19 months Elliana {a litttttle late}

6.08.12
Dear Elliana,

We can officially say on here now that you will be a BIG SISTER!!! Although we already knew last month when you had turned 18 months old, we still hadn't told anyone so I couldn't quite write it in your letter. But here we are, my beautiful darling baby, you will soon be one amazing loving big sister. Can you believe it? Of course not! I don't think you really care, nor understand... but one day you will realize how important this is to our family, and to you. I hope that you form an amazing bond with your brother or sister to be, and that you two always are close and true to one another. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about how special our family is going to be. A family of four. And although I do have my moments where I worry about whether or not you will adjust well, and whether or not you will think that mama isn't giving you enough of her time, I know that all will be okay. But, anywho, this month is all about YOU so lets talk about YOU.

You have been a talking talking TALKING machine. You repeat just about everything we say. You say so many words every day and are able to communicate with us with what you want, and then you jibber jabber the rest of the time. You have been a dancing, twirling, and KISSING little nugget. It has been such a fun month with you darling.... but then again when is it not?

It just gets better and better with time.

We love you to the moon and back, forever and ever, to infinity and beyond.
Love,
Mama and Papa, and your baby brudder or sista.

Weight: 25 pounds {75th percentile}
Length: 33 inches {75th percentile}
Head: 48 cm {90th percentile}

Size 5 shoe
Size 4 diaper
Size 18months-24 months clothes

We had your 18 month visit this past month and you again passed with flyijng colors. The doctor is amazed that you have yet to be sick and have never had to go in besides your well visits. We knock on wood and thank the Lord to keep it that way.

You did however, shortly after your appointment, catch a little cold and had a low grade fever. Of course it only lasted a day and it didn't phase you one bit. My little cuddle stink monster.

Saying more new words {we are up to 50-75 words}: apple {appa}, stop it {sop-it}, please {peas}, thank you {ten you}, teeth, baby, ni ni {night night}, miiine, naase {nose}, beach, boa {boat}, swim, poo {pool}, sween {swing}, knees, head, hair, hairbow, pee pee {pee}, poo {poop}. perrr {pear}, keys, pashlee {lets go in russian}, lego {lets go}. And all the other ones that you know.

Into this weird twirling phase. We will just find you twirling and twirling around in the living room until you flop down and make youself belly giggle up a storm. Then? Get up and do it again. You think its the funniest thing EVER.

Kissing like crazy. You hand out kisses like you are getting paid. And if you were? You would be one rich lady right now. We don't even have to ask for them. You sit there on the couch and turn around and smooch. You will come up to us randomly and smooch. Then another after another. And now you give them out to other family members and absolutely love with spoil them with kisses. Of course I think they love it even more than you do.

You give tons of hugs too.

And you get SO upset if mama "fake cries." In fact, for the first time ever you broke down in tears when I did this and it absolutely broke my heart. I felt so bad because I didn't realize that you would be so sad for mama. Of course it touched me that you care so much about me.

You reverted back in the eating department. Again, you aren't doing great with your dinners... just eat about half. And now you are picky wtih your lunches too. EVEN peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, you eat about half your plate. We do however make up for it during the day by incorporating lots of fruit and snacks.

As far as sleep, still doing wonderful with a couple of bumps in the road. A few times now {and by a few I mean like 7-10 days} you have woken up at 630 instead of your usual 730. Not sure about where this change came from, but either way, you are up and ready. However.... you are MUCH more crankier and needy because of this time change, which again, just confuses me. Also, you have fought naps a few times. You would go down just fine, and then randomly you would just start crying and whining and then as far as yelling for me. A few times, I have done just that... went and got you, played for a couple hours, and then put you down again. However, I quickly learned that you just figured ou that you could get out that way. So within no time, you would fall asleep and nap your usual 3-4 hours.

You completed your swim lessons. And if I'm going to be honest... we skipped just a couple... due to the fact that the neighborhood pool is now open... and well... thats a whole lo more fun.

Speaking of the pool, you LOVE the pool. LOVE. We can go for 2-3 hours at a time, and you still are as happy as the minute you arrived. You love to sit at the top of the steps and splash at the mama, point to the kids, jump into my arms, and shriek with excitement. You think you are such a big girl. But all the kiddies at the pool come up to you and call you baby. Well, thats because you are still a baby :)

You grandma S came to visit you for a few days and you showed off all your tricks, loved on her, and had an absolute blast.

Wagon rides have been an absolute must in his house ever since mama whipped it out from the attic. You adore your wagon.

We went to the zoo again, twice actually this past month, and as always, you loved it. However, the most recent time you were grouchy and not feeling your best so you were being feisty and did NOT enjoy the dolphin show one bit. In fact, mama had to take you out. Which is strange because the first time, you sat there with our mouth dropped in amazement throughout the whole performance.

Like I said last month, you have all your teeth {all the spaces are filled}, however you still drool a ridiculous amount. You can saturate a shirt in just an hour or two.

You have been extra cuddly with carson. I will walk into the room and you will just be laying on him and rubbing his head. It is super sweet.

Itsy bitsy spider is still your favorite song ever. You will put your hands together and imitate the spider as a request for us to sing it. And we do.

You are into this attachment phase {will go into depth on this on another post} and it's all "mama mama mama." No one else. And if your eyes aren't on me at all times? Meltdown city. I don't know baby what's going on, but your papa hasn't been too pleased with the constant neglect and thrashing out of his arms. We will work on this. Promise, baby.

Again, a beautiful amazing fun month. I look forward to the more summer months to come!!