"Mommy Hold You"

This has to be my favorite thing to hear Kaitlin say at the moment. I just think it's the cutest phrase ever, and to look down and see her with her arms up just melts my heart. She's started instituting it in other scenarios though, all of which are comical to me:

• While staring longingly at the duck chlorinator we have in the pool "Duck hold you peas (please)?" Probably should look into getting a less tempting chemical holder!
• While reading books, she will try to grab the pictures and hold them. For instance, we have a book about a little boy losing his teddy bear in the woods. I pointed out the tiny bear to her the other day and now whenever we read it she tries to pinch the bear and says "tiny bear hold you!" We usually have to go get a real bear for her to hold since she doesn't quite understand that Mommy can't get it out of the book for her.
• One night out at a restaurant there was a baby crying, she reached out from her high chair with both arms and said "Baby hold you!" I'm sorry honey, I don't think those strangers are going to let you hold their newborn.
• Yesterday we had Gabriel over for a playdate and she wanted two things. First it was "Hold you Gabriel," meaning she wanted to hold him (nevermind he's a month older than her). When I told her she couldn't, she moved on to "Mommy, Gabriel hold you," which meant she wanted me to hold Gabriel. She was none too happy when I would put him down, even though I tried to explain that he probably had better things to do than ride on my big belly.

In other holding news, she's become much more accustomed to holding my hand, which has been so helpful now that I'm getting bigger. She loves to run up and grab my hand when it's time to cross streets, and in parking lots she's a pro. This morning at home I think she was pretending to be in the parking lot because she ran up to me, grabbed my hand and said "hold hands in parking lot momma," and we proceeded to march around the whole house holding hands. I won't lie, I was a little sad when it was over! As I've said every month, I think this month is my favorite in her development, she just keeps getting more and more fun and interactive!