energizer bunny:
she has had quite the summer! she really is a ball of energy that is never ending. during the day, she will often put on a hat, grab her baby and run around the house shouting "go-go-go-go!" we spent the days we were home playing at the park, going on walks, playing with the neighbors and exploring nature. she and i have had such a great time together- we really are best buds.
whenever i would have to work or i would be tired or sore from pregnancy, vi would be bummed that we couldn't play like usual. sometimes she would bring me her shoes, sit on my lap and simply say, "go side" meaning she was ready to get outside and play.
chatty kathy:
she is quite the chatter box lately. saying more and more words everyday. cade and i are always surprised when she will all of a sudden call something by its name or ask for something using words we never knew she knew! she will tell me what she wants for breakfast (which is usually cereal or yogurt... she is working on the other words). she is always saying "shoot" when she drops something and "oh my gosh" when something is new- which aren't the best words for an 18 monther to know, but i guess i say them often enough for her to pick up on it. she expresses when she wants something and she'll ask to "see this." the other day, we could hear thunder outside and i was explaining that the clouds in the sky would crash together and make rain. she immediately found a box to stand on, scooted it to the window, looked out and while pointing said, "oh my gosh- i see it!"
i am always excited to hear what comes out of her mouth next. she is growing up way too fast!
sleep and "my bed":
she is still a fabulous sleeper. we put her down between 8 and 9 and she sleeps until 9 or 9:30 the next morning. i LOVE that she sleeps in. we have been trying to cut down on all the changes that are inevitable with a new baby by introducing some changes now. we decided to put her into a twin bed in another room so she can get used to a new space. she has really taken to her new bed. she will often gather her sippy and baby and crawl into bed on her own- all the while mumbling under her breath something about "my bed." the other morning, it was 10:00 and i still hadn't heard a peep from the room. i slowly opened the door just to check on her only to find her sitting up in bed reading a book. who knows how long she had been awake but she was content to stay in bed that morning and take it easy.
independence:
violet is loving that she can do things on her own. she no longer wants ANY help when she eats nor does she really want to eat anything at all. that is shaping up to be a great combo. she is always trying to do things on her own- like put on her shoes and put away her toys. now that she has her own room, she will often go in there to play and close the door. if i go to check on her, she quickly runs to the door to shut it in my face. this is HER space, i guess. no mommies allowed. i would be sad about all this independence, but there are too many treasured times where she will sink into my lap and want to cuddle. those times i remember that she is still my girl.
nursery!
18 months also brought on nursery at church. now, she is finally old enough to go and play with the kids during church instead of being confined to our laps for three hours. she LOVES it. call me crazy, but when i drop her off somewhere new or leave her with people she doesn't know very well, i sometimes want her to be a little sad that i am leaving. but, no. she runs into nursery and doesn't look back.
that hair:
violet has always sported this awesome shag 'do. i think it is the cutest thing around- but sometimes, admittedly, it does leave her looking like an orphan. if we style it, the hair manages to stay cute but oftentimes vi will pull out the bows and ribbons and let it run wild.
favorites:
some of her other loves right now are reading book after book after book, elmo, pretending to talk and text on the phone, taking care of babies, splashing, wrestling, and swinging on the swings. i love watching her take care of her babies. she will line them up on the couch and feed them all a bottle. then she will tickle their tummies while telling them to "sh-sh." she is going to be a great big sister.
big sister:
it is crazy to think that in a few short days, our life and relationship will change. it will no longer be just she and i at home and we won't have all our time together- just us. i have heard that a lot of women struggle with this feeling when they have their second child and i understand why. it is hard to imagine all the love you have for someone being divided and split. going from marriage to a baby is different in that your love for your children is a new love. my mom explained for me that there is always enough love for all your children- even though you think it can't grow, it does. it is truly a hard concept to imagine as i look at violet and feel SO much love for her. how could there possibly be MORE? i have faith that there is and i am thrilled to welcome a new little one into our home. i am also anxious to see our little baby turn into a big sister.
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