baby anya

she is a healthy, chubby baby girl born January 2008. we call her Anya and she is Ayel's baby sister. it sometimes surprises me that she is now almost six months old. three weeks ago, i had to laugh when i found out she recognizes each one of us and would extend her arms to the family member she wishes to go to. and just yesterday while my husband P was holding her, she cried to me (with arms extended) as i was going out the door. i smiled... little Anya wants me to take her with me. how come i hardly noticed she is learning a few tricks on her own...?

with only 14 months between them, our attention is more often focused on the growing Ayel and the new words and antics she has to amaze us with. still being a "baby" herself, she demands our full attention -- always energetic, up and about, very very curious and dangerously playful. she has discovered that climbing stairs, chairs and tables can be fun.

Anya is of a different temperament. i love watching her as she plays in her crib... quietly nibbling at her toes and fingers then sucking on her thumb till she falls asleep. other times she would play with her little pillows or raise her legs up and down, giggling to herself as her little feet hits the mattress. the only times she would cry would be for milk, a change of nappies, or a bath.

i often wake up a few minutes before little Anya does, and that's before 5 in the morning. i would quietly get up from bed, prepare her milk and wait till she stirs from her sleep. as soon as she opens her eyes, her lips would slowly break into a smile, cooing softly at the sight of her bottle.

but this morning was different. i was awakened by soft thuds coming from little Anya's crib. i glanced at the clock -- 3:05 am, and she was awake, raising her legs up and down and giggling each time they went down. i called her name softly... the thuds stopped. slowly i came towards her -- she was looking at me, smiling.

"mmmmmmaaaa....", she suddenly said.

i was about to give her the bottle but had the urge to pick her up instead.

"come, baby..." i whispered.

it was a cold rainy morning. wrapping her with a flannel blanket, we sat on the sturdy old table beside the window, listening to the sound of the rain falling on the roof.