our upcoming garage sale. Annika had a great time playing in the basement with all those new (nasty, dirty) toys. When we found a box of old dolls, Annika lost her little mind. She wanted to play with those dolls so badly and we wouldn't let her due to the mold and mildew. Grandpa had to take box out to the garage while Krystle and I distracted Annika with something else. She didn't forget about those dolls though and asked for them off and on throughout the afternoon. Auntie Krystle found her Cabbage Patch Doll and it was still in good condition so she let Annika play with it. That doll along with the new doll highchair we found and Annika was happily playing again. I have to say though that the funniest part of the afternoon for me was when we were done cleaning. We were hanging out in the family room while Mathias went through the last of the toys. I turned on the satellite tv to music channel so Annika could entertain us by dancing. Except that Annika had other ideas. She made Grandpa, Auntie Krystle and Uncle Mathias all get up and dance with her! To an Ashley Parker Angel song! I about died laughing. After a little bit Grandpa sat back down and Annika immediately took his hand and asked him "Up?" again. There will be no sitting Granpda - only dancing! We left shortly after the dancing to go meet Grandpa Dale, Grandma Lona and Uncle Dusty for dinner. The only way I could get Annika to agree to leave though was to ask her if she wanted to go see Uncle Dusty. Annika didn't have a nap on Sunday so of course she fell asleep during the 30 minute drive to the restaurant. I felt bad waking her up and was worried that short a nap was only going to make her in a bad mood. She did need a long wake up period, cuddling on my lap in the restaurant, but eventually Daddy was able to take her from me and then she was up and laughing and playing with everyone. She even ate a bunch for dinner, most of it being the clam chowder she shared with Grandma.

Yesterday, Gramme came over to our house so we could go shopping at Lowe's together. As soon as she walked in the house, Annika ran over to her and jumped in her arms. Then she cuddled with Gramme, laying her head down on her shoulder. Gramme loved it, of course, but it also made my heart melt. I'm sure Kris would agree with me on this one: I love LOVE love seeing Annika so happy to see our family members. To see the joy and happiness and love on her face as well as their faces when she sees them and plays with them, well, it's making me cry right now thinking of it. When she scampered down off that window sill or when she jumped in Gramme's arms or every week when she beams when Auntie Krystle comes over to scrapbook, I just don't know how to describe it. It makes my heart sing. I love our family so, so much and now Annika does too. I am so lucky.