Mara’s Blog Influencing the world one day at a time since 2005…

One of Mara’s favorite activities is to go outside whenever she can. If you happen to go to daycare at the wrong time and the kids are outside, good luck in getting Mara to leave. While outside at home one of Mara’s favorite things to do is to get you to blow bubbles for her to chase around. The day this video was taken a few weeks ago, Mom took some time out to show Mara how to blow her own bubbles. She got to be pretty good at it.

Bonus? Seeing Mara in her hot pink leopard print pants. Rawr, rawr.

Bubbles Video
15.7 MB / Time 6:18

In the last few weeks Mara has gained quite an appetite. For a little while there in the fall she seemed to be pretty particular about what she would eat and would not eat. She had some favorites that could be relied on to satisfy her, but eating anything you put in front of her had gone along with her baby months. Now it seems it is back where she has a wider range of likes.

This video was taken a few weeks ago where we caught her enjoying some chicken mini biscuits. Its a easy sign that she likes it from the noise that accompanies every bite. Yumumumumum. You even get to hear how she gulps down milk.

Yummy Chicken Video

7.3 MB / Time 2:57

This past Sunday Nana Smith came in for a visit. Although Mom and Dad would like to think it was to see them, we all know that it was really to see Mara. Nana came bearing gifts, and had a rather large one wrapped up in some plastic bags. After uncovering it, Mara looked at it a little funny. The stuffed horse she had brought was bigger than she was! Mara thought it was real we think, and was a little intimidated at first. She acted the same way she does around dogs that she meets walking the neighborhood. Very excited from afar, but more hesitant up close. She warmed up to him though after a little while. We captured some footage of her riding her trusty steed later on in the day after she woke up from her afternoon nap.

Mara’s Horse Video

6.1 MB / Time 2:29

What is it about the allure of wearing your parent’s shoes as a kid? It seems to be something that all kids do. Is it just the desire to imitate your parents?

A few weeks ago we were able to tape Mara making off in Mom’s sandals. Lately Mara has been putting on all forms of shoes in the house. Sneakers, dress shoes, Mom’s or Dad’s. Its surprising how maneuverable she can be in them!

Big Shoes Video

7.7 MB / Time 3:08

In case some of you failed to notice, the football season started this past week. Mara noticed. Don’t disturb her please.

Mara Loves Football Video

2.9 MB / Time 1:14

Last week Mom took some video of a typical start to Mara’s day. I don’t think we can say that it is very exciting necessarily, but we do enjoy getting her up in the morning because we get to see her smiling face for a little pick-me-up. We thought that we would share that moment with you. So here is what a sleepy Mara looks like.

Mara Gets Up Video

11.0 MB / Time 4:26

It has been a while since we have posted a video to the website. It just seems that in the beginning everything that Mara did new seemed to be distinct and something we could film as an event. Now the new things she does seem to gradually come by in time and it’s harder to identify good milestones to capture. I’m not sure if that is really why we haven’t filmed, but it does seem that way.

Last week I was reading Mara one of her books, Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You, and for one of the first times she started to repeat some of the words in the book as I read them. For those not familiar with the book it is actually meant to be read and have the child repeat the sounds, but I had never used it that way. When the repeating occurred I just thought that Mom had been practicing this with Mara and she repeated the feat with me. Not the case. When I asked Mom she said Mara had not been doing the same with her. Strange. In some way maybe Mara was understanding the words of the book “can you,” or she was just familiar with some of the sounds like “moo” or “buzz” from other instances of us teaching them, and was taking it upon herself to get involved with the book reading. Either way, she was interacting quite a bit. We thought it would be a good show for those that don’t get to see her everyday, to see how much she is talking and what she knows how to say.

Now, some things she doesn’t say very well, but she makes an attempt at all of it. In this sitting though she was quite tired from the day, and she either needed extra prompting to say the words or didn’t say a word or two at all. It didn’t help that she had a sticker which can be awfully distracting for her. The cutest thing she says is “whisper” which I’m not sure you’ll be able to make out on the audio since in fact she does whisper it like the book says. You also get to see her defiant side. She knows how to say “no” and mean it.

Hope you enjoy!

Mr. Brown Video

9.4 MB / Time 3:47

Mom has done it again. She taught our daughter one of those life long lessons that will help her out for years to come. Her feet are stinky.

Now its a fun little game we play. So we can say something like, “are your hands sticky?” after she eats some fruit and Mara will proceed to smell her hands and declare that no, they are in fact not sticky, rather, they smell. Thats our girl.

Here is a video where we caught her in the act during our trip down to the Dominican.

Stinky Video

4.1 MB / Time 1:42