Dear Little Peanut,

You are 22 MONTHS OLD!!  You are such a sweet hearted little girl.  You are growing opinions left and right and successfully communicate all of them in one way or another.  My favorite time of day right now is our bedtime routine.  I climb into bed with you (which is very hard with such a pregnant belly) and we read your bedtime books.  You’re starting to “read” with me which is just amazing.  After we read, you turn off your reading light and we say our prayers.  You now actively participate and suggest things and people we should be thankful for (the other night you wanted to thank God for pork chops).  Then we turn on your noise maker, Daddy says goodnight, and I get to rock you a little before I put you down.  It is the sweetest time.

Some facts about YOU:

-        - You are still in size 4 diapers, have no interest in potty training, however you do sometimes announce when you need to poopie.  But you absolutely will not do that in the potty.  You wear size 2T shirts (you have your Mommy’s long torso) and the 18-24 month pants are still baggy.  You are still in size 6 shoes, but I think you’ll grow out of those this winter.

-        - You love to say the word “cute”.  Especially about clothing.

-       -  Your favorite book right now is the Pokey Puppy.

-        - You can say most of your ABC’s.  Sometimes you get sidetracked and we have to help, but you remember the majority of them.  You can also count to ten, but frequently leave out the number 7.  When we are out and about you pretend to read signs.  You can identify O and U and a few others.

-        - You love to play chase and could run all day long.  You especially love it when Stella chases you.  You like to steal her toys and run to try to entice her.

-        - When you want to be held, you say “Hold you Mommy”. 

-       -  You love your friends at church and get very excited about Sunday school.

-       -  You know all of your family member’s names.  Your Daddy knows it bugs me when you call me J instead of Mommy, so he will instigate it every time he gets the chance.  But it is really cute when you say it.

-        - Your favorite food right now is chicken nuggets.  Although you do talk about “chops” a lot too.

-       -  You are excited about getting ready for the new baby.  But I’m not sure you really grasp that he will be here soon and isn’t going to be leaving! 

-        - You know most of your colors, but like to “trick” us and call things by the wrong ones.

-        - You are very excited about Santa, reindeer, and Christmas trees.  I think this Christmas will be so much fun for you!

We love you with all of our hearts and are enjoying every minute watching you grow and learn.

Puppy for Halloween

 First time trick or treating

 You love to wear this robe...it's a newborn size I think

 First trip to the zoo

 With Mommy in front of the elephants

 This guy was your favorite

 You loved that "tall giraffe"!

 Riding the "duck" with Nana

 The choo choo train was a huge hit!

I'm That Mom

My child counted to ten tonight.  Without help.  I suddenly had to fight the urge to shout this news from the rooftops (aka - make the most annoying Facebook status update EVER bragging on my smart baybee).  I now understand those moms that can't stop talking about how great their kids are.  It's an impulse that is very very difficult to control.  But, I took a deep breath and stopped myself from the bragginess that I'm sure people would perceive from my "My kid is the smartest in the WORLD nanananabooboo" post.  Instead, I'm researching Ivy League tuition rates.  Because, you know, she's a genius now.

Dear Little Peanut,

You are 21 MONTHS OLD!  Your personality is awesome and hilarious and I love getting to see it develop more and more.  I can finally get a peek into that brain of yours now that you're talking more and you are the sweetest funniest little person I know.  I'm sad that you're growing up so fast, but I love that you learn more and more every day.

