Gotta Love Her!!!!

My baby girl is getting so big!!! It's hard to believe that she is 13 months old. She is walking and talking now and MISS INDEPENDENT! She wants to do everything on her own! She waves me off when I try to hold her hand while she is walking and she has to hold the fork and stab her own food when she is eating. She has just started asking, " 's dat?" She points and says it. It took me a few times to realize what she was saying. She is fearless! She goes down the steps by herself (with mommy or daddy VERY close to her, but don't tell her!). She runs from me when I am trying to dress her after her bath. I let her get down the hall a little way before I give chase! She gives kisses with a big "MMMMUUUAAAAHHHHH!" It may be the cutest thing ever! When she is ready to get out of bed she yells, "Hey!" until I come and get her. Then she gets a fresh diaper and goes to find daddy and wake him up. She throws her diapers away when she gets changed. She cleans up, which right now consists of putting things in something...anything. Like today, we were cleaning up her fridge magnets and she tried to throw them in the garbage. But, hey, you gotta start somewhere.
This is my third or fourth week of summer. I am afraid to check. I know it is going by way too fast! Every day I get to play with Katelyn and see her learn new things. We have our little routines and our days are interesting. I truly cherish every day I get to spend with my little girl! I was a little nervous, because last summer was not nearly as fun. I enjoyed my time with her, but it was a lot more work. This summer, I am more confident with her and she is more confident in the world around her, so we are both a lot more relaxed. I know what she needs and she is always happy unless she is sick, tired, or hungry. Today she helped me unload the dishes from the dishwasher. She handed me the spoons and forks (the knives had already been removed) and it was such fun! One thing I have learned is to make the decision each day that my time is her time. When I devote my time to her, we both have fun. I can do laundry while she naps. When I try to get other things done, I tend to end up annoyed because she is demanding too much of my time. So I just decide that my time is for her and I never get frustrated when she wants my attention. Of course, it is not a fool proof plan, but it works for the most part.
She is growing so fast and learning so much that I am terrified of the day that she will not need me for anything except money! The other night we were putting on jammies - after I caught her and dragged her back - and she was lifting her foot and putting it in and putting her arm through without help from me and I began to get a little depressed. Then her little pinky got stuck and she looked at me with those big blue eyes and there was hope yet!