Four little monkeys

They are monkeys because I love them but they drive me crazy! Hazel is nine months old today. It seems like I could have at least written a little bit about how she's growing and changing once per month but since I just thought of it, I guess that plan is out. Besides, she was born during the school year. Dread! How I hate the school year! She is such a driven, determined bundle of energy. She has mastered climbing the stairs, crawling, screaming and is working on backing down the stairs. I only give her a couple more days before I can feel pretty confident that she knows how. She says dada to Jody and mama to me. She can say hi but doesn't do it much. It's kind of a singsong hi-i. She waves, claps, responds to her name and eats me out of house and home. She smiles as long as someone hasn't upset her by taking a shiny treasure away and giggles more for Nick than anyone else in the family. Jody can get good giggles out of her when he really tries. She still sucks her thumb rather adorably when she's tired. It's all been a whirlwind. I'm amazed her babyhood is flying by so quickly. After four, I now keenly realize that though people dread the baby phase, that's easy, the hard part is school. Ugh! Why is it almost August?! Maybe it will be easier the older they get. That's the best I can hope for.