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Katherine, you continue to be a joy and delight. You are so much fun. I love having a toddler in the house. It is such an adventure.

A few funny or new things that you are doing this month:

• You babble all the time. Sometimes you are quite annimated with hand gestures as you are telling your story. It is especially funny when you retell something like when you got hurt. You point to the offending object such as the wall you ran into or the floor you fell on or the shoe you tripped over and you go on and on about what it did.
• You have started the annoying toddler girl scream. I have no idea where you picked this up since I do not recall you being around any screaming toddlers. For no reason you will just scream out. It is usually when you are excited about something. If it is just you and me, I choose to ignore it and that usually works. If we are where you bother others, I try to get you to stop but you find that funny and just do it more.



• Daddy started a new game with you. You often point to and name those in the room - “Mommy, Daddy, Mommy, Daddy” so daddy started having a roll call. Now when he says that you point to and name each person and they raise their hand and say here. You have added yourself though you say “oooou” meaning “you” instead of “me”. We are still working on the pronouns. It is a difficult concept.
• In the morning you usually end up in our bed. When you are ready to get out of bed and on with the day (earlier than mommy and daddy are ready) you say, “mommy, daddy, up, eat, bagel, juice”. It is very clear what you want!
• Recently you are really into Baby Einstein DVD’s and you get to watch one a day. You love it and beg for it. You point to the computer or DVD player and say, “mooooooomeeeee” meaning “movie”. You say it really drawn out and almost sad.
• You love to help mommy clean. If you can get your hands on a towel, washcloth, paper towel or baby wipe you will wipe the floors, walls, chairs or any other available surface. When you spill (accidental or on purpose), you say “mess” and then want to help clean it up.
• This week you started to tap your foot. You are not really doing it with music and it does not seem you are impatient with anything, you just tap away.
• Whenever you get on our elevator and you are not in the stroller, you run in, go to the back, turn around and start to stomp and turn around. It makes a fun noise.
• You have started to say “thank you” or “tuu tuu” when I give you something without me telling you to. What a polite little girl.
• You love to tickle. The tickle monster comes out when you tickle mommy, daddy, baby, the choo-choo train and even yourself.
• When we get home you point all around the room and tell me to turn on the lights.
• You love your baby dolls and are very nurturing towards them. It is fun to see you bundle them up, carry them around, kiss them, feed them, tuck them in and take care of them.



• In the morning I go to your closet and ask you what you want to wear. You always say blue. You don’t have many blue things so I guess we need to go shopping.
• When we were in an art museum, I asked you what color you saw the most of. It was 4 geometric pieces arranged in a single frame. Blue was the dominant color. But, you said “white” then I realized. White is the most if you count the mat around the 4 pieces. Smart girl!
• The other night a friend came over and kept making cat noises. I guess they sounded real because for the next few days you were convinced that there was a cat hiding behind the couch.
• You have started to put things in the trash that do not belong there. One night I went into the bathroom and saw a plate, ball, pacifier and burp cloth in the trash.
• You often do not like to wear a diaper and would prefer to go with nothing. I bought you some big girl panties and you really like them. The inevitable happens though and we have a mess on our hands.



• You are starting to really enjoy singing and have really cute motions to the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “The Wheels on the Bus”. Mommy needs to brush up on her songs because I am getting tired of the same few.
• You have the cutest run. Your entire body swings back and forth.

This had been a big month for you. We finished our 14 week trip in Norway. You had to tell all your friends goodbye. You were a trooper on the way home. We had an 8 hour flight, a 3 hour layover and a 4 hour flight. I think you are finally adjusted to the jet lag.

On your 21 month birthday you were able to visit with a lot of different family members. You saw both sets of grandparents, Uncle Ryan, Aunt Carissa, Ty, Uncle Will, Aunt Jaime and Sophia. It was a lot of fun and we have a lot to be thankful for.

20 months old today - the last month has just flown by. I feel like you are changing so much. You are so much more of a little girl than a baby most of the time.

You are so caring and loving. You are learning to say “I love you” or ”I faff ewe” and it is so cute. You love to give hugs and kisses to mommy and daddy and to your baby and all of your animals. You love your baby doll and carry her around with you all the time. You pretend to put her to sleep by putting her in your crib and covering her with a blanket. Then you close the door, say “shhh” and then “night night”. You continue to say “shh” and “night night” until it is time to wake up baby. Baby has a special blanket that you are always arranging and rearranging on her. I love looking over at you and seeing you hug and kiss your baby. You take care of your baby by cleaning her face with a wipe (clean), changing her diaper and feeding her. I did not coach you to do these things. It is amazing how little girls just instinctively are so maternal.

