Mia - 18 months

Mia,

I can't believe you are 18 months old today. The time has flown by and I am starting to see the little girl in you coming out. I have a love/hate relationship with that, but regardless of how I feel you are growing and changing.

Since the last update at 15 months, you finally decided to walk. That was a wonderful day for Mommy. I really couldn't take much more of your need to have my finger to get around. You also decided to bless me on Mother's Day weekend with a new word, "Mommy." And boy do you love to use it now!

We are having so much fun with you and your ability to be more interactive and involved with family activities. You love to rough house with Austin and Daddy, pretend to hide and be found, eat dinner at the table and go on walks.

Some of your favorite things right now are snacks (anything in a little prepackaged bag), juice boxes, shoes, reading and looking at books, doggies and kitties, your baby dolls and all their accessories especially the backpack carrier and bottle, taking "bafs" (baths), saying "uh oh", anything pink, swinging, "driving" in your cozy coupe convertible and climbing up on anything you can and then whining when you realize you are scared or can't get down. You also make every chair a rocking chair by climbing on and rocking while you say, "rock-a-baby."

You are SO girlie! Every morning when I come to get you out of your bed, you immediately point to your bow holder and demand a bow for your hair. EVERY morning! You also love wearing headbands, but not on your head. You like to put them around your neck and pretend they are necklaces. Last weekend when our neighborhood had a big yard sale, you managed to put 7 around your neck from a neighbor's sale bin. Anything with a handle becomes a purse and my hairbands and other items become your bracelets. I just bought you a dress for your uncle's wedding and you beamed when you saw it and held it to you as you carried it around.

But, as girlie as you are, there is also a side of you that wants to be exactly like your brother. You play with his cars and trucks and make the appropriate sound effects. When we are in the car you point out tractors and trucks with him, sometimes you even spot them first! If he does something, eats something or tries something, you must too. And, his love of Wall-E has rubbed off on you. Every time we get in the car, you start saying, "Waw-wee, Waw-wee" because you want to listen to the soundtrack.

You are much more coordinated than your brother was at this age. You can already use a fork and spoon to eat, which Austin wasn't able to do well until he was 2. You attempt to run and jump. If something looks bouncy you are sure to get on it and bounce while saying, "uppie, uppie."

You still love saying "hi" to everyone, but act shy most of the time. You love getting lotion put on your legs and feet after your bath. You have a little love affair with "Melmo" (Elmo) and I have read the ONE Elmo book we own about 1000 times. You know each page by heart.

There are a few things that you dislike. You seriously dislike being dirty, and hot is a close second. So, the beach was not something you enjoyed. You still don't like most fruits, but have started eating bananas and strawberries at times. Oddly enough you do like all juices and always ask for grapes though you never eat them. You don't like being told "no" and sometimes pucker your lip and start to cry. But, you DO have a strong will and fiery temper that scares us a little bit.

You have one gross habit. You love to pull dental floss out of the bathroom trash can and pretend to floss. Please stop that soon!

Your vocabulary continues to grow, though you don't talk much at all when we are not at home.

You have a couple of obsessions. Lately your blankie is the biggest one. You want it with you at ALL times and absolutely meltdown when we won't let you have it. And the biggest part of the blankie obsession is the "taggie." One blankie has already lost its taggie which has frustrated you to the point that I have had to "lose" that one. The other blankie's taggie is hanging by a thread so I guess Mommy will be investing in a couple new blankies very soon. Your other maddening obsession is your desire to sing/play Patty Cake and Row, Row Your Boat. Seriously...you could play that all. day. long. But, it is really cute, especially when we won't play with you so you get one of your babies and manipulate their arms to clap or row.

My favorite cute thing you do lately is sing along with your Elmo toy that has a microphone. You know all of the little songs and carry it around like your own personal Karaoke machine. Even Austin thinks it is adorable.

You continue to be a light in our lives and we are so blessed by you and all your little quirks. I am really looking forward to having some girl time with you this fall when Austin starts preschool. Fun times ahead my little love bug!

Mommy will now forget that tomorrow, you are one day closer to 2. That is just too much to handle.

Love you bunches, oodles and beyond my Peach!