Ellie update

It's been awhile since I've given you all an Ellie update and it is more than overdue. In the past few months she has changed so much it's hard for me to even believe. She has skyrocketed into toddler hood and it has been so much fun for us. She just had her 15 month checkup and she is still in the 89th percentile for height.  I don't know where she gets it from, neither of us are that tall.  When she is sitting in her car seat her feet can kick the front seat so we had to get a kick pad (she has to face forward in the new car). She is already wearing 18 month clothing but only because she needs it for the length (and I suppose the cloth diapers don't help the booty area).

She is so active and loves to be outside. I take her on "nature" walks everyday which are really walks around the block.  She likes to stop and pick up interesting things like flowers, sticks and mostly garbage.  She has really learned the meaning of "icky! bleck!" and won't pick it up if I say it to her in time. She loves her walks and will run the entire way until she finds something interesting to look at.  For some reason she has a fascination with manhole covers and stomps her feet on them.  She is learning to jump, but hasn't quite figured out how to get any air so it's more like gyrating upward. Her language is exploding and she jabbers all the time. Her favorite songs are Baa Baa Black Sheep and The Itsy Bitsy Spider.  She has learned the hand motions for parts of them and will "sing" along. She is on the verge of talking and can say a few words clearly, such as: 

• Mama
• Papa
• Oh no!
• Ick
• No
• Baa Baa
• Banana (nana)
• Apple (app)
• One, two three! (sounds more like "Ahn, ta, eee!")
• She can also make the sounds for wolf, sheep and dog 

 

She understands everything we do and say and will often copy us. If I am cooking, she'll reach for a spoon and make the motion I am making or when I am sweeping the floor she'll ask for the broom and try to sweep the floor herself (which would be great if it was at all effective!). She knows that when I put on my tennis shoes and hat that we are going for a walk and she'll run to get her shoes and tries to put them on herself. She is really smart but of course every parent thinks that about their kid. We have spent most of our summer outside playing and it will be hard when the weather gets cold and we have to stay inside. I have been trying to take her to the park at least once a day but it's usually twice (or at least getting outside twice a day).  I feel like everyday she is learning, finding or exploring something new. She has a strong sense of curiosity and wants to know how things work, just like her Papa.

She has started to get really affectionate and will hug her stuffed animals.  She has just recently started kissing me, which is more like her putting her mouth on my face. She will snuggle and hug you for a few minutes if she's in the mood, which is a big change for her.  Usually she's too busy to stop and snuggle! I know there is so much more that I am leaving out, I'll have to add it when I think of it. Here are a few pictures from the last few months -I'm sorry if some of them are repeats from previous posts.

Playing at Great's house

In the garden

Papa & Ellie

Helping me cook

Taking a ride with Poppy at the park

A serious camper

Riding the carousel at Happy  Hollow

Helping Papa in the garden

Exploring the tunnels at the park

Water play

Music & Movement at the library

Nut Tree

At the pumpkin patch

Helping me decorate for Halloween

Spina Farms

Petting the animals

Helping papa paper mache