How did this happen? How is our little baby, now a little person and is 18 months old!
I can still remember her as this teeny tiny little baby, just 6 lbs when we brought her home from the hospital. The doctors so worried about her because she wasn't gaining weight. We even had to go to the doctor twice her first week home for weight checks. Today, we went to see Dr
Ankrah for her 18 month well visit and our little girl is growing growing growing. She weighs 24 lbs (45% percentile) and is an amazing 34 inches tall (99% percentile). She is definitely a tall girl and grew over 3 inches since her 12 month
appt. No more worries about weight checks for her!
At 18 months, she has such a personality already and one thing we know for sure, she loves her
doggie and really all animals for that matter. Our Saturday morning tradition is getting some breakfast and then heading in the car to Starbucks and then to the park to play. While I am in Starbucks picking up our much needed caffeine, this is how Daddy, Ella and Dakota entertain themselves! I hope Dakota likes wearing bows more than Ella because every time I place one in her hair, she quickly takes it out and either hands it back to me or throws it. Needless to say, we have lost many bows and she has only been wearing them a couple months.
I still think of her last Valentine's Day when she was 6 months old and just sitting up and not crawling, walking or even talking yet. Just lots of babbles and definitely not wearing any bows because she had no hair!
At 18 months, miss little independent wants to do most everything herself these days and of course that includes feeding herself. I am actually really proud of her because for awhile, she didn't want to use a fork or spoon and now she won't let us feed her. And to add to the fun, every time we put a bib on her, she immediately pulls it right off so we have been using lots of spray and wash and running lots of loads of laundry. Below is a rare moment when she actually kept the bib on for 3 minutes before pulling it off!
A lot has changed in the past 6 months since she turned 1 but one thing that hasn't changed in 6 months is her love of sweets! She loved cake the first time she had it on her birthday and she loves it more and more each time. We have been on a birthday party bender these past couple of weeks and Ella's favorite part is definitely the cake/cupcake part. After we eat dinner, Ella gets a special treat. This started right after Christmas when we got M&Ms in our stocking and let her try one and she loves them. Right away, she gave us the "more" sign and I guess she is bigger fan of chocolate than her Mom. So, after she is done eating and out of her highchair, we ask her if she wants a treat or M&Ms and she runs over to the freezer where we keep them. Daddy always gets them for her and then she sits in his lap eating her 3 or 4 M&Ms. I think this girl is going to love sweets!
Our little peanut/pumpkin/munchkin/angel/sweetheart, whatever new nickname we have for her has definitely grown up a lot over the past 18 months and she makes us laugh and smile more and more each day. Her vocabulary is just growing by the day and she is really talking up a storm. She is still focusing on mainly one word at a time but she has started putting a couple of them together. Yesterday when I put her down for a nap, she said "night night Momma" and she frequently says "good girl" and her favorite (I wonder where she heard it) is "no
doggie". For as long as we can remember, we have been trying to get her to say "Love you" and each time, she would just look at us and smile. That is until this week when she was taking a bath and she said "love." It just melted my heart. Something else that she is into these days is mimicking everything we do. I brush my hair and then she brushes hers, I put on make-up and then she wants to also, etc. She wants to put on our shoes, socks and pretend she is a mini me. Check her out wearing Daddy's t-shirt! Doesn't she look like one of the characters from Star Wars?
Don't get me wrong, it isn't all roses and cupcakes, we have found that 18 months certainly has it challenges also. Although she is saying a lot more, she can't fully communicate with us and sometimes that frustrates her and us. She will want something and be pointing but we can't figure it out and she can't tell us. At 18 months, she has very definite opinions on what she wants and doesn't want and she will let you know. She definitely does not like riding in her car seat for longer than 10 minutes and she is hit or miss with the stroller. She doesn't like being confined in anything, that is for sure. She likes to run around and play!
At 18 months, she is still a
momma's girl! Don't get me wrong, she LOVES her Daddy and loves their special traditions they have but she is still pretty attached to her momma. She does loves nighttime when her Dad puts her to sleep each night or on the weekends when they play time together.
At 18 months, she loves all things outside. She will run to the front door, garage door, back door, any way she can find a way out and knock or pound on the door and say "outside, outside." She loves the fresh air and can't wait to for spring to officially arrive. Who can blame her when you have wonderful warm weekends like we did this past weekend full of multiple park trips, picnics and walks.
At 18 months old, we are just happy when we can spend time somewhere other than the pediatrician's office. I think over the past 6 months, we have been to the doctor about 400 million times. Or at least that's what it feels like. She has had ear infections, sinus infections, upper respiratory infections, stomach bugs, rashes and pretty much a runny nose since October. Poor little girl is always fighting something and we are constantly trying to find the right combination of medicine to help her feel better. And unfortunately, we are still searching since the latest dose of medicine they gave her,
Omnicef (
sp?) made her break out in hives and we have now discovered, she is allergic to that. There have been lots of sleepless nights the past couple of months which is tough on all of us. Just another reason I am looking forward to spring and the stop of all these germs and illnesses. But when the
meds kick in and she is back to her old self, everyone smiles.
