18 & 19 Months

Halloween and Thanksgiving flew by and now Christmas season is upon us, this special time with Reese moving faster than I would like! We are enduring a bitterly cold winter- even as I write it is snowing, making it hard to remember how long it has been since there hasn't been snow on the ground.

Reese and I find plenty to do- though it isn't always easy! She is happy when busy- so even if she is just helping me put away clean dishes (silverware in her case), sorting laundry or watching me cook, she is a delight. Sometimes, ok- usually, this means it takes me twice as long to complete a given task but when we are cooped up inside I don't mind. Thank goodness for gymnastics class, play dates and BSF every week to get out for a little bit!

If the sun is out we try to get out too. She loves her swingset out back and the park, and has recently mastered the skill of climbing to the top of the slide and going down, all by herself.

She is a little climber. Chairs, stairs, couches, beds, she can hoist up on them all.

She eats what we eat most nights, minus vegetables. I have a hard time getting any greens in her, unless in juice form. She has started feeding herself at meals, using the fork and spoon better than I thought she would.

She smells our feet then says "Shoooeeeyyy!" Or "Ewww!"

While we were making cookies earlier I was counting out cups of flour she chimed in and I learned she can count to five!

She doesn't like the radio to be on in the car, and says "No no" if I turn it on (unless I play the Chipmunk Adventure cd).

A few weeks ago she started saying "Now" when she wanted out of her high chair. While we thought it was funny we knew it wouldn't be cute for long so Dillon and I made a point to correct her when she said it. She turned it into a joke and will whisper "Now" then burst into giggles before finally saying "pweese!"

If she wants to go outside she will bring me her boots and coat and sit down in my lap. She often does this when the temperatures outside are frightful- but I get her ready anyway, then send her out on the deck and watch from inside!

She takes a long nap after lunch, from 1-4 most days. Bedtime is 730, and we love this time with Reese. Dad takes her on a horsey ride to bed, then gets her pjs on, brushes her teeth and we all read books together. Then we sing and pray, and put her bunny blanket on her.

At church everyone loves her! She doesn't usually cry when I drop her off in the nursery, unless she is having an especially clingy day. After church she asks "Don-i? Don-i?" and we go get donuts in the fellowship hall. She constantly gets compliments on her vocabulary and sweet disposition.