18 Months

Mary Ella one year ago at 6 months of age.

Now I'm 18 months!

I decided to wait until she's 2 to have more portraits done. We just had some done at Christmas (15 months), and I may have some taken at Easter (20 months). So, here's my attempt at an 18 month photo shoot. I couldn't bare to take another picture in our place, so we went outside by our apartment's entrance. I think I got some cute ones...definitely captured the gamut of her expressions. People comment on her big expressions. I'd say so...

I love this sweet one!

I love her flippy piece of hair in the back!

Mary Ella,

I can't believe you are a year and a half old! Time PLEASE slow down! I can't imagine you being any more fun than you are right now! You crack us up! And you are so good. When we're out people also comment on how well-behaved and happy you are and how well you mind. We are so thankful we can take you out to eat whenever we want or go shopping. You name it, you're happy most of the time. And I know it's not that way with all toddlers. It makes me so proud to be your Mommy. So much, that I may give myself too much credit sometimes. When I think I'm doing all the right things, I often hear a little voice inside my head. And her name is Rita. She told me once that she thought she was doing such a good job raising and disciplining Julie because she was so easy-going and well-behaved. She said she would look at kids acting out and be appalled that their parents let them act that way. And the voice says, "And then I had Brad." Ha! So, I'll try not to be judgemental of others, and I'll try not to get too puffed up, because who knows what the next kid will be like. And just as sure as I'm saying all of this, you'll probably hit the terrible 2's and turn into a little rebel. But for now, I'll give all the glory and thanks to God for blessing us with such a precious angel. And I'll just try to do the best I can as your Mommy. We love you so much! Here's what you've been up to:

• You weigh 28 pounds plus some ounces. We go to the doctor next week, so I'll know your stats for sure then.
• You are probably ready for a size 5 diaper and 24 month clothes. Lately I have put so many "last time" outfits on you. The other day I got 2 swimsuits for our upcoming trip to Orlando, and I bought a 3T according to your weight. What? And they fit!
• Sometimes you eat well, and sometimes you don't. I try not to stress over it. We start off with a healthy breakfast and lunch, but by dinner time I'll feed you whatever you will eat. You still eat alot of fruits, but I'm doing good to sneak in one veggie a day. You have discovered your love of ketchup, and really anything for "dipping."
• We have basically gone to one nap a day in the afternoon. If we're home I'll still lay you down in the morning, but you may or may not go to sleep. We haven't perfected a schedule. But I have learned that if you're only going to take one, we better be home for that one.
• New words/sounds: "hot" (you love to say this for food and blow on it), "up" (you say this repeatedly when you want up or down), "oh no," "hello," "amen," "aww man," "mo" (more), "baa" (sheep), "who who" (owl), and some sound for a chicken, "night night," "aldo" (all done), "mowf" (mouth), "nose," "beep beep," "jumpf" (you say this everytime I lift you up or down and stretch it out...juuuuummmmppp), "four," "shooey" (for a dirty diaper), "ahhh" (after you take a big drink), "no-wie" (you have added onto your no, I guess I should stop the baby talk and putting "ie" on the end of everything), and you can say "mommy" in addition to "mama." I also think you said your first sentence this month. We were waiting at the doctor's office, and you were roaming around. You stopped and let out a long line of toots, looked at me and said, "Hello, I toot." Great!
• You give puckered lip kisses instead of open mouthed. It is the sweetest thing. You come up to me at random times, put your arms around me, pucker up, say "muah," and kiss me on the lips.
• You also give Eskimo kisses with your nose!
• I think we are beginning to be able to reason with you. For example, your daddy will pick you up, and you'll be all squirmy and want down. He'll say, "give me a kiss," and you squirm more and whine. He says, "give me a kiss and I'll let you down." You immediately stop squirming and whining, and give him a kiss. Or we'll be eating lunch, and you might want some chips or something on my plate. I'll say, "Eat your sandwich first, and I'll give you some." And you eat it. Maybe this is a stretch, but you definitely seem to know what we're talking about.
• You know some or all of the motions to : "If you're happy and you know it," "Twinkle, twinkle," "God Made," "Just like me," "Itsy bitsy spider," "5 little monkeys." You love to sing and dance and are starting to repeat some tunes (in your own way of course).
• You can count, "2, 3, 4." Still no 1.
• We are working on colors. You can bring us the yellow corn, red tomato, green broccoli, green peas, and orange cheese out of your talking pot. I think you also know blue and pink. You can pick out red, yellow, green, and blue from your blocks, but it's not 100% yet.
• You are great about cleaning up! I have the toys organized in a few places. You know to put the books in the book basket, the blocks in the block basket, the play food in your refrigerator, your pizza and cupcakes in your oven, the other cooking stuff in another basket, and the rest of the toys in the toy box. Now, this is with a little coaxing and a few rounds of the "clean-up" song, but I am amazed that you know where everything goes. You are your mother's child!
• I found you playing in the toilet this month while I was fixing dinner. It was a sad mommy moment. I didn't think that would happen to me. Again, guess I needed to be humbled.
• You get excited when we ask if you want to go to Bible class, the gym, the library, the playground, or outside. These are your favorite places. You say, "nooowa" when we ask if you want to go. But you really mean yes. You still answer "no" to every question.
• You love to carry your baby in her carrier and a purse and wave and say "bye" like you are going somewhere.
• You have to say "bye" to every sing thing in the bathtub before you get out, like the water, wash cloth, soap, shampoo, bubble bath, duckie, Scuba Steve, faucet, all my bath stuff, all Daddy's bath stuff. You also say "bye" to the DVD player in the car and your toys before you take a nap. Silly girl!
• You like to color with anything and play with Play-Doh.
• You love Mickey Mouse and most of the Disney shows. I have to turn it off or you would watch TV all day.
• You are a happy, happy girl, and we love you so much! Happy 18 months!