And that's what we call a milestone

Oh the growing up we've been doing around here is pretty incredible.  These days you're more likely to find her running along side me with her hand in mine than you are to find me carrying her.  On Monday we went to the beach and for the first time ever she didn't want to hold my hand as we ran in the waves.  She wanted to play with the other kids and follow them as they ran up and down the beach.

Then, on Monday evening I was cleaning off the table before dinner.  I finished cleaning off the table, told Claire to get ready for dinner and went into the kitchen to put food on plates.  I turned around to this--three matching place mats (her favorite) all on their way to the table.

This photo does not capture the pile of place mats on the floor next to her which she had sorted through to find the ones she wanted.

Ahhhh job chart territory.