Some facts about YOU:
- You are wearing 2T shirts, 18-24 month pants, size 4 diapers, and size 6 shoes.
- Potty training is pretty much at a standstill.  I'm not going to push it until I'm out on maternity leave.  Then we'll get serious!
- You have SO MANY WORDS!  You put two together all the time, and it's literally something new that blows my mind every day.  Some of my favorites are "Silly Dada!" (or silly mama or silly stella, etc.), "Punkin pie", "Happy Ween!" (happy halloween) and "Hold you Mama" (when you want me to pick you up...breaks my heart into a million pieces).
- You can count to ten with help, but you made it to six by yourself today!  You know a few letters, and it varies day to day.  Today you could pick out U and P in your bath letters.  I'm so proud!
- You have finally learned the word "No" and use it frequently.  I think it is because we tell you "no" more now that you're pushing your boundaries.  You like to scold Stella when you think she's out of line with finger pointing and "No, no, no Stella!".  You also tell Mommy and Daddy "no" a lot.  You get in trouble for that one.
- Your tantrums have picked up in frequency when you don't get your way, but are still short lived, thank goodness.  I'm blaming some of them on possible two year molars I suspect are coming in.
- When the doorbell rings in our house, the first thing you say is "Pizza!".  This is quite embarrassing when we have guests over because they assume that the pizza man visits our house frequently.  Which is true (hey, I'm very pregnant and cooking takes energy).  However, you do not get to eat pizza when we order it anyway (still can't have the cheese), and you do get a balanced dinner every night.  Almost every night.
- Your favorite food is still oranges and ketchup.  Not together.
- You now know what "toot" means and call people out on it if you hear it.
- You love to play chase and spend a good chunk of time every day in the backyard running from one end to the other.  I can't wait until I'm not pregnant any more and can actually run after you!
- You run to tell Daddy every time you see a bug.  I guess you get that from me :-)
- Your favorite color is still orange, but pink is gaining popularity.
- You still suck your thumb and I have no idea how we would start to break the habit.  I'm going to let it go until the new baby comes.  I have a feeling self-soothing will be necessary.
- You say please when reminded, but you say thank you voluntarily.  It is so sweet.
- You love the story of the three little pigs and Nana tells it to you every day before your nap.  You huff and puff and blow the house down!  When I tell you the story, I make the wolf say "Hey, you little pigs!  I'm gonna eat you!!".  You love that part and repeat it all the time.

We love you so much it's impossible to describe.  There is no one in the world we would rather spend time with.

ORANGES ARE SO GOOD!

 We went to the pumpkin patch this weekend.  It's pretty much all you can talk about now.  You had a blast!

With Mommy in the maze

 Feeding the goats

 Your first bounce house experience...you are smitten

 In the maze with Daddy

 You LOVED this big slide.  No fear at all.

 My little punkin

 Looking at the bunnies or "hops" as you call them

 Look!  Pigs!  They gave you kisses on your hand and you laughed so hard about it.

 We let you pick out your own pumpkin so you could make "punkin pie"

Dear Little Peanut,

You are 20 MONTHS OLD!!  (Actually, you are almost 21 months, but Mommy is running late on your update)  You are the love of our lives and we can't explain how amazing it is to watch you grow and learn.  You are such a sweet, loving and happy little girl.  I so hope that you can hold on to your enthusiasm for life.  It is incredible to watch.

Some facts about YOU:
- Size 4 diapers.  Still.  You are still not interested in potty training AT ALL.  I'm trying to back off for a while.
- Size 12-18 shorts that are a bit baggy and size 2T shirts.  Size 6 shoes!!  We bought you your first pair of running shoes (Nike) because you LOVE to run.  We say "ready, set, go!" and you just run laps around the house.  We also bought you your first pair of Sperry's.  Your Daddy insisted.
- Your hair is getting longer and we can do a very decent ponytail.  However, when left down it is getting closer and closer to a mullet.
- You are in a big girl bed now!!!!  I was expecting the worst but you transitioned like a champ.  I still don't think you know you can get down by yourself, and I am hoping that lasts for a while :-)
- You are saying so many words now!!!!!!  It is amazing to hear you say words that I didn't even know you learned.  You can repeat the whole alphabet and pretend to spell out words when we read.  You are very insistent that there are only two colors, orange and blue.
- Favorite foods right now include ketchup, onions, and oranges.
- You go down all the slides by yourself at the playground.  This was very hard for me to let you do because I am a worrier, but you love it and say "whee!!!!!" the whole time.
- You can almost do a somersault.  I have a feeling you'll get it this month.  This makes me think I should definitely put you in gymnastics!
- You like to pretend to cook and feed your babies and stuffed animals.  I just might have already gotten you a play kitchen for Christmas :-)
- You now say "please" and "thank you" most of the time.  I'm hoping it's a habit that sticks!
- You love going to Sunday school now (no more tears) and have a blast playing with your little friends.
- You are a born encourager.  Any time you see someone do something good you praise them...for example when you see me go potty you say "Yay Mama!!!!!!!".  Too bad you don't want to follow my example!

