Synchro-Napping and Other Good Things

I imagine the "real world" chatter around the water cooler this week probably involved famous people behaving badly and the new fall prime time line-up. The mommy chatter around the bouncy castle this week was all about toddlers behaving badly and the community centre's fall activity line-up. It's all the same, isn't it?
Anyways, as the moms compared class schedules like a group of highschoolers a level of outrage could be detected. Turns out, a highly sought-after music program for 2 year olds was scheduled for 1:15pm. Hello? Are they crazy?! That's naptime! One of the moms emphatically - perhaps even a touch psychotically - declared that she lives for naptime. It was a moment of solidarity. For some reason we all feel guilty about this being the highlight of our days. But I'm going on record here: one of my proudest achievements as a mother is the consistency with which my kids nap. And today marks the third time this week that they have synchro-napped in the afternoon! (One exclamation point just doesn't do justice. Have a few more: !!!!!!!!!!!!)
Moving along...and since the kids are napping anyway (oh, why not?...!!!!!!!!!!!!) Sarah is 8 months old now.



Awwwww. She's cute, huh?
Here's a peek at what she's up to now:
* she has entered what Matt recently coined as "The Barnacle Phase." She protests as soon as she is set down and then makes an immediate dash for our ankles. Making dinner has become an Extreme Sport that combines preparing multiple meals for allergic/picky/pureed-only eaters with hopping over some of said eaters with large pots of boiling whatever-we're-having-for-dinner. Try it sometime. I guarantee that body-shredding feeling!
* She will eat anything....as long as it's orange. Sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, peaches...all good. Peas? Not so much. I'm not worried though - Liam went through a sweet potato phase too. At least I won't freak out when her nose turns yellow from it like his did! (It went away. Eventually.)
* She's crawling almost as fast as Liam can run, and she's pulling herself up and shimmying along the furniture. Will she be walking by her 9 month update? I hope not!
* She hates the bath. It takes two of us (and we could probably use a third!) to wash her hair. She is super strong and twists and arches her body around the tub the second she spots the shampoo bottle coming her way.
* Still just one tooth.
* She learned to clap a few days ago. It's very cute, although she has put her own spin on it....instead of a traditional palm to palm clap, she alternates slapping the tops of each hand. Here's a picture....

Okay, a few more. :)
Partners in crime....