i like

yesterday elenora noticed the jack-o-lantern decorations hanging from the roof of our neighbor's porch. she liked them a lot and i said they were "jack-o-lanterns" and she started saying "jack" very clearly. now when i point over to the neighbor's house and say "what's over there?" she says "jack."

elenora has learned to sign "i like," which requires taking your hand and almost stroking it down your chest from your heart to your belly. elenora will cuddle up to j. in the morning and say "da-da" and stroke her chest... "i like, i like."

it's so sweet.

we're meeting our neighbors one or two at a time. across the street is rosie and her 11 week old baby emma. down the road is tanya with her daughter sophia, who is just slightly younger than elenora. across the hill is a girl named olivia and her mother. the man across the street who works with animal rescue brought a dog named halo over to meet ella yesterday. i like knowing our neighbors.

"the count of monte cristo" is absorbing. a good fast-paced story with real intrigue. i've already ordered my own copy from amazon.

it's a cloudy wet day. cold. i wouldn't mind this weather if it weren't for elenora. but i feel stuck inside with her. if only it were dry we could still get out.

i packed up the bottles yesterday. put all but one of them away. we haven't used a bottle in weeks. maybe a month even. it's kind of sad to put those away. just another reminder that she is every day moving further away from being a baby.