Evelyn June: 18 Months

Even later than planned since the internet stopped working over the weekend. But, what a milestone! You are such a big girl too. The way you change before my eyes every day is astounding and I love you more and more every passing second.

Overall, you are awesome! So well-behaved and loving. You are so sweet and kind and love to give kisses and hugs. Spending Christmas with a toddler was both exhausting and refreshing. Nothing like the joys of Christmas through the eyes of a child! We went and saw Christmas lights and you sat on my lap in the car while we drove through the park. After the initial curiosity about the front seat wore off, you spent the whole time trying to stick your head out the window saying "Oh, wow!" It was amazing. Christmas morning was even better. You slept super late (that's my girl!) and when you got up and walked down the hall you immediately spotted your baby doll stroller and made a bee line. I don't think you've stopped pushing it around the house since! You enjoyed pull-apart cake for the first time and loved it (who wouldn't?) and were a trooper through the rest of the day's festivities. Even without a nap you kept going until about 9:30 pm. Crazy. The following week we spent the day at Maw Maw and Paw Paw's for Christmas and you were thoroughly enjoying playing with your cousins. Overall, it was an amazing holiday and I can't wait for next year.

{Santa came!}

{Not sure what's up with her face in this picture, but it's hilarious} 

{Loves her stroller! And the headlamp, very fashionable} 

{Pull-Apart Cake!!}

You still eat so well. Unfortunately, we've had to cut most acids out of your diet to try and avoid diaper rashes. This includes tomatoes, strawberries, pineapple, etc. all of which you LOVE. I actually considered trying elimination communication, but gave up pretty quickly. I must say, you looked pretty cute on the toilet though!

{You'll kill me for this one day}

You'll eat just about anything and I think the only thing I can really name that you dislike is sweet potatoes.

{You are certainly comfortable at the table. And the baby belly? Dead.}

You have started throwing some little tantrums here and there, but I feel like we're navigating them well for now. I think a lot of it boils down to communication. You want to talk so badly but just can't find the words all of the time. We joke that you talk all day and have nothing to say because it's a lot of toddler jabber. Your vocabulary has definitely grown to include Oliver, bye bye, yes, wash, and a. You can correctly identify the letter "A" as well as make sounds for and identify dogs (woo), monkeys, snakes, and elephants. You love to go through your picture books and look for things I ask for at which point you say "there we go!" and clap for yourself.  Speaking of books, you love to read. You would read all day if I had time to sit with you!

{We read Jingle Bells at least a thousand times!}

You still sleep amazingly, though we've had a few hiccups here and there. I mostly attribute it to when your schedule is a little off. The other night after you had woken for the 3rd time since I put you down, I picked you up to comfort you and while sitting in my lap, in between sobs, you let out a giant fart and said "there we go!" It was so pitiful and hilarious. I laid you back down and you slept the rest of the night! Generally, you are down at 7:30 and up at 8 without any wakeups. You go to sleep well and we broke the pacifier this month! You love to sleep with your blanky but I've had to put "bed only" limits on it since you were wanting to take it everywhere with you.

{Christmas Morning}

{You slept till 9:30 this morning!}

{Gotta have the blanky}

{Bedhead! I love you in the mornings. So sweet}

I can't get enough of your smiley personality and I'm enjoying every last second of these fleeting moments I have with just the three of us. We're going to rock your world in a couple of months and I only hope my sweet girl sticks around through it!