Lately, I’ve watched Maya’s imagination come to life. She talks to her stuffed animals, has selected a few favorites (she loves her giraffe and cow, especially — plus a bear that Mike’s housemate left for her), and she runs them around the house, clearly acting out some sort of mini-drama.

From necessity, Maya’s learned well to play alone, and I’m thankful for that. It should, I think, serve her well, even when she’s finally in a daycare/preschool situation with other kids!

Seriously snotty noses seem to be the malady du jour in our home.

As I removed Maya’s pj top for a bath, she let a big “flow” release, and it pulled the excess upward. You’ll understand that I *had* to take a photo before washing her hair for this one.

Here’s to bodily-fluid hair gel!

As I mentioned before, Maya and I recently took a roadtrip through the Southwest to return Clay to his breeder in Tucson. The exchange went very well, and when I left the dog park, Clay was racing in circles with a large group of other basenjis. It was a sweet (if bittersweet) parting vision.

Maya and I also picked up a travel companion along the way, Mike, who is now the “man in my life.” Cute couple, no? “Inseparable” would be the best way to describe how we are with each other, and that’s a happy, happy thing.

Driving home from a hike at Templeton yesterday, Maya gave him the sort of adoring looks she usually reserves for her grandfather, and I knew instantly that I’m in trouble. At least it’s a good kind of trouble.

Anyway, before I left Santa Fe, Mike, Maya, his dog Bonnie, and I got to wander through a portion of the Santa Fe National Forest on a 4-1/2 mile trek that took us on some pretty soggy trail. Since I was wearing trail runners (rather than hiking boots), I searched for a means of crossing the first big water without getting wet. Those attempts fell flat, and I resigned myself to a soggy final 2 miles. As it turned out, we crossed unavoidable water perhaps a dozen more times before the trail dried out, and it was great to not worry about getting wet — I already was. My new trail runners (3 weeks old, maybe) have already had their first washing. Ah, well.

Maya has a thing for Bonnie. Well, honestly, Maya has a thing for all things furry and four-legged. It just happens that Bonnie enjoys (tolerates, at least) Maya’s attention, and they’ve quickly become friends. After our hike, Bonnie curled up on the seat against Maya’s carseat and allowed Maya to catalog her face:

Eyes. (accompanied by a poke)
Ears. (with a sharp tug and Maya! Gentle! from me)
Nose. (with a kiss from Bonnie)

Awwwwwww.

You know, this photo’s even funnier when you realize that lemon wedge wasn’t the first one she’d sampled. Yet somehow, she always expects that the next one might — just might — taste better.

From Babycenter:

Your toddler may now be able to throw a ball overhand with ease, although she’ll probably miss her target most of the time. The whole-arm coordination that allows her to roll or throw a ball at something (or someone) usually comes somewhere between 18 months and 3 years.

Or someone? Uh, yeah, no kidding. I think I still have a bruise from learning that lesson. We’re working on the concept of “throw balls *to* people, not *at* them.” The word “gently!” has popped up in my everyday language with OCD-like frequency.

Only one month left until she’s two. Where has the time gone?

We will be away for the next several days, as I drive down to Arizona to take Clay back to his breeder. While we’re away, I hope to introduce Maya to some of the Anderson clan in Albuquerque who’ve yet to meet her. Photos and stories, as always, after we return.

Maya sports a shampoo point that would put Pee-Wee Herman to shame. Either that, or she’s morphing into a teletubby (god forbid).

This is truly more Maya’s brand of meandering — we enjoyed lunch at her grandparents’ house, followed by time on the swings (with grandpa, of course) and a walk around the property.

Naturally, Maya just looked at this post and started saying, “wheeee!” That was immediately followed by, “grandpa!” Any wonder that Maya has her grandpa twisted around her itty bitty fingers?

Fish!

Maya admires the latest batch of goldfish who are starting to grow a bit. It seems that each time we get them nice and large, the blue herron returns to feast.

It may be a small pond that our herron feasts upon, but we’re good hosts. The herron gets table decorations in the form of a water lily.

The hills are alive…

Maya has started singing real, actual, honest-to-God songs lately, by the way. I believe at this point, she was singing “Moon, Moon, Moon” by Laurie Berkner. I’m utterly charmed by the singing, and she knows it. Guess what she started doing as *soon* as I told her it was bedtime last night?

Because of the unusually high amount of rain we’ve had for August, not only is the property green, it’s even blanketed with a thick cover of yellow flowers.

This is also good for the sled run. Look waaaaaay in the back of the photo for the green hill — that’s the grass that once covered the garden I’ve been building in the front yard. Hooray for recycling, right?

Maya’s great-grandmother tends her flowerbeds meticulously, and they’ve responded happily.

There are so many times that I need my camera nearby, but it’s not in reach. Ah, if only I had a wand. But, alas, my camera is in my purse, and walking to my purse would ruin the moment.

Maya sits in a chair by my living room window (just outside the office) giving a lecture to all who might listen. She’s impossibly small compared to the kitchen chair she’s in, but she’s as comfortable as can be and talking away, patiently waiting for me to be ready to head to the gym.

A few moments ago, I was sure she was inconsolably upset after her balloon from dinner the other night “died.” She had a hard time grasping the concept that I couldn’t “fix” the balloon. I love toddlerhood at times like this, when her attention span is so short, she’s already moved on from the death of her playtoy.

We’ve had a busy few days, largely because my sweet child had a second bout with horrific teething, this time including fever spikes and extreme clinginess. Maya’s doing much better now (she’s normal today, wheee!), but I have work to finish before I can spend time on posts.

Coming soon, back-posts about our first trip to the zoo and Saturday’s meandering.

I can’t believe it took us this long to hit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, but we finally went this morning. Joy and Rod (Dominic’s slaves) have a family membership, so Maya and I joined Rod and Dominic for a bit o’ wandering around on the hillside this morning.

As you can see, Maya wasn’t quite sure what to make of the giraffes at first. They’re *hungry* in the morning.

Dominic was a bit more comfortable with the giraffes, as the old hand on this trip — he loved petting the girraffes’ noses (when they let him).

Buzzards and other carrion birds also live in the girraffe area. I love the way their dinner is presented inside a zebra carcas for a little touch of reality. Unless you look closely, you don’t notice the tin pie plate of meat inside the statue.

Maya chatted up one of the gorrilla matriarchs.

This female recently gave birth to a baby who’s just being introduced to the family. I feel your pain, honey.

Mossaic covering a full wall as you leave the hippopatomus area (dear God, they’re big). Cool, no?

I took a gazillion photos, and have lost the energy to blog all of it (grin)…so take a look at all of them here.

Otherwise, here’s a sampling: