Seeking God Knows What

Someone asked what Widget is up to now that she is 18 months. So I thought I would write a non-whining post and talk about her.

She is an absolute hoot! This age is wonderful despite its challenges
She is more and more verbal every day and definitely tries to repeat nearly everything you say. Thank you, please, no, milk, juice, cup, more, food, fish, nigh-nigh, bye, hello, mama, dada, cat, dog, bath, book, video (yeah, I know that is perhaps a sign of too regular a thing)are just a small part of her word list. Mommy and Daddy now have to be much more careful with what we listen to when she is around. She is very, very good at animal sounds (cow, pig, sheep, rooster, bird, cat, dog, horse, monkey, duck), although she never wants to say them (or anything)when we see our doctor. One of these days, really! I swear she talks.

She runs, will jump when you say jump, spins in circles, climbs on everything, loves to go up and down stairs. She hasn’t attempted the great crib escape but I’m sure it will happen soon enough. She loves to be outdoors and will walk and walk and walk if you let her. She has tons of energy and is hardly ever still. She even moves around quite a bit in her sleep. We could never co-sleep because she is all over the place at night, which makes me a bit nervous about the eventual transition to a toddler/big girl bed.

She plays fairly independently building towers with blocks or her Quatro Legos (giant duplos), reading books, pushing her doll stroller around the house. I’m noticing more signs of imaginative play, i.e. we bought her a little plastic dishes set and she will put the cups and saucers together with a spoon and pretend to eat and she will bring a set to you to share. She is beginning to get the concept of puzzles and can do basic shapes and her farm one pretty well on her own. She loves to play her musical instruments (shakers, jinglers, xylophone)- well, she loves music in general, always dancing when she hears it!

She will run down the hall when you suggest a bath and get her bath toys out to toss in the tub. She tends to run away and “hide” when it is time to change her diaper or change her clothes, although she is now beginning to indicate that she has a poopy diaper by pulling on her diaper and going “ewww” :p She usually goes to bed pretty easily (now that we are past the transition to no bottles) and wakes up happy. She loves her B (blanket- well, multiple really) and has to have every single one out of the crib in the morning.

She does have a definite temper and makes her opinion known- particularly when it comes to diaper changes, coming inside, riding in her carseat/stroller/cart, being carried when she wants to walk, getting out of the tub, things contrary to what she wants. We are working on no pushing, hitting, biting, pulling on shirt collars and figuring out the best method of discipline. She gives great kisses and cuddles, likes to sit and read stories with you- finding the little mouse on all the color pages of “Good Night Moon” is a particular favorite. She is ticklish, has a contagious laugh and can be quite silly.

She is my world.