Walking, Talking and Eating

Karina enjoying some watermelon on the back patio

Karina's really been having a lot of fun now that she is learning how to walk. Grandma and Grandpa Mattern and Quentin and Lisa were over when she shocked us all by taking about 12 steps in a row while turning a corner! She walks a few steps regularly and usually stays near something to hold onto, however today she's started walking right out into the middle of the room.

What a pretty smile

She's been enjoying eating summer fruit...like watermelon...and she got another tooth (the left front bottom...the second of those.) It seems to be mostly in today. She now has 10 teeth...only 10 more to go!

She's been talking up a storm lately...saying "cheese" and "trees"...which I know sound similar but she says them in contextually appropriate situations...like while pointing at trees during our walk, and when I get out the cheese for lunch...so you'll have to trust me that they are different words. She always answers the question, "Karina, what does the kitty say?" by saying "Neow"...yes, neow rather than meow...while using the correct intonations. She knows "duck", "ball", "go", "Jesus"(from her crucifix from Great-Aunt and Godmother Beth) and of course "No!" It's really funny when she starts doing a chorus of "Oh, no!'s, because for no apparent reason, she'll say it once and seem to like the feeling of saying it and will proceed to say it over and over and over again, often using a concerned tone and wearing a worried expression.

"I sure love my Daddy!"

The word "Dada" or "Daddy" seems to be eluding her...much to Daddy's dismay. She'll say it occasionally when prompted, "Karina, say Dada," but when referring to Daddy she unfortunately says, "Mama." She loves her Daddy so much, I have no doubt she'll be saying "Dada" too often soon enough!