The Harriman Family: 21 Months

Mary Ella at one year ago at 9 months.

Now I'm 21 months!

Mary Ella,

It is hard to believe that in just 3 months we will be celebrating your 2nd birthday! I better get to planning! I can't help but think this will be the last big event you have all to yourself before you have a little brother or sister. We are eating you up at this age! You are so funny! You are communicating so much more, and we are so proud of all you can do and know. Here's what you've been up to:

You have become a picky eater. Ugh! You don't want to try anything new, but you get burnt out on eating the same things. You are all about "snacks" instead of real food. It's one area that I feel so out of control. You eat well at breakfast and lunch but dinner is "iffy." We rotate the same things during the day, but you usually turn up your nose at what I cook for dinner. Hmm...

You still sleep like a champ, but this month you have been waking up every now and then at night. You are cutting your eye teeth, so we think they may be hurting. If you wake up, you usually end up in bed with us. This is not ideal.

You love to sing and dance. You have been singing "B-I-B-I" for the "B-I-B-L-E" for a while, but now you add your own words for the rest of the tune. You can also sing some words for "Twinkle, Twinkle," and "This little light of mine."

You are so perceptive, and I am amazed how you pick up on the little things. We talk about Jesus and God alot. You won't say "I love Jesus" or "I love God," but anytime I talk about Them you say "Bible" and go get yours. You also associate the Bible and singing with church. You also try to participate in worship- use your hand to lead singing, sing words to the songs you pick up on, put your dollar in the collection plate, and throw out the occasional "Amen!" You also clap and say "yay, Dada!" when he leads singing.

You are on the go from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed! The only thing you sit still for is books or cartoons. You LOVE Mickey and would watch all day if I let you! But I am so proud that you equally love books! You are as happy sitting and reading a book as anything. You bring me book after book to read to you. And you are becoming an interactive reader. You can do my sound effects for Quiet, Loud, say no and yes on the right pages of No, No, Yes, Yes, and sometimes fill in the blank of a word that is coming up.

You are also getting into nursery rhymes. The other day you sit and let me read your whole Mary Engelbreit Mother Goose book- 100 nursery rhymes! I think you like the rhyme and rhythm of it. It may be time to try some Dr. Seuss!

You are all about tea parties! You love to give "hot tea" to anyone and everything.

You are obviously into pretending. And I love to hear you pretend to talk to Gigi on the phone...it's always Gigi. And your conversations go something like this: "Hi Gigi...Papa...no...oh...hot dog...bye, bye Gigi!" You even pause like you are listening and everything!

You are imitating so much of what we say and do. This can be good or bad, like when you try to spit when you watch me brush my teeth. You love to play in my make-up and know what goes on the eyes, cheeks, and lips. The cutest thing I have seen you do is put your leg up on the side of the tub like I do when I am putting on lotion.

You love all things princesses. You line up your princesses and have me name them and sing their songs. You recognize the ones you have seen in movies, but can't say their names yet. Instead, you call them all "Anna."

You love to be outside- at the playground, on a walk, at the pond, backyard, front yard, it doesn't matter!

You also love the water! You were afraid of the hot tub at first, but now you love the "bubbles." Everytime we go out on the back porch, you climb the steps and point and say "bubbles." We keep it cool enough that you and I can enjoy it. You get in your inner tube and just float and splash and kick!

You give fist bumps and add sound effects.

You are the most loving and sweet thing! I could eat you up! You give the sweetest hugs and juiciest kisses! You can give Eskimo, butterfly, and cheek to cheek French kisses.

New words: Papa Joe, Pooh, Elmo, Mi (Mickey), Pete and Toos (from Mickey), Emma, poop, poo poo, pee pee, yak (from an ABC book), purple, church, bunny (you usually say "hop hop" instead), zoo, yuck, star, high, moon, Be ri back (I'll be right back), kick, Cheerio, hat, honk, book, Emma, where are you, bow, eat, burp, cute, pretty, egg, pony, mole, balloon, read, tay (okay), pie, towel, yes (anyone that knows you well will be so proud of this one, sometimes you still say no when you mean yes just out of habit), and yes ma'am

Things you say alot: bubbles, duck, poop (and grab your diaper, usually it is only wet), hi Mama, bye Mama, I want _____ (when you want something), please Mama (over and over when you want something), ow ow boo boo, and you spit out a list of names you know

Things I get you to say because they are cute: I....Mama (I love Mama), I....Dada (I love Dada), I cute, I pretty (you have called me pretty too...awww)