18 Months !

Adelyn is 18 months old. My little bitty baby is growing up. Won't be long before I start thinking about her 2nd birthday party knowing me and I just can't fathom that. I don't know how I am a parent when I feel so incapable sometimes. She has blessed me beyond measure. Sometimes she just looks at me, says "Mommy" and kisses me, hugs me or grabs my leg and it brings tears to my eyes.

Her doctors appointment went well. She is right on track. She also has developed a true fear for the doctor. She could hear him talking and walking down the hall towards our room and out comes the bottom lip as she starts to cling to me tighter and cry. I try to make light of it all and we get through it. As soon as she can tell that they are finished she starts saying "Bye Bye" in her little southern voice...as if to say "I'm done here, see ya". She knows that the sticker will soon follow and that is her very favorite part. I think I could talk her into doing almost anything if I promised a sticker. (Side note: She remembered that she got a Dora sticker at her last appointment and she greatly regretted it for some reason... she couldn't stop talking about the Elmo sticker that she could have chosen when we drove off. So at this visit she kept saying Elmo, Elmo, Elmo. She didn't want to miss the opportunity again. :))

Weight: 27lbs

Height: 33 1/2 inches

Head: off the charts

She :

-is talking like crazy, can pretty much repeat anything you say and tries to put two words together

-started to recognize colors

- says "three, four, three, four" when you talk about numbers

-can walk up and down stairs with the rail or holding a hand, normally crawls up or slides down on her belly when she is on her own

- runs!

- loves taking baths and talking about her toys, bubbles and letters

- loves the letter "B" she says "B" when she sees any letters but can also recognize it on it's own if you ask her

- has started coloring a lot more lately and understands the concept of coloring in the lines

- LOVES to dance to music, she bobs her head or spins around, does some funny squat thing up and down (looks like she is trying to get low) :)

- loves balloons from a far (but doesn't like how they have a mind of their own up close)

-loves running around naked after a bath or going potty

- can eat on her own, but it super picky right now about veggies (aka hates them)

-drinks whole org milk, apple juice, water, orange juice

-loves chicken and fruit and anything unhealthy ugh

- sleeps from 8-7, naps from ~12:30-3:30

-would LIVE outside if she could

- loves talking about family, this is an hourly thing. She will name out all of her immediate family and friends.

- likes dogs

-likes watering the flowers (and picking them)

-likes playing on the porch with water, bowls and cups

- likes playing with tea cups

- still likes pushing her stroller, cart, wagon, anything with wheels

- likes trying to help in the kitchen (she always wants to see what is going on)

- LOVES reading, sometimes I will hear her quietly playing by herself and I will look and she is just looking through her books

- likes to bring whatever toy she is playing with in the same room with me if I am not sitting down with her

-likes getting the mail at the mail center in our town homes. Get's super excited if she has mail!!

- loves gymnastics

- likes to pray

- says "Ground" every single time we leave our neighborhood because she can see the playground from there and wants to play!

Big goals this month:

Adelyn has a big month ahead. We are going to say goodbye to paci and after that is accomplished successfully we will start doing panties (potty training). We have actually been without paci now for almost 1 week and we are so so proud of her. It was almost harder for us than it was for her. The very first night we went without it I asked her to come sit down and talk with me on her floor right before bed. She came and sat down and looked up at me and listened like she was a 5 year old. I explained to her how we were going to give our paci's to Baby Lois and that she was a big girl now and didn't need paci anymore. She listened and sweetly nodded her head and said, "LoLo", like, "Okay Mommy, I understand". I sang to her, handed her bunny and her pillow and put her in her bed and that was it. She didn't cry at all. When I left the room, tears filled my eyes because she is not a baby anymore. :( She has asked for it multiple times this week but has not cried. One time when she asked for it, she immediately followed it up with "Gig Girl??" Like she was saying, "I am a big girl right? I don't need paci." :) She melts my heart.

Adelyn continues to pee pee in the potty on a regular basis. She also continues to pee in her diaper pretty often as well. We will figure out a span of a few days when I can be at home with her soon to start the panties. I have heard that the key is -once you do panties, never put a diaper back on her. Ahhhhhh it's going to be a challenge... but I know she can do it. She is smart.

Pray for us please as we continue to help her grow not only physically but in the Lord. She is a SPONGE and notices all that we do and repeats a lot of what we say. It is a constant reminder to me that she is learning every second and I need to be teaching. I love her with all of my heart and want to please the Lord with how I raise her. There are many moments of quick snappy answers or frustrations as we enter the two's with tantrums and fits but I know that I don't have to be perfect. I can leave that up to Him.

Here she is waiting for the doctor (reading up on the vaccine book).