I can't wait to see what next month brings

Trying on Mama's socks

 So excited for the big girl bed!!

 Snuggling with Mommy (and baby brother) before nap time

 You love to lay down in the bathtub

 Showing off teeth to Mommy

 First Gator game of the season!

 This is what I get when I say "Cheese!!"

Motherhood = All Sorts of Glamorous

Here's a peek into my life as a mom to a toddler...  I just put the Peanut down to sleep (I love those last sweet snuggles before she's tucked into bed), but we had all kinds of drama before bath tonight.  We are starting the introduction to potty training (which I've mentioned before remember...singing princess potty?).  Anywho, before bath I stripped down the Peanut and tried to get her to sit on the potty for more than one second because I KNOW she needed to pee.  This is usually a struggle as she likes to run around the bathroom like a track star when she is diaper free.  As she was sprinting to the end of the bathroom I caught a peek of something coming out of her little tush.  Yes, it was poo.  So I'm thinking, yes!  I can sit her on the potty and she can go there!!  No, that was the absolute last thing she wanted to do, so she ran.  I grabbed some TP as fast as I could, cornered her and swiped the bum, and put her back on the potty.  This time, she peed!  In the potty!!  It did it's little song and there was much rejoicing.  But I tried to keep her there (the poo part was not over, I was sure of it), and she ran.  To the end of the bathroom.  Then peed on the floor.  Before I could grab something to clean that up, I smelled some more poo.  Ug.  Then she was sprinting back toward the bathtub...where hangs the beautiful Anthropologie shower curtain that absolutely CAN NOT get poo on it or I will die.  I grab some more TP and try to corner her again but she has decided to drive by the potty, sit, get poo everywhere, then run back to the door.  Where she then slipped in the puddle o pee and hit her head.  And started the hurt cry.  The cry that no mother can ignore because it is instinct to fix whatever it is that made your baby hurt.  So I have to try to pick her up and console her without getting pee/poo all over me.  I was not successful (there might have been poo under my nail).  I'm at a loss as to where to put her.  So I put her in the sink.  Where I find out she too has poo on her hand.   So I turn on the water and try to wash her hand/my hand, then she slips and and ends up sitting in the sink getting poo all over that too.  Thankfully by this time P has gotten out of the shower and is within screaming distance, so I call for help.  He walks in to a six month pregnant me with poo on my hand hanging on to a naked toddler sitting in the sink with poo on her hand, a puddle of pee on the floor, and a princess potty that has obviously been abused.  Our life is so glamourous.

Dear Little Peanut,

You are 19 MONTHS OLD!  You are my favorite person to hang out with these days.  You are almost always in a good mood, and are so entertaining.  You are communicating more and more and it is amazing to see a peek of what is going on in that little head of yours.  I can tell we have a long future of hilarious conversations coming.  We love you so so so much!

Some facts about YOU:

- You wear size 4 diapers, 12-18 month shorts that are still baggy, 18-24 shirts that are getting short, and size 5 shoes. 

- Your hair is getting longer!  We have to clip your bangs back because it really irritates you when they get in your eyes.  We still haven't cut it yet.  You are also getting blonder each time we get out in the sun.  

- You are obsessed with rocks.  You always have been when we play in the backyard, but now you look for them everywhere.  Once you collect a few, you have to keep them in your hands and don't let them go.  Walks are very challenging because you are constantly stopping to pick a new rock up.  Maybe you will be a geologist someday.

- You now "swim" in the bathtub.  As soon as I put you in you flip to your belly and I have to wash your hair like that.  You kick your feet and paddle with your arms like a little fish.  I can't wait until you know how to swim in the pool!

- You have several words now, but your favorites are Mama (sometimes baba) and Dada.  You love to take roll everywhere we go and point to me and say "Mama" then point to P and say "Dada" and then point to yourself and we have to say "Peanut!" and then you say "Yay!!" and clap your hands.  This happens several times a day.

