17 months old

I know I say this all the time, but I just cant believe how big she is getting and how fast. But I have never meant it more than I do right now. Everyday she is changing and accomplishes something. I suppose it is time to face that my "baby" is no longer a baby in any means. She is a very independent smart toddler.....she makes this whole raising her gig so easy, almost too easy, and I give a lot of credit to signing with her.

I am going to write out her current vocab *if I can even remember it all, its coming so quick now, its hard to keep up, so I need to document this* The ones with * next to it are ones she can sign as well. Some are sign only.

hi
bye
bye bye (which means when we leave)
Go
Lets go
Car*
night night
sleep*
potty*
ewwww (when something is gross, something in her mouth she doesn't like, dirty diapers, things she finds off the floor)
book*
Cat*(also kitty, kitty cat)
cold*
bear*
dog*
banana*
Bella (our dog's name)
up*
all gone and all done*
please*
Madison
daddy*
mommy*
baby*
girl*
hat*
duck*
pig*
block
watch
time
eat*
drink*
apple*
water*
baba *(signs milk)
ut oh
oh no
woah
dang (yes...dang...thanks to hubby, she also groups woah with it..so she says, "woah dang!"
outside
more*
whats that
whats this
thank you (sign only)
clothes*
down
bath*
brush teeth(sign only, but she mumbles something similar)
frog (sign only)
fish(sign only)
wash hands(sign only)
soap(sign only)
stop*
no
yes (yup, yah)
Yeah (followed with clapping)
poo poo, pee pee
powder
cheese*
ball*
cracker*
bird*
shoes(sign only)


There are more, she actually talks with me all day but when I want to recall them its hard. They are simple words but she communicates in context. She will tell me "lets go" then signs shoes and runs to her shoes and tries to put them on her feet. Once her shoes are on she'll walk to the door and say "outside" then "car". She tells me if she is cold. She tells me she is hungry and wants to eat but telling me, signing and going to her high chair. She can tell me when she wants water or milk. She tells me she wants a banana or a cracker or whatever it is she wants. She will tell us that she wants to take a bath or that she is tired and wants to go to sleep (which is good for me). If I ask her if she wants to go to bed, she will run for the stairs and walk up them. She is really good at doing it upright. She will go straight to her bed. Before bed she tells us to brush teeth and she will also do it on her own. She takes the comb and brushes her hair and even puts her own powder on during diaper changes.

She is getting to where she can repeat something only hearing it 1 or 2 times. Today hubby was showing her his watch and she said it back several times when prompted. He told her it tells time. She said it back several times.

She always calls for us...if he walks out of the room she says, "daddy go?" and calls for him. Same for me. She will come up to us and pat up on the leg or arm and be like, mama? daddy and then tell us what she wants. She lets us know when she is full. She just says all done and we know she is done (if we listen to her, she doesn't throw food, if we ignore her request, that's when she gets bored and slings food, so its very helpful). She now tells me when she has to go potty, so we are starting to potty train her.

I am not trying to sound like I am bragging...I am just amazed at what she is doing (I think she is right on time for most of it), I am just saying I cant believe she is growing up so fast. Before long she will be miss independent and will be able to talk fluently and come and go as she pleases. Kinda scary.

Today we were singing Old MacDonald and I would stop between the animals and she knows what sounds they make and she signs the animals with the song. I would stop after one verse and she would sign and say, "More eieiei-o?" so I would sing another verse and she would dance and sing and sign with me...then she would say, "more?" which comes out, Moe? She can say most of the words where others understand her, there are only a couple she says them half, like more. But most are complete words.

She knows to hold on to our hands and she listens surprisingly well for as young as she is. if we tell/ask her to do something, she does it. She understands so much, I think more than we even give her credit for.

Her hair is getting outrageous. :) I call her trumpy *donald trump hair* Its shaggy out of control and its making her look so much older, but she still has those adorable chubby cheeks!

She loves the park. She can swing on a big kid swing all by herself *with us pushing of course* and can climb up the stairs like a big girl and even go down the slide all by herself yelling WEEEEE all the way down. She likes to run with the big kids and do as they do.

She can go forward on her ride on toys and I think she might be ready for a pedal bike already...she is certainly tall enough and she understands motion like that really well. Cause and effect she is good at. If I show her arm motions for songs, she can do it right back to me, little copy cat this one.

I am so blessed to have a beautiful healthy little girl and I just love her so very much and so very proud of her. I cant wait until my family gets to meet her, I cant wait for her to meet them.

She acts bashful sometimes, but I secretly like it because she hugs me so tight and rests her beautiful face on my chest or on my shoulder. She likes to "pet" me too, like rub my arm or back...just like I do her. She is a very loving girl. She will give kisses when asked then tell us thank you. She asks please when she wants something...most times. Sometimes if you ask her to say please she looks at you like you are crazy! Same for thank you, but she is doing a great job.

She is very well behaved...she has her moments and her tantrums, but they are usually short lived and we discuss why its not ok and she usually goes back to her happy self shortly after. I got lucky with her personality. She is a lot like her daddy in the calm factor. I have a feeling my next one will be very opposite of her. Very hyper and not so calm. There is no way I can get this lucky twice. A good sleeper, listener, calm, easy go with the flow baby/child.

I hope Sass will like it in VA and we provide a great environment for her there. I think a lot of the reason Sass is so good too is because of hubby and my attitude around her. We don't fight almost ever and if we have a tiff, its not in front of her. We aren't stressed, never really have been and she always sees us happy and laughing. I think she is really thriving from that. We are blessed that we don't have tons on our plate to where we are stressed and unhappy and fighting..children pick up on it so easily. I know I did in my household. So far she has been in a pretty light atmosphere and I hope that continues when we move. Lots will be changing and I hope we can manage it like we do here. He will be working a more stressful job and maybe longer hours...a crazy commute so he may not be around as much. I will be going to school so she may have to be put in care for a while...that changes things too. But I guess I cant protect her forever from outside influences.

See I always liked that too...she was always in my care for the most part so other people's negative ways haven't really touched on her...my mom's house is stressful and can be negative and angry at times and she hasn't had to experience it because of the distance. But I also hate the fact Sass doesn't know her family outside of me and hubby either. We are going home for a while when we move to VA, I think the tension wont be great there anymore since there wont be sibling fights going on. I don't mean to say my family is negative, but lots of stress and tension can loom and create a uneasy vibe if you know what I mean.

Well I think I have rambled enough...if I just keep this current I wont have to write a novel every time I post....but that's how I roll I guess. So until next time.