18 Months

Miss Maelie turned 18 months old today! Our little baby is growing up so fast. Let's make a list:

Her favorite food is STILL chicken.

She still does not like fruit, unless it is Gerber dried fruits and Gerber dried yogurt snacks. She will munch on these all day long.

Other foods she will eat include pasta, hamburger, some bread, veggies (I haven't really found one she won't eat yet), some orange juice, french fries, chicken nuggets, some ice cream if she's in the mood, a few Cheerios here and there, yogurt and fresh fruit if her Auntie Kimmie gives it to her, cheese, pizza, and chicken. Did I mention chicken???

Heaven help us if we give her apple juice or apple sauce. It's like Superman's kryptonite!

She has no use for anything sweet. No candy, cookies, cake, etc., for her. I'm surprised when I can get her to actually taste anything like this. And, any food she has, must look like adult food. She does NOT like anything with a soft, baby food texture. No way, no how.

Her favorite pasttimes include walking with Daddy and reading with Mommy. She has been known to walk 17 blocks with Daddy at one shot. They often go to Target, or the Mall, for walks while Mommy gets to sleep in on weekend mornings. If Mommy tries to take her for walks, Maelie wants to be carried. Go figure! But, with Mommy, we can sit and read book after book after book. With Daddy, she sits quietly by herself reading. Again, go figure!

She still loves her baths. This summer we tried a few times to take her swimming in the lake and in a pool. She loved the water, but I think was very frustrated that the water wasn't as warm as her bath. I never could tell if she was really enjoying it, or just squealing to squeal!

We haven't done official weights and measures, but I guesstimate her weight at about 23-25 pounds, and her height at 30 about inches. She wears 12-18 month clothing well. We are always going to have issues with pants, though, since 18 month is still a little big and will fall off unless it's elastic waist. It's the no-butt, skinny waist syndrome.

She has four teeth...two on top and two on bottom, and more moving around in there. They just won't pop through, darn it!!!!!

She loves to rough house with Daddy, play with her firetrucks, any toy that is musical, and has no use for dolls. She loves her musical Rockstar toy that is a mirror on a base with buttons that make music. She has actually used her imagination with this toy, bringing over a book or catalog, reading in it, then hitting a button on her toy. She looks like she's working for NASA or something.

We watch the Sprout channel everyday. I have no problems with leaving the TV on, because Maelie will watch the beginning of the show, the interactions between shows, and some commercials. The only true 'show' she will sit all the way through is the Pajanimals, which is more like a little music video. She LOVES the La La Lullaby Pajanimals, and Mommy sings it to her every night.

She still uses a bottle, and I'm not in a rush to change that. When she's 2, we'll push the issue. For now, I won't. She does not like sippy cups of any kind (we've tried them all), but will drink out of a regular cup with assistance. One odd quirk of hers is that she will NOT feed herself. No way, no how. She'd starve first. We can't figure this out. She has a wonderful pincher grasp, but refuses to pick up food and put it in her mouth. She will look at the food in front of her and stare, like she's figuring out a super hard puzzle, and she won't do it. She doesn't think she's supposed to get food on her hands, I think. It's an odd one. We keep working on it. But, even her fruit snacks, Cheerios, etc., we have to feed to her.

Maelie is a very muscular toddler. We get comments all the time about her confident walking, and her ripped muscles. HA! She likes to be active.

She is beginning to babble more and more everyday. She says a few words very clearly...Daddy, Momma, HEY!...and a few words not so clearly...."Rey Rah" for Allegra (her favorite doggy), "Umbella" (only when she wants to), "Babba" (bottle), "Wawa" (Water), and some more I'm forgetting now. She likes to practice her sounds, and will watch my mouth intently when I'm singing the alphabet song, or any other song, for that matter. I think she's shy to talk around other people until she knows how to say it right. Just my theory.

She knows a ton of baby signs...milk, ball, tired, bath, book, water, momma, daddy, bus, car, wash hands, rain, boat, please, thank you, sorry, more, potty, eat, bear, blanket, bird, frog, horse, dog, kitty, drink, juice (even though she doesn't like it!), hat, jacket, shoes...and more than I'm forgetting, I'm sure. I lost count at over 20 one night.

She can show you where her mouth, eyes, hair, head, nose are, and will hold up one finger for the number one. She waves hello and goodbye, and has invented her own signs. Blowing a kiss means "I love you." Holding up one finger means "Tree, leaf or flower." Waving her arm out to the side means, "Go Go Go!" She makes a typing sign for "Computer." She waves her hand rapidly to show "Running."

She is a studious little girl, funny, active, sweet, kind, has a memory like an elephant, and can be stubborn as a mule. Mike and I can see both of our personalities in her, which is that strange and magical adoption thing that is just so special. Her smile will light up a room, her laugh can reduce her mommy to tears, and her daddy dotes on her as if she were a true empress. She turns heads wherever we go, people compliment us all the time on our beautiful child. Somedays, it's like walking out with a celebrity. But, she makes her Mommy and Daddy proud, so very proud, to be her parents. She is loved by so many people, especially her family, beyond measure. I wish I had the words to describe just how special she is. But, for now, I'll just wish my Maelie a very happy 18 months. Oh how we love you, Sweetie!!!

(And yes, I WILL post updated photos and some videos either tonight or tomorrow. If I don't, Mike has threatened to lock me in a room with the computer and my camera until it's done!!!!) :)