Eighteen months old (and yes, finally a new post!)

Well hello there!  I promised myself I would update the blog sooner; I started several times but could never find the right place to begin.  How do I begin capture what it has been like to watch you learn and develop and grow these last six months? It has been incredible and humbling fascinating and rewarding and exhausting.

Some of it has to do with selfishness: I have so enjoyed these months, I've preferred to live them rather than to report on them.  I haven’t taken as many photos; instead of grabbing the camera I have been grabbing your hand as we walk to the pool or chasing after you in the park.  And I will admit that some a lot of it has been time management:  You dropped your morning nap and I started a new job.  You are always on the move and our days are filled with activity. I simply haven't made time to blog. 

Today you had your 18 month checkup and when I started thinking about all the amazing things you have done since your last checkup, I realized it had been much too long since I updated this space.  So here is my attempt at a recap.  Mamma is a bit rusty at this blogging, but here I go my sweet girl. I know that I will not be able to capture everything; I will not even try to include each milestone and miracle.  But I will try to hit the highlights along the way.  

  

So first, the basics:  You are 27 lbs and 33 inches long/ tall.  But there is so much more to tell.  You are running and climbing and counting and learning so many words!  When you wake up in the morning you say Mamma! Dadda! Milk?  You have so many words I cant list them all!  You say sock (sah), shoe (shooo), flower (fa-wa), book (buk), night night (nye-nye), please (peas), thank you (tay-you), car, ball, all done, doggy, cat, duck, bird (burrd), water (wa-dur), milk (miwk), hat, bubbles, apple, pasta (pasdaaa), swing (sween), slide, pool, swimming, and so much more.  You say Natalia (Talia) and Bubbie and Abu and Saba and Pappa and Oma and Opa.

You love animal noises.  Each night we read a few books before bed and one of your favorites is the animals book.  You know the horse says ‘neigh neigh’ and the lion says “rawr!’  Daddy’s absolute favorite is to hear you say Gobble Gobble like a turkey.  We even took a video of it during dinner one night... this was in the early phase but its still hilarious:

You have been learning to eat with a fork and spoon!  You are getting so much better at it.  Of course this isn’t all the time- you still love to grab fistfuls of corn and pasta.  It’s more efficient after all! Every fruit is ‘apple’ to you.  I think this comes from how much you enjoy eating pineapple.  We try to give you some fruit after every dinner.  When you ask for apple we ask- do you want Mango?  “Mungo!” you reply with a smile.  You generally do not discriminate when it comes to fruit; you love especially strawberries, blueberries, watermelon and of course pineapple.

Here is a picture of you at the farmers market eating some strawberries...

...and corn at home!

You are (very slowly) learning to share. You are becoming good about giving a toy to someone else, but you still sometimes take things away from your friends.  You are great at sharing cheerios and you offer sips of water from your cup to everyone at the table.


You even offered to share your lollipop with me last weekend!

You are totally a daddy’s girl.  Nothing makes you happier than snuggling up with him and watching The Wiggles or when he sings Row Row Row Your Boat. (You also love Baa Baa Black Sheep, Wheels on the Bus and Ring Around the Rosie)You love going up escalators together and clinging to daddy's leg and getting tickled by him.  (but not on the escalator of course)

   

You loved watching daddy hold a sparkler on July 4th and you braved a 4-day blackout in the summer heat with him. 

  

This summer you have really loved going to the pool.  On Saturdays we do swim lessons with Riley and Josh.  On Sundays I take you to the pool at the condo.  Whether its in the pool or chasing birds in the backyard, you love going outside.  If you see daddy watering the garden or a bird at the feeder you run to the door and say “Outside?” Peas?”  

 my big girl in the pool!

 

eating a home-grown bean from the garden!

You are a social girl.  You like to give hugs and play with all your friends at daycare.  And boy do you love your cousin Natalia!  She came for a visit with your Tia Patricia and Tio Ilan for a fun-filled weekend and you were in heaven.  The day after they left you looked all over the house for ‘Talia?’  Luckily we saw them again in NJ shortly after and you were reunited with your cuz.  You two had a blast running around the park and splashing in the pool.

You are going to be a big sister in November!  We announced this news to family and friends via the cutest billboard we knew of… you!  You wore your big sister to-be shirt with pride.  You don’t quite yet understand what all this ‘big sister’ talk is about, but you adore your ‘baby’ doll and I’m hoping the real thing is even better for you!  I guess we will have to change the name of the blog again soon- it will only be us three for 4 more months!

Maya's big news! 

This hasn’t been the only big change in our lives.  You transitioned to the toddler room at daycare and now you are a frog!  You get to play on the big playground outside and bring home the most adorable art projects.  I started a new job in March and now I drop you off at daycare and daddy picks you up.  When it finally got warmer this spring, while you and daddy would wait for me to come, you would stand in the front door saying "bye!" and waving to people as they passed by.  Sometimes kisses were thrown. You don’t do this as much anymore, you still love saying “Hi!!” to people and giving them a huge smile, but you would rather run around in the grass than stand in the doorway. You adore your daycare teachers.  Each morning you run to Miss Luiza and give her a big hug!

 You are fearless!

 

You are a ham (or sometimes a tiger)

Some of your favorite toys are balls, Lego's (especially the ones with wheels) pull-back cars, dolls (babies), your picnic basket and pretend food (you like to lay down the place mat and set up the picnic for me) and going in your shopping cart and car.  Daddy loves dressing you up in different costumes. So far you do not seem to mind this very much.

surrounded by your toys!

Your favorite books are the animals book, the Very Hungry Caterpillar pop-up book, Pat the Bunny, Baby Bear Baby Bear and of course, Goodnight Moon.  You like to watch Sesame Street, Cat in the Hat, Thomas (you dance to the theme song) and Wiggles.  You also enjoy Chica the Chicken and Star on the Goodnight show. You loooove bathtime! 

My sweet girl, I love you so much.  I love the fiesty and funny girl you are becoming.  I promise not to wait another six months before I post again.  Can you imagine what life will be like then? You will be a big sister!  What will you be saying and doing and thinking?  I can't wait to find out!

Love, 

Mamma