18 and 19 Months

I've been a slacker recently with updating the things Baby Girl is up to!  Now that most of the major physical milestones have been crossed, the verbal ones are much more difficult to itemize in a blog.

Physically, not much has changed.  She's got quite a bit more hair (but still won't keep a clippy or headband in it).  She's still got some adorable little thigh rolls that keep getting gunk in them (that part is much less adorable).  She's now jumping, especially on the couch, thanks to the Five Little Monkeys.

The one thing that I was fairly stressed about, physically, was that she wasn't using silverware.  Silly, I know, but I know kids younger than her that were proficient at using the spoon to scoop foods other than thick oatmeal.  But it seems like it's clicked recently.  She actually wants to put food on her fork, instead of holding the fork in one hand and eating with the other.  And this past weekend, she started having Cheerios with milk and eating it like an adult.  Yes, she still picks out those last few O's with her fingers, but I understand--those last ones are tricky to get with the spoon, floating around, evading you.

Baby Girl is still sleeping well.  She woke up in the middle of the night during a recent thunderstorm, but was easily calmed and went right back to sleep for the remainder of the night.  She went through a spell of waking early, grunting and groaning, but this morning we had to wake her to get ready for the day.

I think we're getting ready to drop the morning nursing session.  When I've picked her up from her crib the last few days, the first thing out of her mouth was "oatmeal" instead of "milk".  I'll miss it (since her morning session is typically more relaxed), but it's part of her growing up, I suppose.  The evening session is a struggle almost every night, but she still wants it.  She twists and turns (and stands up!) and pops off every few seconds to tell me something about her day.  It's adorable, but frustrating!  And when she finally settles down, she'll "nurse" (because who knows if there's even anything left...) for another 20 minutes. 

As far as talking, Baby Girl will say anything we ask her to.  Her favorite word right now is "dangerous".  We told her once that climbing behind my parents' computer was dangerous and since then, when we say "You could get hurt" she'll respond with "dane-rus".  Yep, it's dangerous. 

Another cute thing she says is "mup", "mon", and "moff".  Don't sound like words, do they?  Oh, but they are....  Whenever she's in the backseat, taking her shoes off, we'll say "Keep them on", but it comes out more like "Keep 'em on", which she hears as "mon".  Or "Pick them up" becomes "mup". 

She's also quickly learning her ABCs.  It started with her repeating the letters after we say them, but now she can rattle off strings of them at a time.  Her first string was H through L.  She also is very interested in counting...but always skips the number two!  So everything is "one......three....."  It's a work in progress :)

Baby Girl's eating evolves every day.  A few things that were on her dislike list were avocado and broccoli, both of which she's eaten in the last few days.  She actually ate ALL of my broccoli while we were out to dinner (and her own zucchini and Daddy's green beans....) and begged for more.  We're also starting to work in some sweets (I made a batch of cookies over the weekend and gave her some bites of mine when I would eat them in front of her), but not too many--just as a treat.  Her most regular treat is graham cracker Goldfish.

Loves:
Mommy (yes, I'm called Mommy now), Daddy, Gamma (both of our moms), "Pots" (My father-in-law is called "Pops"), "Papaw" (my dad), all the kids at daycare (we even sing songs with their names), kitties, dogs, birdies, giraffes, making animal noises, trucks, cars, airplanes, FOOD (especially: "wishies", which are Goldfish crackers; peas; corn; Cheerios; cheese; taco sauce; ketchup; BBQ sauce; bread), bare feet, going "fast", "flip-flop" (tumbling), taking walks (especially when she can do the walking), her "friend" (her lullaby-singing seahorse), jammies, water, juice, pulling things off the end tables that she shouldn't have, remote controls, phones, putting away dishes, dance parties with Mommy & Daddy (we typically dance to the Glee soundtracks), Five Little Monkeys, If You're Happy and You Know It, saying her ABC's, counting, Mommy's singing, rocking in the rocking chair at bedtime, playing with hair, The Wheels on the Bus, being tickled, rough-housing with Daddy, reading (of course), Daddy reading from the front seat of the car, baths, hiding in the bathroom, going potty with Mommy & Daddy, peek-a-boo, blowing "bubbles" (raspberries)

Dislikes:
Being "stuuuuuuuuck" (in her carseat, especially), wearing shoes and socks, snuggling when it's time to be awake, blankets on top of her, being told she's all done (especially after we've read a book five times in succession), not having Mommy & Daddy's complete attention, hair bows and clippies, Mommy or Daddy pretending to sleep, cow's milk as a drink, getting out of the bath, laying still for diaper and clothing changes, the number eight (she won't ever say it!)

She really is a wonderful little girl.  She's starting to develop empathy (if she sees one of us crying, she'll show concern, give us a hug, and say "cry").  She gives the best hugs and kisses.  She's incredible and amazes us every single day with her abilities and we fall more and more in love with her all the time.  I am so incredibly honored to be her Mommy.