18 Months Old!!!

Mikayla is growing up so fast. She definately isn't a baby anymore. In fact, just over the last couple of weeks her personality has started to shine and she has become much more purposeful and thoughtful in her play and mannerisms. She will place elmo, or bears, or babies in her stroller or high chair and just yesterday I noticed she put all of her socks in her stroller. She loves to pull out her bucket that is full of socks and pj's and toss them all around her room. And she loves to get into her shoe drawer also. Whenever I tell her "go get your shoes" she takes off running for them.

She is learning how to play with Austin. Sometimes she just wants to be a stinker and knock down things that he has built or created with his toys. But she also loves running around the house with him in a chase-like manner. Plus she loves to dance when daddy puts on the Wicked soundtrack CD. She has been talking for months in her own language but is now starting to use words. She says: momee, dadee, Austin, baby, Abby, nye-nye. She is able in her own way to communicate more than what she can say and she can be stubborn about things sometimes. She's a girl who knows what she wants.

She is a very good eater and has conquered using the spoon. Her independence shines through now because she only lets me give her a bite or two with the spoon before she insists on doing it herself. Her favorite TV show is still Einsteins which she watches in the morning in the Elmo chair while eating her cereal, pop-tart, etc.....She likes to play ball and kicks it around more than throws it (I think we might have 2 future soccer players in this house). She is old enough now that she gets to go to Nursery.....yeah!!! She loves it and finally we are back to being able to fully enjoy and listen to the last 2 hours of church. Along with getting older, she has started to test her limits. When we are outside she will try to run into the street or while at the playgroup see how far she can wander off. She also has started pulling out the hands as weapons. And of course Austin is also eager to let us know when she is hitting. Even though I'm sure some of it is just a little payback in her mind it still lands her in time-out which she does not like. She sits there and does a fake half-cry......it's like she is saying "I can't believe you put me here....this is not fair....remember all the times Austin hit/scratched me when I was little..."
She gets a little cranky and dramatic at times but usually is full of energy and loves to smile with her full set of teeth. She has been laughing and giggling more lately which sound is like music to a mother's ears. But she also loves to scream...must be a girl thing. She gets so many complements on her curly hair. It is crazy some of the time and I'm not very skilled at doing yet. She usually gives me about a 5 second window to try and get it clipped back. Hopefully she keeps her curls because it just seems to fit her personality. She is such a silly, sweet, lovable little girl and such a blessing to our family!!!