Life à la Moad: Lucy's Toddler Update

Another month gone.

Lucy is older.
I'm older!

Life just keeps on going.
It never slows down. It never stops. It never stands still.

I guess this is just how it's gonna go... maybe one day I'll get used to it.
Will I? Or is the speed at which time flies something one never gets used to!?

I find myself looking forward to things in the future... you know,

"Oh by October we will...."
"This time next year we'll..."
I can't wait until next weekend when..."

All those phrases just rush time along.
And while there is SO MUCH I am anticipating in the coming months... I simultaneously want time to freeze so I can enjoy every little giggle, bubble bath, peek-a-boo and toddler smooch.

But my wants don't matter anyway.
Time will go on as it wishes.

Well on that sappy and somewhat depressing note...
time for a toddler update!

Development

We had her "15 month" check up a lot closer to her 16th month this time around.
She weighed in at a cool 27 lbs! still squeezing her in those size 4 diapers!!
She is still in that 95th percentile for both weight and height!
this bad mom can't remember her height! whoops
But believe me... girl is tall

Toddler Talk

Lucy's vocabulary and speaking is increasing daily!
She must want so badly to communicate because she is constantly trying to imitate sounds and repeat us.
It's so awesome to see language develop in her!

And it reminds me constantly how I want to speak Spanish with her but have yet to organize myself enough to do that! GAH!

But as far as English goes... she is really growing!

New words:
"more", "Pap" (What she calls Greg's Dad), "cook" (meaning cookie)," truck", "pool", "gama" (for grammy... Greg's mom),

And finally... with much rejoicing I can tell you she officially says "Mama" and "Dada".

She knows who her parents are!
cue mom cry!

She even knows our cars and our shoes! She'll hold up Greg's shoe and say "dada" or point to my car and say "mama". One time she saw Greg on the tractor so now when she sees the tractor or hears (any) tractor she says "dada".

It's the cutest. For reals.

There is nothing sweeter than hearing that sweet voice say "mama" when she looks for me.

GAH! I want to wake her up just to hear her say it one more time today!

Now, like I said earlier she is really trying hard to imitate us and say what we say. So we were walking through a (like the millionth) house to see if it was a contender and I opened a door and said

"Oh, it's the garage"

A few minutes later Greg walks in and is holding Lucy and tells her "this is the garage"
From the other room where I was snooping in a bathroom I hear in that sweet, high-pitched little Lucy voice

"isa garash"

Did she just say "It's a Garage"!?!

Even our realtor heard it.
Genius. Straight up Genius child.

I love her toddler talk.

Teeth

Still holding strong with just that one molar from last month. But I feel multiple bumps so I'm sure more are coming through soon!

One of her favorite activities though is brushing her teeth! She has to sit or be held... she refuses to stand and she just opens wide and lets you brush away!

hashtag adorbs

Dem Skilz

She is just getting a lot better at things: walking, talking, running, climbing, etc.

She is a pro at going up and down the steps.

She loves to sit. Anything that she can sit on she will... the steps, the ground, a box, my lap, my head, etc. If she can plop herself down she's a happy camper!

We have started to incorporate spoon and fork usage regularly now. We still have a long way to go but she just loves using utensils. Usually if she is refusing to eat our go-to trick is to break out a fork or spoon. She will clean her plate!

okay... maybe some of it ends up on her lap / the floor

And of course Independent Playtime is something she continues to get better with and enjoy!

Playtime

She has rediscovered some old toys which is fun. She is really enjoying anything she can push:

her toy bus, her push cart, a box, a kitchen chair, mom

Anything that moves when she puts some effort behind it she is happy with!

She still loves the water - this month has been filled to the brim with swim time; both at Grammy and Pap's pool and at Hershey Park. She has been all fish this month and loving it! Grammy even got her some super awesome pink swimmy gear that lets her bob and float to her heart's delight!

I am amazed to watch her socialize with others - her friendship with Elsie continues to grow and she gets so excited to see her. Now, Gretchen and I are still working on the whole sharing is caring thing with them, but in time I'm sure they will get it! But Lucy really seems to enjoy socializing with other people... so I guess I need to get out more!

She loves Elmo, her dolly, and lots and lots of books!

One of her ABSOLUTE favorite things is having her Pap read to her. He makes up the funniest stories to go along with the pictures and no 2 times is ever the same! She would bring him books to read all day if we'd let her! But even more than before she is becoming content to sit somewhere and "Read" to herself. I love it!

And in the realm of play time I must add: giggles have become much more plentiful and easily attained this month! She has just been so giddy and happy and it melts my mama heart and I just want to bottle up that laughter!!!

Eats

We have tried a few new things this month including: ham, turkey and cheese melts, chicken fingers, sweet-potato fries, and peaches.

She is still fairly content to eat almost anything (usually) which is worthy of two big thumbs up!

Favorites still remain: banana, grapes, raisins, apple sauce, hummus,

Struggles

Working through the tantrums and she has some how developed an ability to wack mom in the face when she's upset.

Ohhhh no sweetheart, not in this house.

She also has gone through many bouts of whiney, clingy behavior this month. It comes and goes and I assume it is paired with teething pain or sleepiness from some missed naps.

Sleeping - she is still super stellar and sleeps 12 (sometimes 13!) hours a night... but we are in transition out of the glorious 2 nap stage and into one nap. It's been a long transition!

Mom's Observations

My sweet girl your mama just loves to watch that explosive personality of yours develop! I'll probably say that for the rest of your life... and it will always be true. You, my love have such a sweet tender heart but also a willful spirit! I see you battle against your
own will in the littlest of situations and still love to celebrate with you when you choose obedience! You love when we celebrate your obedience with you and get so excited with our excitement. I want to always remember to praise your efforts, no matter what the result. You try so hard to do so many things I am praying that develops into an attitude of hard-work and determination in all that you do. I hope you always know how proud I am of you and how much I desire to see you try hard, despite any failure. You seem to be such a great mix of sweet and tender-hearted and also independent and brave! Your creator has truly knit you together with so many intricate threads that continue to show their colors each passing month.
It is my absolute joy, sweet girl, to watch you develop!

Okay now for the photos!

16 month photo dump

After not sharing, the girls kissed and made up. These two. I just can't even!! All the heart eyes, I swear!!

These moments will always be the most precious to me.

Lucy is lucky to have some of the funnest aunts who absolutely adore her! slash spoil her rotten.
Tub time with aunt Kate!

Dad's shoe and she knows it!

So what if we totally made them do this a hundred times so we could get lots of pictures. No shame.

Gretchen and I took the girls to Hershey Park on a very crowded Sunday evening. Not our best choice But they still had fun!

Both their daddies work for good 'ol Milt so a photo was a must.

She LOVED the baby wave pool at HP

Mom is trying to get her used to having water dumped on her head.
All in, Lucy!

She sat. ::Proud Face::

She loves the pool. But every moment can't be perfect, ya know?

Lots of time spent with sidewalk chalk.

Just sitting around... looking like her dad.

Oma and Opa (aka my parents) came out for my birthday picnic so Lucy got to love up on Oma... and the invalid dog Rascal (I still can't believe how much this girl loves dogs!)