Toddler Girl

Kaia you are 18 months old today!  As of tomorrow you are closer to age 2 than you are to age 1, which feels monumental somehow.

At 18 months old (16 months corrected...I still like adding that in because it makes you seem younger and still more like my baby), you are getting a pretty definite personality.

Things you love:
-books. Today you didn't want to let go of "Goodnight Moon", even during breakfast.  Unfortunately you were eating another favourite: blackberries.  You proceeded to get blackberry bits all over the edges of the book.  So you now have a blackberry stained copy of Goodnight Moon. Whoops.

 -walking with your "push".  You still can't walk on your own yet, but can motor really well with your push toy.  You steer it around the furniture and if the edge gets caught on something you ram the handle over and over and over until you can maneuver your push around the obstacle and continue on your way.  It makes me a little nervous for when you get your license.

- phones! You love our cell phones.  Like seriously LOVE them.  I think you'd marry one right now if you could.  You even know that Daddy keeps his in his pants pocket and have 'Artful Dodger-ed' it on occasion. You love the lights and the noise and pushing the buttons.  I know you aren't unique in this regard as it seems to be a common love among the toddler set (to the point where some parents buy their kids their own devices...no you can't have one).  Still...it's cute to watch you get all excited when the phone comes out.  If I have to check a message when you are around I have to do it out of your line of sight or you'll come crawling over to see what I'm looking at.

Notice the blue glow on her face, and the fact that she is holding still enough for me to take the photo.

- the cat.  Every morning when I open your door you are standing in your bed and, after smiling at me, proceed to look out the door for our cat Lynx.  You've learned from your babysitter how to 'call' animals by making 'kissy' noises while making a 'snapping' motion with your fingers.  It's so cute, even if Lynx never responds.

This is a crummy picture, but getting the two of them in the frame at the same time is nearly impossible.

 -your stuffed animals.  Kaia, so far, you aren't a doll person. You got two dolls for Christmas and have little use for either of them.  You do however, LOVE your stuffed animals. You will feed them with a toy baby bottle, and like to cuddle them one second, then throw them in the air the next.  You LOVE it when Daddy or I make them talk, walk, or hop.  You think it's the funniest thing ever and will get your crazy laugh going.

This is Molly, given to you on your birthday from Grami and Poppi with Aidan in mind.  They felt Aidan would like his little sister to have such a cute monkey. You couldn't agree more. Hannah Hoppy, who is in the picture of you reading a book above, is another favourite.

-back rubs, face rubs, ear rubs, head rubs.  I have no photos of this since usually my hands are occupied doing the rubbing before bed, but you love having your head rubbed, your eyebrows and bridge of your nose massaged, your ear lobes tickled, or your back patted while you lay on your stomach in bed.  I know when you're ready to let me soothe you this way at nap or at night that you are tired and ready for sleep.

-baths.  I also don't have photos of this (well I do, but I'm not posting naked baby photos on the internet).  You love splashing in the bath, playing with your bath toys, and getting a swing in the towel on your way back to your room when bath is over.  Nothing is cuter than a freshly washed baby....sorry...toddler.

Freshly washed toddler hair...so wispy.

Of course, when you begin to be old to enough to love certain things, you also become old enough to HATE certain things.  And you aren't afraid to let people know it.

Things you hate:


-When we try to 'help' you walk on your own by attempting to have you let go of our finger.  When this happens you immediately bend and put your hands on the floor. You just aren't ready to take steps unassisted.  You're barely holding on to us when walking, to the point it sometimes feels like you're carrying our finger, but you still occasionally need that balancing aid.  I'm betting it's partly your weaker left hip slowing you down, but it's also mental at this point. You DO NOT like falling and will CRY something awful at even the smallest bump, so you've just decided you will walk only when you are good and balanced and ready and unlikely to fall.  I know it won't be, but sometimes it feels like it could be eons at this rate.

-Closed baby gates.  You HATE when the baby gate is closed that stops you from falling down the stairs (sorry...I know, I should just let you play at the top of the stairs.  It really is the only truly fun square footage in the whole house).

-Having ANYTHING taken away (especially a phone!!) or being made to go when you want to sit, or sit when you want to go.  I can tell this by the whining...and the crying...and the screaming.  I think I jinxed it in a past post when I bragged how you were such a good baby and had never thrown a tantrum in public.  HAHAHAHAHA. Rookie mistake. Toddler Kaia is a whole new ball game. Christmas shopping with you this year wasn't candy canes and gum drops, let me tell you.  Even when I tried to bribe you with said delicious treats. I'm sure in retrospect I'll look back on this behaviour and fondly sigh "oh where does the time go"...wait, no I won't.  EVER.

The camera has a SCREEN on it, with BUTTONS...and guess who KNOWS IT!!!!

Kaia, despite your sometimes challenging ways, I love you so much and am SO happy to be your Mommy.  

You were worth it baby toddler girl.