Colette has been teething off and on lately, and low-grade fevers are a part of that joy. She's not contagious. Still, there was nothing for Jean to do but pick her up.

Jean was really frustrated. Her manager was disappointed to see her go - work has increased tremendously since her company absorbed another one earlier this year. But I wasn't able to take the day off after more than a week out of the office, and Colette couldn't stay at day care.

When Jean showed up at day care, Colette was all smiles. Drooley, but all smiles. After Jean got home, we finally got to talk to each other, and I could hear the frustration in her voice. Colette was fine (I could hear her babbling happily in the background).

Jean and Colette went out for dinner with some of Jean's pals from her Allstate days. When they came back, just after 7:30, Jean was much happier. Colette had been an incredibly joyful baby all day, and Jean had a great time playing with her. She videotaped Colette throughout the day making loud happy baby noises in her crib, bouncing in her little yellow car, and banging her toys together. Sick? HA.

Sadly, I had only half an hour to play with a progressively tired child. She was fun, though. Her laugh has changed in the last two or three days from the smaller attempt at laughing to a robust giggle. Her legs have also discovered a new energy this week. She's always preferred to stand on our laps. But now when she stands, she pumps her knees to hop up and down. I guess it's excess energy that's got no place to go. I think she's working up to standing on her own. Colette has always balked at tummy time, and I'm not sure that she's interested in crawling. While she hasn't developed the ability to move into a sitting position from lying down, and she hasn't tried standing from a sitting position, I think she's going to skip crawling and go straight for standing and walking as soon as possible.

That won't be long from the looks of things. Already we're putting her into 18-month old outfits, and they're not big on her. She's a big girl (who comes from big parents), and she's growing quickly. If her strength and coordination can keep up with her size, I'll bet she's walking soon.