The Leaves are Falling!

This time last year, Samantha hadn't even learned to crawl through the leaves yet. At about 4 months old, I had to prop her up in her Bumbo so she wouldn't flop over for the picture. Trying to get her to look at the camera was certainly a challenge though, I just wasn't any competition for how how those crunched between her tiny little fingers! 

Well, it's amazing how things have changed in one year! She certainly is not my baby girl any more. Now, she not only crunches those leaves with her fingers, she can stomp through their crunchiness and even toss them in the air...well sort of (maybe not over her head). She has grown and changed so much.

I'm not sure when it happened, but it feels like she has grown into this independent toddler almost overnight. I love how she HAS to do everything on her own, especially if she sees me or Daddy doing it! Though, this can be both frustrating and amazing at the same time, depending on the mess involved. However, watching her help me rake the leaves and and then "jump" into them (or what I would probably call a speedy walk into the leaves and her squealing "AH!" and falling onto her bum into them) is simply priceless!

But please slow down my Baby Girl...Mommy still wants some baby girl snuggle time!