At our family meeting this weekend, I asked Anya for her monthly list of achievements. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and pondered deeply. After a few moments passed with nothing but a slurpy sucking sound disturbing the silence, Anya wiggled a little, clapped her feet together, and then blew a raspberry at me.

Now, if I acted that way at my performance evaluations at work, I would probably get fired or put on probation or at the very least told not to spray everyone with saliva. But, since Anya is pretty cute, I let it pass. I asked her again what she had accomplished this month, “I have to put it on the blog, you know!”

She didn’t even glance at me this time…she just thoughtfully examined a hairy cheerio on the floor.

What I’m trying to say here, people, is that I don’t really have a list this month. Anya’s agent (a small, grey bunny covered in slobber, baby tylenol, and prune guts) informed me that Anya is “on sabbatical” from learning new tricks and will maybe put together something new for us all next month. This past month, according to the bunny, Anya has been working to refine her existing talents and to explore various ways to perfect new skills.

So, if you came here expecting to read that Anya took her first step, learned how to use a spoon, or wrote a lovely symphony, I’m afraid you’ll be a bit disappointed. If you came here for a few pictures, I can do that. (Just don’t tell the bunny; I don’t think our contract allows public dissemination of photos without prior approval.)

A Portrait of Anya as a 10-Month-Old

Anya Reads Her New Contract Before Signing

Anya Teaches Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Chris about Shepherding