Eighteen months. Such a FUN age. Caroline is learning and saying new things each day it is so hard to begin to list all that she is doing these days. As of now she will pretty much repeat any word you say. She knows just about every animal pointed out to her and can mock the sound it makes. She is also starting to say a few short sentences. A favorite of mine is "I love you, Mommy" and "Okay, Mommy." She is a very smart girl with a VERY BIG personality. Most of the time this is a good thing but there are times when I wish she wasn't so smart :) She can be a bit defiant when things do not go exactly as she had planned but we are working on compromise and patience.
At 18 months, she started attending the MDO program at Dawson Baptist Church. After a couple of bad days, she is really starting to enjoy it. A few tears are still shed when I drop her off but the teachers report that she is happy and playing in a matter of minutes. It is such a joy to go and pick her up. Amazing how a short four hour break can make me miss her so much! Her eyes light up and she cannot get her little feet to me fast enough when she sees me at the door. It's the sweetest.
A few of her favorite things right now are: reading books, coloring, watching "toons" (cartoons), eating "nacks" (snacks), "i-keeem" (ice cream), bath time, singing her ABCs and "winkle winkle" little star, feeding her baby a bottle, and her beloved paci. The last few weeks she has become even more obsessed with her paci and her lovey. We aren't sure why but we think it may be associated with baby brother coming along. Whatever the reason I am not being too strict about it because I know she will not suck a paci forever. I will keep her little as long as she will let me :) She pays minimal attention to John Collins but when she does interact with him she shows lots of love towards him. She will sometimes just sit and look at him then look back at me and smile. She brings me his paci when I am changing his clothes or diaper and he is crying. She will bring it up to me and say "here you are." I can't wait to see them interact more and more as they get older!
A precious memory I want to hold onto is that every morning when we go in to get Caroline out of her crib she has to hand us all her "tuff" (stuff) she sleeps with at night. This routinely consists of her paci, two loveys, a small pink blanket, and her bunny pillow. She hands us each item, one at a time, then holds her arms out for us to pick her up. When she and all her "tuff" are in our arms she says "now" very sternly. Then we have to go sit on the couch with all her "tuff." If any of her "tuff" touches the ground before she is ready for it to it causes a meltdown. It's pretty funny.
She is very curious and eager to learn. She loves being outside and exploring. I think she would walk around all day long if I let her. Such a busy body. Another sweet thing she does is when someone enters the room she says "Heeeeyyy" and then states the name of the person in a real high pitched, excited voice. It's like she hasn't seen them in ten years. She loves so big. She loves her Dadeeee and gets so excited when he comes home from work. She is also obsessed with her grandparents (all of them) and she loves Anna "Cott." She doesn't really love playing with Will right now since they both like the same toys but I know it's only a matter of time until they are the best of friends.
My little Mommy's girl. At times the days do seem so long and she tests my patience but I try my best to take a deep breath and realize that I will want every. single. second back in just a few short years. I can already tell that she will be in her teenage years before I know it and I'll never get these days back. So my goal for now is to soak in each moment, good or bad, and continue praising God for this miracle He entrusted us with.
Stay little forever, ok Lina Lou? We love you!
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