mia at eighteen months

My baby is a year and a half today. I can't believe it, and yet I can. Her "birth" day feels like it was a million years ago, part of another life even. I am so, so grateful she is here today because oh my goodness is she is something. She's healthy and happy, and most of all, sassy.

Eighteen things about my sassy-pants girl, one for each month she's been with us:

1. She loves her babies. Loves to wrap them in blankies and feed them and hug them and carry them around everywhere.

2. She loves books, mostly the ones with cats. She points to all the cats on the pages and says "kitty" and meows with a big emphasis on the "ow" part. Her mouth ends in a perfect little "O" at the end of each meow.

3. She calls most people "daddy," including me. She will pat your cheek or arm or leg and repeat, "Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy," a jillion times when she wants your attention.

4. She wants to be just like her big sister and copies everything Laci does. She also likes to wreck Laci's toy setups, or Laci's coloring, or anything else Laci is doing. We call her Baby T-wreck. She know exactly how to push her sister's buttons.

5. Several times a day, she lifts her shirt, points at her belly button and says, "Belly!" She is also obsessed with finding everyone else's belly button, even if you don't want her to.

6. She is very, very loud. Almost all of the time. Except, she recently discovered whispering and likes to whisper animal sounds. And then laugh loudly at her ability to whisper.

7. She is still cutting teeth, several at once. Her gums have been a red, swollen mess for over a month and we are both ready to be done with teething for a while.

8. She is terrified of horses, but loves to ride her rocking horse at home. She has even started trick riding by standing on the pony instead of sitting.

9. She has started to act shy around new people she doesn't know very well. She looks down and then tries to peek up through her eyelashes all covert-like.

10. Other than horses and strangers, she is pretty fearless. She will climb anything and use whatever is available as a stool to climb higher.  And she is busy, busy, busy.  I swear she never stops moving unless she's asleep.  For example, all these pictures were taken within a window of ten minutes and involve multiple locations, props, and activities.  All of her own choice of course.

11. She still loves spaghetti most, but bacon and sausage are close behind.

12. Her hair is crazy and getting so long but she hates having it done. So, we stick to the sprout on top of her head most of the time. It's easy and just fits her crazy little personality so well.

13. She loves music and loves to dance. Her signature move is to bob her head up and down and then twirl in circles. I have no idea where she got it.

14. She loves to make us laugh by being cute and silly. And she's pretty good at it.

15. She's become quite dramatic when she gets hurt and when things don't go her way.

16. She's obsessed with my phone, and technology in general.  I set a password on it and she broke the code this morning. Granted, it was an easy password, but still...she likes to delete apps and send gibberish texts that look like this, "dgjuyrfhjljhgskkjgdf."

17. She is completely attached to her blanket and bottle and even though the pediatrician recommends getting rid of her bottle, I have absolutely no plans to do so in the near future. When she wants her bottle, she says, "me me me" and pats the refrigerator door.

18. She is stingy with her kisses but gives a good high five and fist bump.

I could probably go on for days about her.  We sure do love our little girl with the big personality. I love her cute little baby body and wish she could stay this age forever. She is mostly tons of fun, with just a little bit of difficult thrown in for good measure. But I also look forward to seeing her grow and getting to know the little person she is becoming.

Happy half birthday little one!