Chiara has become a champion stander. This might not seem like such a feat to anyone but a parent, who has seen how much of a struggle and an incremental challenge it is for babies to stand up. When I woke up this morning, Chiara was standing in her crib, holding the rail and beaming. She had just taken a little stroll all along the perimeter of the crib and was taking such pleasure in her huge accomplishment.

She likes to walk along the perimeter of things these days. Our round coffee table is a favorite and the length of the couch is another.

But my favorite trick from today is how Chiara tried to lift her own shirt over her head to remove it. Unfortunately, the fabric got twisted up and she didn’t manage to get it off without my help but it won’t be long!