Today we have been (and continue to be) busy packing. We prepped Anna yesterday, telling her that we would like her to help, or at least keep herself busy so that we can get done everything we need to do. For the most part, she obliged.

Tara has also cooperated by not learning to walk before visiting Grandma D. and her tile floors. She continues, however, to put anything in everything in her mouth. We recently found her eating the paint off the wall by chewing on the corner of the windowsill. I kid you not.

Then, starting with nap time, Anna had some very unusual behavior. When I gave her a five-minute warning of impending nap time, she opted to play by herself instead of to read stories. Five minutes later, she informed me that she was going to go up for nap by herself and that she would come down later after she woke up. She went into her room and didn’t come out for an hour. No idea if she slept or not.

Before dinner, she set the entire table (this involves her getting a chair to climb up on the counter to get dishes out of the cupboards), complete with glasses of water, and set out jars of baby food so that I could feed Tara. She then searched the nearly-empty refrigerator for food for her own dinner (Jen was picking up take-out), settling on bread with jelly and a cheese stick, which she sliced into rounds. I sat and fed Tara and marveled. After Jen arrived with the real dinner, Anna set out milk and cookies for Santa and sprinkled reindeer food¹ out so that Santa’s sleigh would be sure to find our house.

We don’t know what to make of Anna’s super Stepford behavior, but one thing we can be sure of: when the other shoe drops, Tara will pick it up and eat it.

Update: Oh wait… I get it… “He’s making a list / checking it twice / gonna find out who’s naughty and nice…’”

¹ Reindeer food is apparently quick oats mixed with glitter. If you park your car under a lamppost and find that the bird droppings are more festive then usual, you’re welcome.