So BIG...

(notice Anna's outfit from the 2008 Masters Golf Tournament, thanks Vic!)

For the past several weeks I have often glimpsed over at my daughter and realized she is no longer a baby. Her features are changing almost daily and her baby face is starting to mature. Today is one of those days that I looked and saw a little toddler and not so much a baby. Not only are her physical attributes changing but the way in which she interacts and communicates with us is changing daily. She is such a joy to be around. She is ready to master walking but she just isn't ready to release her grasp on our hands. She will even reach for our hands to indicate she wants to take a stroll. I am thankful she feels safe with our grip. May it one day be a perfect illustration of God's hand on her life. Our little Anna is full of life and very expressive. Two things that she will often do that bring us much delight is when she sees someone or something for the first time, not necessarily for the first time ever, just the first time in the last few minutes she literally just gasps for air and ooohhs and ahhhs. It is almost as if her breath is just taken away. Secondly, Anna has the art of pointing down pat. She points at anything and everything and of course points as she gasps with delight at what she has discovered. When we get her up from her nap, she will point to the doorway as if to say, "I am all done with this room, let's go play." Of course this is only after we have pointed at the letters of her name that line the wall of her crib. She is such a curious little person and wants to inspect everything. She is very aware of her surroundings. She isn't discrete (I have to say she gets this from her mommy). She will stare down strangers in a minute that come into her line of view. We can just see her in a few years taking her food to eat with the table next to us. Anna is also feisty like her mommy and has a lot of spunk. As we walk around the house when she gets to an item, such as one of her toys (instead of walking around it) she will kick it or try to move it with her foot. Looks like we might have an athlete. Anna still loves music and we will catch her swaying to the music when she hears a tune. Often I will be in the kitchen and will peek in on her in the den and she will just be bobbing up and down on her knees to the music of one of her toys. Anna can easily entertain herself, often this includes entertaining herself in her crib. We will often go and get her from her nap and she will just be going from one bumper to the next playing with the tassels and talking away. These are just a few things that are Anna to me at this stage of her life. Anna Catherine Sasser we surely do love you and are enjoying this new stage of toddlerhood you are entering.