Let me just say, the fact that you are a toddler and no longer a baby is becoming more and more apparent every day. You are developing quite a little mind of your own, which is both exciting and challenging.
You never cease to make us laugh with your funny expressions, mimicking, dancing, and playing. You love "helping", and it's fun to watch how proud you are of yourself when you do. You clap and cheer, and it's the cutest thing ever! You dole out hugs and kisses like it's your job, and nothing brings a smile to our faces faster than a kiss from our little lady.
On the other hand....
You are figuring out that you don't have to listen to what we say. You are too smart for your own good already. I find times when I ask you to do something (like bring me a spoon) and you deliberately, slowing start walking in the other direction, while looking at me the whole time. Just waiting for my reaction. Daddy and I are very firm with our expectations, but you are testing the limits already, at the ripe old age of a year and a half. The temper tantrums have begun when you don't get your way, and at this point we just ignore you and usually your tantrums last only a minute or two. Sigh. We're in for it, I think. We have started discussing punishments and we're trying to figure out the best way to do that for a one and a half year old child. Ahh, the joys of parenting are only just beginning :)
Now with all of that being said, for the most part you are a very obedient child. You usually listen well, share with others as well as can be expected at this age, and you have a generally calm demeanor. In fact, every time you play with other children, I am reminded that your occasional defiance is normal. For the most part you are a little doll, and you play very well with other kids.
People actually often comment on how well behaved you are for such a young age. It's funny because at a recent play date you threw your first tantrum outside of this house. One of the moms looked at you and laughed and then said to me, "So she is a real girl! I've always wondered how a child that age could be so well behaved all the time!"" Anyway, Daddy and I are just trying to nip any bad behavior in the bud, because we know how quickly it can spiral out of control.
Speaking of tantrums, you threw your first tantrum in public the other day too. Fun times, as any parent can attest to. The three of us had a little family excursion to Babies R Us to buy a mattress and a few other things for Emma. In general, you were a mess the whole time, and even snacks didn't make you any happier. I was just so glad that Daddy was there too, because he entertained you while I did the shopping. But at one point something didn't go your way (I think I broke your cracker in half and you wanted it whole) and you melted face first into the Babies R Us floor, screaming bloody murder. Daddy and I just stood there not knowing what to do for a second. Who was this child??? Not our little Addy Marie. Anyway, we wrapped up that shopping trip STAT and high tailed it out of there. It's tough to run errands with you at this age, because you are too young to really understand what we are doing, but you are old enough to know that you don't want to be doing it! Ha ha!
One of the things that really sets you off these days is when I deny your request for me to hold you. You know that something is up, because recently you want to be held, by me, all of the time. And since I am currently 8 months pregnant with "Emmy" (as you call her), I cannot pick 25 pound you up all day long. And you lose your mind when I don't. It's heartbreaking seeing your little tear strained face looking up at me with your arms extended saying, "Hold, hold." But soon enough you will learn that you need to share Mama's attention. It will probably be "interesting" for awhile until you are used to it.
Now, onto more fun topics!
You are really starting to learn your family members names, and calling them by name, like Mama, Dada, Pap, "T" (Aunt Tina), "Luke" (Luca), and "La" (Aunt Lauren). Grandma and Grandpa are much harder to say, but I swear that you said Grandpa (or something similar to it) once while we were Skyping with Grandpa Hertzler.
Your vocabulary is getting bigger every day, and you mimic almost any words that we say. Ever since we went to the beach you really love helicopters and boats. Those are two of your favorite words and your favorite things to look for. It's just too bad that you don't see either of those things very much when we're not at the beach ;) Your other favorite words is "Nope". You will deliberately do something that you know you aren't supposed to do and then look at us and say, "Nope." Or you will ask for something that you know you can't have and immediately follow it up with "Nope", before we even have a chance to tell you "no". Like I said, you are too smart for your own good.
As far as a haircut....
In your words, "Nope." It's coming though, I promise ;)
Here you are with your new favorite accessories, your purses. In this picture you have one in each hand :)
You are truly a toddler with your eating habits these days. One day you will love a certain food, and the next day you won't touch it. It's frustrating, but we know that it comes with the territory, so we just keep offering healthy foods, whether or not you eat them. But you do consistently love fruit! Especially melons like watermelon and cantaloupe. You would live off of "lopes" alone if we let you!
But you definitely love ice cream! Any kind. Popsicles, ice cream, Italian ice, frozen yogurt. You love it all. Recently there have been those "fill your cup yourself" frozen yogurt places popping up everywhere, and this family has definitely been taking advantage of them this summer!
As far as potty training....
Another "nope". This is where you prefer to poop. In private, under a table. Word on the street is that I also used to do this when I was your age. Ha ha! Like mother, like daughter I guess ;)
The park is still one of your favorite places and you really love the swings :)
Some of our greatest days are those when all three of us are together. You are inevitably super happy all day when Daddy and I both have off and we all hang out together. It doesn't matter what we are doing, as long as we're all together. For example, in this picture we are going to get the car battery changed, ha ha! But honestly, everyday moments like those, spent with our little family just make my heart burst with happiness and thankfulness for the wonderful life that I have been blessed with.
Recently you have learned how to put your shapes back in the box in the right spot, which was exciting to watch. You get a very determined look on your face, and just the other day you got all of them in with no help from me!
You are learning colors and can often pick out the colors that we say. But if we hand you an object and ask you what color it is, you inevitably say "blue". And just like any color is "blue", any number is "two" ;) But you are great at pointing out objects that we ask you to find, and that is an especially fun game with your little disposable place mats that we take with us when we go out to dinner. They are filled with fun pictures and you love to find all of the things that we ask you to look for. When you do, of course, you clap for yourself. So, so cute!
We have fully transitioned you to one nap a day, but it instead seems as though you went from 2 naps a day to none. Because I would say that half the time, you don't sleep at all. Or you sleep for 10-15 minutes and you're done. I keep you up there in your crib for at least an hour regardless of whether or not you sleep, because you need some down time in your day....and so does Mommy. ;) But I will often be watching you in the video monitor and see things such as this:
Ha ha! Sounds like you are saying "Reach, reach!"
The upside to your essentially nonexistent naps these days is that you are sleeping for an exceptionally long time overnight. We put you to bed between 7-7:30PM and you have been sleeping until between 8:30 and 9AM! That's 13-14 hours of sleep! I try to get up in the 6:00 hour so that I have some downtime to leisurely enjoy my breakfast and coffee before our day together begins. This is also when I write these blog posts :)
Although this stage has it's share of challenges, you continue to bring us daily joy and hours of laughter. Your smile is infectious and your laugh is the sweetest sound I've ever heard. We love to watch you dance and sing and play. You are such a little ham, and you thrive when the attention is focused on you.
Adilyn Marie, you are Mommy and Daddy's pride and joy. You are so gentle and loving. I know you will be a wonderful big sister to this lucky lady in my belly. Watching you learn and grow is truly one of the greatest joys of my life. Mommy and Daddy love you so, so much!
Love,
Mommy
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