Yesterday was pretty much the same old thing again, though Penny was in a better mood for it. So today is Baby Picture Day!

I know that it looks like Penny is leaning against Matt's leg in this picture, but she isn't. She's standing all by herself. She's been working very hard on this for the last several days. She doesn't usually manage it for more than a few seconds at a time, but slowly, the duration for which she can balance unaided is growing.

The teachers at daycare told Matt that yesterday Penny stood by herself for nearly a minute - and at the end of it, she didn't overbalance and thump! down onto her butt like she usually does, but leaned carefully over and put her hands on whatever it was she'd used to pull herself up on in the first place. Deliberately.

She doesn't just stand, either. Half the time, she's got some toy she's waving around. Matt and I were playing with her on the guest bed, and she managed to stand on that decidedly unfirm and uneven ground for several seconds. And she twists around to look at things.

I'm going to make a bet with myself now. Ready? I know walking is a lot harder than simply standing, but I'm betting she'll be walking before her first birthday.

Okay, I know you're supposed to start to discourage biting behavior the instant it shows up, but this was far too funny.

Even Matt was laughing between his complaints of, "Ow, my nose!"

"Mom! C'mon, please? All the cool toys are in the playpen!"

I took this picture because I thought it was funny that she wanted to get into the "baby jail."

Though it may be worth noting that she crawled from me over to the playpen (on the opposite side of the room from where I usually sit) and pulled herself up on it before deciding she wanted to be in it.

And last, but not least, Penny's latest school picture. This was taken about a month ago, and in my less-than-humble opinion, is quite adorable.

--Liz