I went to update her baby book a week or so ago, and I realized there weren't really any empty lines for me to fill in about the things she's been doing since her first birthday. Many of her "firsts" have already happened and others are still far in the future. The only blank pages left are for her birthdays so I decided I needed some place to document all the things that I don't want to forget about her early toddler days.
I want to remember...
The way she plays with her hair when she's tired and falling asleep.
The way she spins around until she gets dizzy, falls over and then giggles at herself.
The way she loves to play outside, wanting to go up and down the slide a thousand times.
How she puts on her "pretties" with my make up brushes and loves to put on chapstick.
The way she leans her head on Piper's neck to give her hug, always wants to throw a ball for her, sneak her some food and calls her Pipey when she's looking for her.
The way she comes up and wraps her arms around my legs and pats them to give me a hug.
The mornings when she points up the stairs and says "dada" and we're able to climb the stairs to his office when he's working from home and then she plays with all of his bobble heads.
The way she stands with her hands on her hips if she's talking or thinking about something.
How she runs into my room to look at the mirror when she has on a pretty dress or hair bow.
The way she cocks her head to the side and rolls her hands around to ask for the "wheels on the bus" song.
What are some other details of her life as a toddler?
- Personality: Sassy at home but shy around others. This girl is a goofy, spitfire when we are in our own home and definitely likes to make her voice and opinion known, but if we are around people she's unfamiliar with she becomes very quiet, shy and clingy. Sort of reminds me of her daddy in that way ;) We are working on responding to people when they say hi/bye with either words or a wave.
- Words: mommy/mama, daddy/dada, Piper/Pipey, Pop-pop, BB, Noah, Sara, Nin-Nin (Aunt Erin), "Malwy" (Aunt Mallory), Daww, (dog) Oh-pus (octopus), wawa (water), elmo, more, uh more (one more), thanks, yea (for yes), "dall done", baby, duck, pease (please), ball, apple, purple,
- Nutrition: She is still a picky eater but slowly getting better about trying new foods. Her favorites are grapes, blueberries, melons, cooked carrots, crackers with peanut butter, waffles, oatmeal, eggs, greek yogurt, Apple sauce, mashed sweet potatoes, fruit loops, Lara Bars, and bananas. She's tried, but can't stand, any kind of meat or cheese... I can understand the meat thing, but cheese?! Girl... cheese is the beeessst! I get most of her vegetables in her either through food pouches or smoothies. The girl will down 12 ounces or more of a smoothie easily!
- Sleep Habits: She's a great night time sleeper, she goes to bed easily after a routine of brushing teeth, reading a bible story and saying prayers. Nap times are a different story. She will go down for a nap without a fight at home but usually only sleeps for an hour. If we're at the grandparents or aunt and uncles house she hates going to sleep. We tried letting her cry it out because it used to work for her, but I think she's too aware of what she's missing out on now. I can get her to sleep by patting her back and quietly slipping out but she'll only stay asleep for 30-45 minutes. The bright side? She is super flexible. I'm not tied to home during her nap time and 99% of the time she is in a good mood after only one, 1 hour nap during the day. So even though mommy would love 2 hours to get things done, if she's happy when she's awake then I'm happy.
- Favorite Activities: She loves to play outside! She enjoys just running around in the grass chasing me and Piper, but she also loves to climb on the play set, slide down the slide, swing, and play in the sand box. We also like to go on walks or runs in the stroller or her little push car.
- Favorite Toys: Baby dolls, hot wheel cars, books, broom and vacuum cleaner, mega blocks, drums, fridge magnets, crayons and coloring books, toy phone, and balls.
- Random stuff: She loves to zip and buckle and snap anything she can. She is a big helper with laundry. She already knows how to swipe up, down and across and push the home button on our phones. She loves Curious George and Little Baby Bum nursery rhyme videos. Her current favorite song is Wheels on the Bus and she knows all of the motions.
These early toddler years have been full of joy and challenges. We've entered into a stage of learning, communicating, and exploring but also introducing discipline, expecting obedience, and confronting stubbornness and willfulness. I'm slowly learning the right responses to the different ways she shows disobedience in order to train her precious heart to trust and obey. Recognizing the difference between her being frustrated and tired and her just testing the limits has been a huge learning curve for me. I feel guilty about the times I've rushed to discipline instead of looking at the whole situation, but thankful for God's grace and the chance to learn and grow in this mommy journey. My sweet girl wakes each day with messy hair, a smile and a heart full of love for her mommy - if only she knew the depth of my love for her. I'm so blessed to have been her mother for the last 18 months and we're looking forward to all sorts of warm weather fun with her until we reach the 2's!
Here are some candid, fun, toddler antic pictures that I treasure. Simple moments that I don't want to forget. Her sweetness, her silliness, her curiosity, her overall "Reaghan-ness" that we can't get enough of. (Except for the times when I really would prefer if she didn't want to be so independent with eating because I forgot a bib and now her shirt is going to be soaked with melted ice cream....)
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