17 months.

I kind of feel like 18 months means you are officially a toddler, so we're going to say that this month you are still a teeny tiny baby. That works right?

Except that you don't act anything like a teeny tiny baby. At all. In fact I spend most days just staring in awe at just how big you seem. Sometimes while I sit and watch your mind work, I'm amazed at how much you're figuring out, and how quickly you are figuring it out.

This past month, you've actually wanted to be held more than you have in months. I think we're maybe battling a bit of separation anxiety because you all of a sudden cry when we leave you in the nursery at church and when I drop you off at the sitters. You quit the minute you can't see us (trust me, I'm standing just out of view listening), but it breaks my heart to see you go through that. You'll walk up to us and hold up your arms and do a "gimme" motion with your hands for us to pick you up. I secretly love it.

You still talk so, so much. Dare I say it, but I think we've skipped a lot of tantrums because you communicate so well. If you don't know a word, we'll say it and you'll attempt it. You are very good at getting your point across.

Don't think you don't have tantrums though. If you hear something you don't like, it's on. And you throw a great tantrum. Although there is no head hitting or rolling on the ground. Thank goodness for that. Just lots of tears and screaming. Fun.

You answer questions now. Of course you answer all of them with "no". But it's a pretty emphatic now. My favorite is when we say "Baby Girl are you sweet?" and you answer with a very excited "NO!".

You "blow" bubbles now. You basically stick your bottom lip out and then lightly blow. Sometimes it works though and you get so excited!

We YouTubed "Elmo's Song" for fun one day and you LOVE it. Now if we ask you to sing "Elmo's Song" you start singing "la la la, la la la la". It is beyond adorable.

You are learning your "ABC's" and can say up to "e" and recognize them. We're working on colors and you can usually recognize blue and purple (random). We haven't started with numbers yet but they're coming up next.

You've learned how to say your name and it is so fun to hear you say "Eya" (yep, we're bilingual over here apparently ;)).

You are obsessed with belly buttons. You love yours, but you also like to go up to your Dad and I and lift our shirts and poke ours. Apparently that's not tied just to us though because you welcomed your Uncle Marine the other day by doing it to him.

You started saying "Mommy" and "Daddy" instead of "Mama" and "Dada" and it absolutely melts me. In fact the first time you said "Mommy", I burst into tears. It is the most wonderful sound ever.

You follow new commands every day. You'll now go get us a diaper when we ask for one, go to the bath when we tell you and go to your highchair when we tell you it's time to eat.

You love picking up the house. If your Dad or I leave a cup or plate out, you'll bring it over to us to put away. Now if we could only get you to just put them away for us...

You love the phone. Like you're obsessed. Any time anything rings/beeps you say "phone!" and start looking for it. If you have the phone, you walk around with it up to your ear and just talk and talk into it. You have a lot to say. You also sometimes use the remote as your phone even though you know what it does. You also take the remote and point it to the tv. More often than not, you make things change.

You now dance by putting your arms up and then shaking your hips. I die from the cuteness.

You like to sit and read/look at books by yourself a lot. You will bring books to us to look at with you, but most of the time, you're perfectly content to look by yourself. (I say that and currently you're trying to crawl in my lap with one).

At the park one day, you climbed up and went down the slide all by yourself; basically before I even realized what was happening. You are too big. It's going way too fast.

You've started grabbing your blankie and Wubbie and heading to your room when you're tired. You'll also curl up on any soft surface and lay your head down to go "nigh nigh".

You are a busy, busy girl. You never stop moving.

You are just a sweetheart. You run up to us and hug our legs, give "kisses", give hugs and just love on people all of the time. You have such a sweet spirit. I sure hope you stay that way.

STATS:

Length: 32.5 inches

Weight: 29 pounds

Sleep: You still go to bed around 7:30 each night, but you consistently get up around 8 to 8:30 or so now. I sure do miss those 9 o' clock mornings. Nap time is sketchy now. You sleep maybe two hours a day. Sometimes you take a morning and afternoon nap, sometimes just an afternoon. You are just too busy to nap!

Teeth: you have 12. All four molars are in and they certainly put you through the ringer.

Clothes: We're putting up your 18 month summer stuff and getting out your 24 month and 2T clothes for winter. You wear a size 5.5 shoe.

Diapers: A 4 during the day, 5 at night.

Favorite foods: avacados, blueberries, strawberries, bread (carb girl like your Mama), green beans, ham and cheese sandwiches with mustard, cheese,
Your words: "book", "ball", "doggie", "dat" (cat), "Dash" (Cash), "Yacy" (Lacy), "Ace" , "Mama", "Daddy", "Pop Pop" (my Dad), "phone", "hello" (herro), "doll", "bath", "bow", "shoe", "wawa" (water), "juice", "cup", "WubWub" (paci), "no no", "yesh" (yes), "milk", "block", "hot", "thank you", "gish" (Goldfish), "snack", "Nonny", "dress", "baby", "Teve" (Uncle Marine), "Mommy", "mote" (remote", "book", "spoon", "plate", "all gone", "bubble", "bat" (hat), "seep" (sheep), "peez" (please) , "blankie", "nigh nigh" and I know there are more but these are the ones you say the most.