Well, I finally started my "Couch to 5K" today. I intended to start on Monday, but it just didn't happen! I was feeling kind of crummy about it, but Sam brought me flowers and reminded me that the couch is, in fact, the first step of the Couch to 5K. It may be the next step, too, depending on how sore I am tomorrow!

Today Dagney walked completely unassisted and uncoerced. Sam was sitting on the couch and I was cooking dinner. She just stood up in the middle of the living room without anything to pull up on and walked to the entertainment center to grab the salt shaker. We were so excited; we clapped for her to encourage her to try more often, but so far no other exploits.

Dagney is back in daycare now after nearly a week of playing hooky with mommy, and she's having a little trouble adjusting. The last couple of days, all she wants to do is cuddle when she gets home from school-- quite a change from my little independent girl who lets herself down from the couch when she's had enough of you!

Last night, Dagney and I went to the grocery store. I didn't know how she would react to that, because we normally go during the day, when she's refreshed and in a good mood. She yelled the entire time we were in the store. Not crying; just finding her voice. I was totally annoyed and embarrassed, because she's normally so good. I had been giving her my stern face all around the store. When we got up to the register, the clerk said, "Somebody has something very loud to say. Is there something you want?" Dagney smiled really big and whispered so quietly, "Da-da." For Pete's sake.

Speaking of my stern face (and how it doesn't work), I gave it to Dagney yesterday while she was rooting around in the trash can. I saw her lift the lid from across the room. I said, "Hey!" to get her attention, and then "No" after she looked at me. She turned, looked back at the trashcan, looked back at me, smiled, and reached her hand into the trashcan.... I said, "Dagney, no." She started pulling something out, so I stomped toward her with my stern face on. She started cackling at me. Bonafide cackling. Later, she was being a pain while I was cleaning out the fridge, so I started singing "Mama's gonna spank some hiney," which is my magnum opus. I turned around to see how terrified she was of my threat, and she was dancing. Clearly I am taken seriously.