{10}

These four weeks! They would have knocked the stuffing right out of us if we weren't so marvelously engaged by their work and strengthened by their challenges. Anaiah withstood being carted hither and yon in all sorts of weather, confined to her carseat and Ergo and stroller, and generally neglected during our hours of photoshoots and editing. But still, she overcomes. She retains her sparkling spirit, her inquiring ways, her drive to discover. 

It is miraculous, the alchemy of these rapid days. 

She stands, she speaks, she reaches into everything and scatters it all in her wake -- which is large and full of life, like dolphins after a ship.

She suddenly grasped language, the utility of it, its mobility and motivating force. I can see her struggle at times to use the few words and signs she has to make her meanings clear when she can see that there are nuances that are just out of reach. For the most part, though, she delights in this new skill and the things that it makes happen. She makes games with new words to test their meanings, she is so thrillingly logical and astute.

My favorite is her wide-eyed, palms skyward, 'Where did it go?', which comes out 'Wheredigo?' Ah! All animals became 'dog' this month, or anything that looks furry and like it may one time have been alive. I think the apocalyptic sets were a bit vividly inspiring at times, and for sure being around Alex brought many more dogs into our sphere.



And the coup: today for the first time, a bolt from the blue, she set out natural as anything and took her very first steps. Happy ten months, little girl!