So the past 18 months have had many highs and some lows but nonstop busy and certainly entertaining. There is a never a dull moment when this little one is around. Whether its just the three of us at home eating dinner or when we venture out and have some of Ella's favorite, pasta. Someone doesn't like her dinner being interrupted by a picture. More pasta please!
It is such a cliche and everyone says it to you but the time does go by so fast. I know it's not like she is 18 and leaving for college or anything but she is growing out of the baby stage into a full blown toddler. When you bring that newborn home from the hospital and they aren't sleeping and you aren't sleeping and they are crying for no reason, you think you will never make it. But somehow you do and then they sleep a little longer and a little longer and next thing you know, they are a year and half old. As I mentioned on the last post, one of my best friends since elementary school and her husband who I have also known since middle school had a sweet baby girl this week. So, Amy and Jason, I know you are probably not sleeping and walking around like zombies but treasure this time with your sweet little girl because before you know, she will be 18 months old and telling you "no no no" when you feed her peas. Can't wait to meet you little Abby!
So, happy half birthday to our growing girl who is constantly keeping us on our toes and bringing us more love and joy each day. You have changed and grown so much already and we can't wait what you have in store for us for the future (and we are hoping it is not the terrible two's!)
We love you so much!
Mommy and Daddy
Wherever Ella goes, she wants her doggie right there next to her. Case in point, we inherited this awesome wagon from our neighbors (yeah for neighbors that have too many toys and we get the extras!) and we took it out for a spin this weekend. 
But it's not fun to ride just by yourself when your doggie can ride along with you. And sweet Dakota obliged like she does most of the time to sit and take a spin around the neighborhood. 
This is the scene most nights after dinner. We finish up and then play before bath time and bedtime. And that means, all 4 of crammed into the tiny play room that used to be a dining room with toys and games and books everywhere. And these two always getting into trouble. Dakota chewing on a toy that Ella gave her, how does she know she can't play with it? Ella gave it to her after all? Then the tackle/hugging begins. Starts off innocently enough, just hanging out playing next to each other... 
Then the swoop in by Ella, giving her a kiss... 
And then a bear hug! These two definitely have such a sweet bond and although most days I tell Mike that the dog is driving me crazy and I can't take another day of her and then this happens and to watch them play makes my heart smile. I have read the studies and heard all the research that children that grow up having animals and loving animals turn out to be more compassionate, loving, etc and I am hoping it turns out in this home. At least before the dog hair drives me seriously insane. 
And here are some more random cute pictures from the past week. As mentioned previously Ella doesn't like bibs anymore but with her more adventurous fork skills, we needed to find something that would do the trick. A neighbor actually told me about these great smock/bib shirts that are long sleeve and do the trick. 
Only 1 week in but seems to be working so far and check out that face with spaghetti all over it. This girl loves her pasta and tomato sauce so I am hoping these new bibs will work. And when the fork is just taking too long, use your hands, they are much quicker! 
How cute are these two best buds. Wesley wanted to give Ella a hug. 
Just hanging out together! Ella saying "cheese" for the picture. 
It was another warm and sunny weekend here. In fact, it hit 80 degrees on Sunday so you know we hit up the park for some swinging. Ella is not a fan of the baby swings but prefers to sit on our laps on the big swings. 
Daddy is a little under the weather this week, another bad head cold so during breakfast this morning, we wanted to send him a picture to cheer him up and hopefully make him feel better. Honestly, I can't remember a day when all 3 of us have been healthy at the same time. Bring on spring and less germs please! 
A couple times a week if it's a good and healthy week, I go to the YMCA to workout and Ella plays in the childcare area. She had a real love/hate relationship with it when we first started going and I never knew when they were going to call me and tell me to come get her but lately it has been all love. She always has a great time playing with her friends and new toys. After we leave, we pass right by the racquetball courts and usually someone is playing and Ella always get a huge smile and says "ball ball." So of course, we stop and watch them play. 
It is usually older men and they are always so sweet to the kids and hit the ball up near on the glass and all the kids laugh and smile. Ella will knock on the glass and wave hi! She would sit there and watch them for awhile if I let her, maybe a future racquetball star in the making?? 
So, that is our life. A lot of loving on Dakota and trying hard to learn the meaning of gentle and nice so we stop pulling the doggie's tail but somehow no matter how much abuse she gets, Dakota always wants to be right by Ella's side. I guess she will take the good with bad, with abuse also comes lots of hugs and attention. Have a good week everyone!
