Sometimes, I think we have a kitten....

Ellie loves playing with her voice. She'll wake up from naps or sleep and happily make noises to herself until I come to pick her up. She makes a very loud sound that I can only compare to a very upset cat. I've been trying to explain that she needs to use her "inside voice" and to meaow quietly, but I don't think she understands that concept yet.

Ellie has always been a very strong girl. She's recently developed what I call "The Grip of Death", where she just grabs and stuff with all her might - usually to try to put it into her mouth. Since I spend a lot of time holding her, she has the habit of grabbing my arm with her Grip of Death and if her nails haven't been trimmed, ends up scratching me. I have scratches all over my arms, almost as if we have a kitten. I've been trying to teach her to be gentle, but I don't think she understands that concept either.