Comical, musical, magical Maya

Dear Maya,
It's been a bit of a challenging week for mommy and daddy. The two of us have been taking turns feeling under-the-weather, leaving it harder to manage you and your growing independence. It didn't help that you were probably fighting a bit of a cold, too, but the only sign you showed of it was a very crusty nose...

You were moody at times this week and yet you had your hysterical moments, too. You dispelled the cabin fever we were all feeling by finding silly things to do with everyday objects. The laundry basket continued to be an object of play, as well as clothes hangers, plastic lids and your new favorite accessory, daddy's belt.

photo by Auntie Rhi

funny levitating bow-legged baby photo
taken during 'gymnastics time' on our floor mat

We had another cultural Saturday come together thanks to Uncle Matt pulling out several musical instruments for you to hear and try. On top of the oh-so-common bass guitar, there were the finger cymbals, the snake-charming flute, the mini okarina, the maracas, the "Indian banjo" and the thunder tube shown here.

We're all so proud of your musical inclinations. It's been hard to catch on video so mommy hasn't blogged much about it, but you've started picking up tunes pretty well. Sometime in January you began mimicking and/or filling in the repetitive parts of the song "Funiculi, funicula" when we would sing it. Then a couple weeks ago you started singing what we thought were made-up (but believable) songs, only to realize you were singing songs you hear every day such as "Twinkle, twinkle." The proof was when mommy noticed the other night that you were singing the bedtime song I made up for you when we were getting you ready for bed!

But perhaps the most amazing feat is that you sing scales! We don't remember how it started, but you often copy us when we sing five ascending or descending notes, and your sense of pitch is pretty darned good. In fact, in this video it seems like you keep restarting at the beginning when you catch yourself going flat. Wow!

(Sorry the volume is so low and the beginning looks uninteresting. Someone likes to stop what she's doing and ham it up when she sees the camera, so mommy had to keep hidden part of the time.)

The other day, mommy and daddy celebrated the 10th anniversary of the day they became a couple. Sunday Uncle Matt and Aunt Rhi babysat you for the afternoon so we could go on our first date in ages. It was very nice to spend time on our own, but wouldn't you know it--mommy ended up stopping at a thrift store buying tons of stuff for you! Daddy humored me as I had a blast choosing cute outfits and, the pièce de résistance, tap shoes! They won't fit for a little while, but I'm sure you'll love making noise with them when they do!

Using a fork for the first time to eat some cantaloupe

Your new foods this week were the black olives added to your usual Monday night homemade spinach pizza (thanks, daddy!) and the flounder in the prepared baby food pouch with rice and veggies that your grandparents sent over from Japan (thanks, obaachan and ojiichan!) Oh, and the Japanese snack, Pocky!

Love you!