I ask this because I know how important words are to you, and how much you value speech; Annabel's development in that area seems slow to you because it's the thing you find most important. If she were doing the things you long for her to do so much, but not doing others, I'm willing to bet that you'd be far less worried about it.

It's entirely possible--especially since I actually have in real life witnessed a child who walked late (my niece Rachel) grow up just fine, and if anything be among the more athletic members of the family. I haven't ever personally witnessed a late talker who proceeded to grow up all verbal and articulate. I know they exist, and my own husband was among them, but it's harder for me to understand and picture, and I always kinda wonder if their mothers just perceived them as not talking when they actually were because they were just a bit behind an older sibling or a neighbor kid or something.

unless occasionally pointing out that saying "done!" would be a simpler way of getting us to take her out of her highchair than dramatically ripping off her bib and tossing her utensils and uneaten food to the floor counts.

But her way is so much more fun. I know I'd like to do that sometimes....

What a wonderful idea for a restaurant. Leave the cleanup to someone else. The customers can even bring in their own dishes and drinkware and toss those to the ground too. Grade A stress-relief.

My daughter was a late talker and now she's doing just great.

haven't ever personally witnessed a late talker who proceeded to grow up all verbal and articulate. I know they exist, and my own husband was among them

I am smiling. You have witnessed one, your husband.

All of the babies here are cute, but none are as cute as my friend's baby who was born a week ago. (No, I'm not biased at all.) Such a little peanut! I was priviledged enough to lose a lot of sleep while assisting his mama with late night diaper changes and breast feedings. Sadly I had to come back to my own life and now her husband gets to take that job. At least he got a couple of good night rests!

I hope all the parental fears end up being nothing at all, and I enjoy seeing all of the baby pics, even though I don't usually reply about them.

Leif will end up with Kara.

And then the world will end, but very amusingly.

What a wonderful idea for a restaurant. Leave the cleanup to someone else.

The me who is still traumatized by the memory of waiting tables 15 years ago asks me to say, "this is different, how?"

know they exist, and my own husband was among them, but it's harder for me to understand and picture,

The late talkers I've heard about who were very smart tended to wait until they could form whole sentences. Or just held back until they'd really mastered the language and felt confident in that.

Annabel strikes me as possibly being that kind of baby. No wait, that model would only work if one of her parents was a perfectionist.

The me who is still traumatized by the memory of waiting tables 15 years ago asks me to say, "this is different, how?"

BWAH! There are a good many pigs that are neater than some adults when they go out to dinner.

Annabel doesn't look thin to me, she looks like a toddler. She's grown legs.

She's actually thinner than that picture makes her look--she's a big-boned kid, so you notice the thinness more when she's naked and you can see what a svelte waist she's getting. But yeah, she's normal toddler in that regard--I asked the pede just to make sure I was feeding her right, and she said this is the age when they start acquiring their basic body types, which genetics for Annabel means tall and slim until she's 25 or so and has to start fighting her weight.

Thanks for the compliments--I think she's the most beautiful kid ever, especially WRT her eyes and her smile, but it's nice to hear it's not entirely my bias talking.

Pretty Annabelle!

We just got our first trick or treaters, which thrilled Sara to no end. "Kids!" Giving away the candy didn't go over as big, however.

We're eating pizza and then going out ourselves -- Ben had a fever all weekend, but it was only 99 this morning, so he went to school so as not to miss the parade and party. He's resting now, pre-trick or treating. It's one night a year -- even if it was higher, I'd let him go. And I'm actually thinking of keeping him home tomorrow and calling the doctor, because he gets strep at the drop of a hat.