Growing girl

Madeleine has surprised us with a few new developments.

1. She's learned how to work her CD player. She now finds specific CDs she wants to listen to, opens the lid, tries to put the CD in (usually upside down), closes the lid and presses play. As long as we're around to make sure she gets it right it's fine. It's those other times that concern us. We're torn between telling her "no" and teaching her the nuances of getting it right.

2. She's also learned how to open pill bottles. How fun! This morning she came into our bedroom, grabbed my bottle of prenatal vitamins (with a kid-proof lid...ha!), and proceeded to twist and push until it opened. The she dumped them all over the place. Fortunately Justin was able to intercede as I was busy feeding Parker. Now we keep the vitamins on my dresser out of her go-go Gadget arms.

3. Madeleine can identify an elk. While looking at a magazine yesterday, Justin had the page opened to an article with a picture of a bull elk. Madeleine walked straight up to it, pointed, and said "elk." The only other picture she's seen that we know of was a silhouette of one on a t-shirt Justin has. Granted, she's more likely to see an elk here in Montana than an elephant or a monkey, but her ability to remember things impresses us nonetheless.