She's Starting Young!

So, again before noon today, we have had another first! We took Erick to work this morning and then went shopping! My brother's birthday is coming up, so...it was time! Plus it is Friday, and I felt like shopping- sue me!

We were in a particular store which I will not name for the sake of my brother and sister-in-law figuring out his gift, and I put dear Hannah in the cart. She had a lovely time playing with the keys for about half the time we were there. And by playing, I mean jingle, jingle, drop. Giggle. Pick it up mama. Jingle, jingle, drop. Giggle. Pick it up mama. Well, she tired of this game, and I can't say I was upset by that...until she decided it was time for her to walk. I thought that would quiet her (and she can be LOUD), so I put her on the floor, and placed my purse where she had previously been sitting. By the time I placed my purse where she was sitting, I looked around and did not see Hannah! She had already sprinted down 4 aisles and was turning to look at the dish towels. Not only did it freak me out that my purse was with the cart and my daughter was with the towels, but I know what she can do with towels! She walks in the kitchen at home, makes a beeline for the kitchen towels hanging on the oven door, and pulls them on the floor and rolls on them. Then she walks out in pursuit of better activities. Once I pick them up and she notices this, she does the same thing. I am not kidding. I was envisioning Hannah grabbing as many towels as possible and throwing them on the floor. Giggling as she went...Luckily, I caught her before this vision could become reality, and made it back to the cart before other patrons could take my purse. Not that it had a lot of money in it, but I really like that purse! OH, did I mention the car keys in plain sight? I digress.

So, I decided to put her between me and the cart to keep her closer, as she had no desire to hold my hand. She noticed that she could reach the bottom of the cart, and decided that it should be her job to push the cart. She proceeded to push our cart through the rest of the store and up to the checkout counter- with only a little steering from mama. WHAT? Last week shopping through racks of clothes, today pushing the cart by herself? She is getting too big, too fast, and is doing so happily. She loves this newfound independence SO MUCH that she is refusing to nap today. She is sitting in her crib protesting - rather loudly I must say- and wanting to play. I'm off to save the day!!!