Lily - 16 months

 

 16 months

18.2 lbs, (29?) inches

(10th percentile for weight, 50th for height) 

light brown/dark blond hair

green eyes

Lily is at such a fun age.  There is just nothing like a toddler who changes and learns every minute. This week she insisted on wearing jammies like Katie's (her Christmas pajamas, a top and bottom with slippers instead of her regular footie pajamas), and strutted around in them saying "ah big." The first thing she asks for in the morning is her "boos" (shoes), and she is so mad (a) that she has outgrown her favorite sparkly shoes and (b) that I have not bought her boots like Katie and Max.

Lily's favorite thing right now is buckles ("buh-pulls").  Buckles on high chairs, helmets, strollers, camera cases, you name it.  Buckle, unbuckle, buckle, unbuckle.  Repeat.  Five thousand times.  Spend five minutes with her, and I promise you, you will never want to touch another "buh-pull" again.

She used to be a passive spectator at toddler time, but the last two weeks she "sang" every song and insisted she get to pick an action (stomping feet) for a verse of our hello song.  She also insists on participating in the art project.  In fact, these days one of her favorite things to do is to "draw" with markers.  It's awesome, as I'm sure you can imagine.  Every 16-month-old should have free reign with markers...

Her favorite songs right now are "If You're Happy and You Know It" and our pajama and potty songs.  She also really loves singing Happy Birthday and saying, "ho, ho, ho!"  (She hasn't figured out that Christmas over.)  I don't love when she whines, "Whaaaay?!" when I tell her no, but when she brings me a book insisting that I read "roll over, roll over" again, or brings me the phone and tells me to call "yelli" (Shelli), or when she begs for me to push her on the "wings" (swings), my heart just melts and I don't want to say no anyway.

Look at this grown up girl!  She's finally coming out of her shell a bit.  She still doesn't trust most people to touch her or pick her up, but she's almost as comfortable with her Aunt Anne as she is with Adam or me, and she's beginning to interact with adults as long as she initiates.  She'll also stay with a babysitter without crying the entire time, as long as the other kids are around and she isn't tired or hungry. 

I love my Lily, and even though I wish she were a little more independent, I cherish our snuggles and the special relationship she and I have. 

More fun to teach than learn

We are really working hard at potty training with Max right now.  It is, as potty training usually is, very exhausting.  But it is really fun to see Max switch roles and be the "trainer" instead of the "trainee" when Lily insists that she needs a "potty party" too. 

 Now, if I could get him to consistently go on the potty himself, we'd be in business!