The other night it was really cute.  Daddy and Mommy were sitting on the couch with you in the middle reading a book. Then I asked you to give me a kiss, “mmmmmma” (the kiss noise). Then you gave daddy a kiss, “mmmmmmma”. Then you grabbed mommy’s chin and daddy’s chin and turned them together and said “mmmmmmma”. Over and over you turned our heads so that we would kiss. I had just read an article that day in a Christian parenting magazine about the importance of your children seeing you kiss and show affection to your spouse. It was really sweet.

I am starting to see a sense of humor. When we are reading books sometimes you will do the wrong animal sign or sound on purpose and then look at me to see if I notice. You love to be tickled and to tickle. We have a tickle monster that comes for you and you have started to try to imitate the tickle monster when you tickle mommy, daddy or baby. The cutest part is that when you tickle one of us, you laugh too.

You are so smart. It is not just me that thinks so too. Today your babysitter was amazed at how many words and signs you knew. I am amazed at the connections that you make. The other day I sat you in a high chair that is different from what you are used to. I asked you if you remember sitting in the same one at Nikolas’ house. You then said his name and started to do the sign for cat. Nikolas is the only friend you have that has a cat at his house. I was amazed that by mentioning his high chair you remembered his cat. I am so glad you know sign language or else we would not have been able to have that conversation.

You are starting to learn and say friends names. Some of them you have not known for very long but you remember them. It is fun to see you making friends.

Growing up one of our family activities as playing games after dinner. I was telling Sam about how when we were in preschool we would play “animals” where one person would silently act out an animal and the others would guess. Uncle Will would always just walk on all fours and get so frustrated when we could not guess what it was. We decided to see if you were ready for animals and you actually were able to guess some of them. How fun!

You enjoy singing. Sometimes I will hear you singing to yourself. You have a few books that we sing to you and when you pick them up to read on your own you sing your own version. you have a musical piano that plays nursery rhymes. When you pressed the key for itsy-bitsy spider, you started doing the motions. You also love to sing and do the motions for the wheels on the bus.

You are able to follow directions very well (when you want to). In the morning you will find daddy after he has gotten ready in the bathroom and he will ask you to go take his pajamas and put them on his bed. You will follow them exactly. The other day we were changing your diaper and clothes in the bathroom and forgot a shirt. We asked you to go into your room and get your white shirt off the bed. We had no idea what you would come back with. you came back with a white shirt.

I really enjoy that your language skills are improving so much both in your ability to understand and your ability to communicate. You both sign and say phrases of several words such as “more cheese please”. It sure helps to know what you want.

This month you have had several more teeth come in. It has not seemed to bother you once your eruption cyst came and went. It sure is helping you to be able to eat more food. I really enjoy that if we are out and about and a mealtime approaches I can feed you from our plate and not have to have your own food with us. Usually I am prepared with some of your favorites but you are getting better about eating what we eat.

Yes, you are still nursing. I go back and forth about how I feel about this. I still really enjoy it at times and I am very tired of it at times. I had hoped that you would taper off and wean yourself by now but you show no desire to slow down. I need to come up with a plan on how to wean you without it being too traumatic on you.

You are doing very well with potty training, at least as much as I am trying to accomplish at this point. In the last week and a half the only “dirty” dipaer I have had to change was when we were out of town and there was no toddler toilet for you to use. So, you are really good about wanting to go #2 in the toilet. That seems to be what most kids have more problems with. Now if I could get you to hold #1. I have started to look for underwear or training pants for you and it seems that not only are you on the younger end of kids that are working on toilet training, but you are small for you rage as well so there are no options for me to buy. Hmmm.

You are growing so much more independent. You do not fear wandering off from your mommy when we are at a park. You go play with other kids at the playground. You run, climb, and jump. You want to do things all by yourself from eating to dressing your baby. It is so fun to see this independence. This inependence often manifests itself in stubborness and frustration. It is so hard to know when to step in to help and when to let you be frustrated and figure things out. Daddy and I struggle with knowing how to best discipline you. We know you understand things because when you are doing something you know you are not supposed to do, you actually will scold yourself as you are doing it. We pray that we can discipline you fairly, appropriately and in love so that you not only become obedient in your outward behavior but so that your heart is obedient and you do the right thing for the right reason.

I love you sweet Katherine and cannot wait to see what the next month brings.

19 months old! Having a toddler sure is an adventure. There are so many fun things that Katherine is doing. I can’t remember what I have posted before so forgive me if some of this is a repeat.

Katherine, you are certainly becoming more independent. This is both good and bad. Actually it is all good, it is just hard sometimes as that independence brings frustration, stubborness, injuries and tantrums from time to time. Almost every day you have a fall and come away with a bruise or scrape as you are climbing, running and getting into thngs. I hate seeing you get hurt but it is unfortunately a part of growing up. Tonight you had one of the worst tantrums I have ever experienced. You did not want to take a bath of all things. How unpredictable. Last night you did not want to get out. You came close to winning the battle but mom did get a quick bath in. You love to say “no” though Nana discovered that you actually can say “yes”. We are entering new terrortory as you are beginning to show deliberate disobedience. It is not fun having to discipline you but it is for your good.