- You have a new favorite "food".  It's ketchup.  You even say the word.  You had your first taste one night when Mommy and Daddy were dipping chicken in BBQ sauce and asked for something to dip your chicken in.  I'm pretty sure you would drink it if I let you, but I only let you have a little bit.  Mean Mommy.

- You have pee peed in the potty several times now right before bath time.  However, you are not letting us know when you need to go so I think official potty training is a ways off.

- Your favorite word is Bus.  I don't know why.  You call every car and truck "Bus", and that's also how you request us to sing "The Wheels on the Bus".  You can do all of the hand motions too.

- You know a LOT of animal noises and call animals by their noises instead of their names.  Dogs are Woof Woof and Cats are Meow.

- Your favorite color is orange because that's the one you say the most.  You can also say blue, so we have fun getting you to repeat "ORANGE!...BLUE!..."  Just practicing for football season (Go Gators).

- You have quite the obsession with bracelets and anything that can be called a purse.  You routinely go in my closet and take out any bag you can get your hands on and walk around the house with it on your arm.

- You love the beach more and more each time we go.  You have discovered beach toys which means we play in the sand for hours.  When we're not playing in the sand, I'm chasing you in the water because you run FULL FORCE into the waves.  You  love when the water rushes over you and even kneel down so the waves can get you.  This would be awesome except for the fact that you can NOT swim so I have to grab you each time a wave is too high or you trip.  I have a heart attack and you just laugh and try to get back out there.

- You still suck your thumb.  I'm not ready to start that fight yet.

- We're trying to prepare you for getting a new baby brother.  So far you just know that there's a baby in Mommy's belly.  Other than that, you will be in for a surprise.  We will hopefully get you a big girl bed this month so we can start that transition before little brother takes the crib.

- You love to give kisses and hugs.  When we ask for a kiss you pucker up and even make the "muah!" sound.  Melts my heart.

And now some pictures.  I have been terrible at taking official pictures, so these are some more iPhone photos.  No matter what, you are still cute!

This was taken after you had your blood taken for the first time (allergy testing).  You did SO AMAZING that you got a sticker (that you put on your knee) and we took you to breakfast and got you orange juice (which you NEVER have, but love).

 Making sand animals at the beach

 You have learned how to crawl into your shopping cart all by yourself and then insist on someone pushing you around the house

 "Hat" is one of your favorite words and you like to wear this one the most

 You also love sunglasses.  That bump on your head was due to you running too fast and falling and knocking your head on your baby doll cradle.  Ouch!

 This is a fun new habit.  You like to look at chewed up food in your mouth (you're looking in the car mirror).  And you ask other people to show you their chewed up food.  Yuck.

Dear Little Peanut,

Dear Little Peanut,

You are 18 MONTHS OLD!!  Happy half birthday!  We've had a wonderful summer so far, although we've had some rough patches.  You got your first stomach virus (which included your first time throwing up) which you shared with me, Daddy and Nana.  Thankfully we all recovered in time to spend time at the beach with your cousins for the Fourth of July.  You also reached a very special milestone this week. You PEED in your POTTY!!!  We have yet to replicate the event, but it is one step closer to being potty trained.  You are such a big girl (and we tell you that all the time).

Some facts about YOU:

- You are still in size 4 diapers, 12-24 clothes although your shorts are always baggy, size 5 shoes

- We can finally get your hair in a ponytail!  

- You can point to almost all of your body parts, identify all animals in your books, and make several animal noises.  We're still working on your speech, and I'm hoping you keep adding words to your vocabulary.

- You love to twirl and dance.  You try to jump off of everything (which is quite the safety hazard).  

- You give kisses and hugs freely to everyone and every baby doll and stuffed animal you have.

- Your favorite food is bananas, no contest.  

- You have tantrums sometimes, when you don't get what you want.  Thankfully, they only last a few seconds.  We're working on it.

Superstar

 Early surfing lesson

 Taking a snack break

 Little girl, big bag o toys

 P teaching Peanut and cousin how to sift sand

 Post beach play time

 Waiting for the fireworks!  Look at those smiles :-)