Emerging

For months I've been calling Lauren my "serious child," which is just fine with me. "Serious" to me means that she is calm, studies things intently, and is not quick to laugh. All of those things still describe her, especially when it comes to meeting new people, but lately a bit of her attitude has been showing through. So much so that her grandma Connie told us this weekend that she was going to be h$ll on wheels when she gets older!

The most recent development is her temper. We always knew she was impatient and when she's ready for something, she's ready. She doesn't work up to being hungry, she's just suddenly hungry and lets you know it...LOUDLY. Of course, I never thought of that as a temper, more just the way that she functioned as a baby. Now...totally different story. She was trying to get out of the living room, which I had blocked in so that I could keep track of her easier while I have this boot on. She learned pretty quickly how to push and pull the plastic wall we had up, so I started holding onto it when she was near it. The very first time I did this she shook it, glared at me, then promptly crawled over to her brother's bean bag, threw herself down face first, and proceeded to scream. Tantrums at 10 months old?!? Sheesh!

This is my "I'm not kidding" face. :)

It's not been all screaming and crying, thank goodness. The joy she radiates when she sees someone she loves, like her big brother, is absolutely amazing. Her entire face lights up in a smile that could power a million light bulbs. My favorite thing to do with her right now is watch her crawl around and play with her toys until she's completely oblivious to everyone in the room. Then, I'll say "Lauren!" in my best sing-songy voice, watch her look up at me, and then beam. Having a bad day? Her smile could cure even the worst blues.

We've decided that she's going to be quite a mix of the reserved and the extroverted. I think it will depend on the situation and who is around. The most important thing is that she's happy and proud to be who she is, and she is perfectly wonderful to us.