There are fun parts of independence too. You are now more interested in what you wear. You love your shoes. What a girl. You have actually learned how to put your shoes on by yourself. It is hard and you can only do it with your black or brown shoes with velcro but you sure have fun trying. You not only love to try on your shoes but you love to carry them around, bring them to me and trade which ones you are wearing. Today you insisted on wearing your pink Merrel hiking shoes with your maroon (with pink flowers luckily) jumper. Technically it did match but it was not really the right style. I decided to let it go because shoes is not a battle I want to fight with you. It is not important.

You also like to request and play with your bows, hats and belt. The other morning you had me help you put on your hat and belt with your pajamas still on. It was pretty funny looking. You love your bow and it is finally staying in - that is until you pull it out. You ask for it and then you take it out and get upset.

You are doing a lot of fun things. You love to tickle and be tickled. I love your laugh. When the tickle monster starts coming you get all giggly. It is really cute when you tickle us. You laugh as you tickle and it is pretty soft. It is amazing though how you do actually make me laugh.

You enjoy playing hide and go seek. I will run and hide and call your name and you will find me. Then you will hide, usually in the place where I just was. My favorite place to hide is under the covers. You think that is pretty funny. When I find you, you like to say “boo”. Anytime I can’t see you and then I can you say “boo”. The funniest is when getting dressed. When the head pokes out of the hole I am met with “BOO”.

You are incredibly friendly and outgoing. You tell everyone “Hi” and “Bye-Bye”. People think it is so cute. You actually tell everything “bye-bye”. We can be leaving a store and you will say ”bye” to the clothes, the door, the shopping cart, the cars, whatever we are leaving.

You observe everything and learn so much. You know exactly what buttons to push on the computer or TV remote to get your DVD to come on. You know what to do with the computer mouse though you have not connected it to what is happening on the screen exactly.

You are having a language explosion. It is so fun to see what words you know. Sometimes they surprise me and I wonder where you learned them. When reading books you will point to a picture and tell me what it is. Some of your new words this month are walrus, worm, tower, zebra, zoo, zipper, moose, owl, jacks, mole, tights, troll, umbrella and map. I am sure there are more but those are the ones I can think of. You probably have over 100 words now. You are continuing to use sign language too which is a life saver. It makes me realize how much you observe. My favorite new sign this month is octopus. It is pretty cute.

We are starting to work on your colors and numbers. You can say them all by repeating what we say. You are pretty good at labeling blue and yellow (you say lellow). We are working on green and red. You can count to four on your own.

You copy me in everything I do. It is good when that means that you help. If you spill something, I hand you a towel and you clean it up as you say, “mess, mess”. You like to help with the laundry by handing me the clothes in the washer to put in the dryer.

You are still nursing more than mommy would like but it seems that things keep coming up that make it difficult to cut back and wean you. I really enjoy the time but it can be akward sometimes. The funny thing is that you now nurse your stuffed animals and dolls. It is really cute. Here you are nursing your moose.

You are doing better at eating solids. When something is hot, you blow on it but I am not sure you do much good. It is cute.

Whenever you see someone sleeping, be it daddy, the baby doll or the mice at a pet store, you sign sleep, say sleep (actually “peese”) and you put your finger to your lips to say “shhhhh”. The one exception is when you see mommy asleep or pretending to be alseep. Then you shout in her face and even hit her face. I don’t know why I am not allowed to sleep.

For some reason you like to hit. I observe other kids your age and it seems to be common. We are working on being soft. When I tell you to be soft, you say “soffff” and stroke gently three times and then hit. It is progress but we still have some room to grow. At church yesterday there was a 3 month old baby and somehow you understood that you needed to be soft without the hitting. I was so glad.

One of my favorite times of day is in the morning. Usually when you wake up, you join us in our bed. We all cuddle until you fully wake up. Then you get all excited that daddy is there and you crawl on to his belly to bounce.

You have started to sing. It is so cute. You are not really singing any specific songs yet. When we get out the snuggle puppy book, you say “ooooo puppy” because it is a book that we sing to you.

You enjoy drawing. We have an entire notebook filled with scribbles. We don’t worry about staying in the lines, we just hope to stay on the paper and off the furniture.

You are still really small. We are having a hard time with clothes falling off of you. You actually are still wearing your 6-9 month pants from last winter and they fall off your bottom but are too short. I don’t know what we are going to do.

We are having so much fun every day playing, reading, singing, and dancing. It is fun to see you start to develop your personality. I can’t wait to see what the next month holds.