Just checking in.

Hey, everybody. Just briefly, before Seth and I head off to the grocery store (he's on leave this week. I hardly know what to do with myself!). Rather than steal my mother-in-law's thunder by posting her picture, I'm going to direct you to her blog to see the first ever picture of Annika smiling at the camera: http://leapingcalf.blogspot.com/.

This is Annika's latest habit (yes, she is suddenly Annika. I think she finally got big enough for the name. She's got more personality now that she's a full four months old.): sucking on things.

It's amazing how strong she is. There's no resisting that patient pull. Her other new talents include very nearly scootching up on her knees and very nearly rolling over, but since we need to replace the batteries in our camera, I have no pictures of these feats.

And here is a picture of Annika smiling at Daddy, which is very nearly smiling at the camera, if you count the fact that Daddy was holding the camera out to one side nearly at arms' length and distracting the baby while he took it. The camera was in sight; she just wasn't looking at it. But hey, she's cute in any picture, so who's complaining.

Happy Fourth, everybody.