The Life and Times of Annie, Aria, and Asher Walker… and their parents, too.

At the Seattle Gymnastics Academy indoor playground this afternoon. She randomly took a few steps earlier, and did this right before the hour was up. Peer pressure, I tell ya!

Neither of us is exactly on top of it when it comes to writing blog posts anymore. In another year or so, I should be able to turn the task over to Annie, but until then, I figure I should check in every once in awhile!

Anyway, our sweet Aria turned a year old this past Monday! We celebrated the day with a family trip to the Seattle Aquarium and the “Indoor Foam Pit Place,” a local gymnastics gym that has open playtime. Annie got to show Daddy her jumping and flipping skills, and Aria got to practice climbing and crawling on two knees. It was a nice family day together!

A few Ari stats:
* 17lbs even and 27.75″ tall–exactly Annie’s stats at a couple days shy of 11 months. She’s petite and perfect in every way!
* Wears a size 9-12 month clothes and size small diaper cover. We’re mostly using Bum Genius Freetimes anymore, though, to go with our few remaining Fuzzibunz.
* Loves food in any form. Prefers meat (loves fish!), but won’t say no to a nice piece of fresh fruit or pretty much any vegetable. Not really into starches and carbs, but neither was her sister.
* Still nurses all day and several times at night.
* Would probably sleep better, but learning to pull up on things and cutting a whole mouthful of teeth at once are hard on a baby!
* Is currently toothless. It doesn’t seem to slow her down.
* Likes to color! Big sister’s (forbidden) markers are her favorite, but she’ll take crayons or pens as well. If none of those are available, the Magna Doodle will occupy her for a long time.
* LOVES books. She will sit and read for almost as long as Annie will. She looks at the pictures, she turns pages, she chatters away about what she sees. She doesn’t seem to have any particular favorites, except for perhaps whatever Annie is reading.
* Sings. A lot. Loudly. Usually because her sister is doing the same. I guess she’s not named “Aria” for no reason!
* Says a handful of words: “kitty cat,” “dada,” “hi!!!!!,” “Annie,” “uh-oh,” and perhaps funniest (to us, at least), “thank you!!” She says it at the correct time and very consistently, and it sounds something like “gANK OOOOOO!”
* Is currently playing peek-a-boo with me with a napkin she swiped from her big sister and giggling like mad every time I look at her and she pulls it away from her face!
* Loves showers. Dislikes diaper changes and being dressed.
* Doesn’t mind having her hair brushed, happily, and will even sit to have it styled. Phew.
* LOVES the Little People figurines that were handed down to us before Annie was born. She’ll spend 15+ minutes at a time moving things around the little house and barn and chattering to herself.
* Is a little people-specific. Her order of preference is:
1. Mom
2. Mom
3. Mom
4. Mom
If none of those are available, then Dad or Grandpa might be okay.
* Continues to be laid-back and happy, and her own unique person doing things in her own time!

While in Phoenix, we try to make a stop at the Desert Botanical Garden, an absolutely amazing 65-acre slice of desert providing over 50,000 plant displays.  One exhibit which is always a treat is the butterfly house.  Normally when we come in spring, there are several species of butterflies co-existing in the habitat.  During the fall, the exhibit focuses on the Monarch butterfly, its migration patterns, and conservation efforts underway to protect the species.

With the butterflies come a ton of pictures, and this being Aria’s first trip to the Garden, I made sure to get a few more pictures.

Here’s (a very tired) Annie when she was almost 5 months old in the butterfly house:

And here’s (a slightly less tired) Aria at 4 months: