Getting older by the minute

Our sweet little moberry is getting older by the minute. She changes daily and is so far from that little larva-like stage. Don't get me wrong, she was an incredibly adorable little uhh larva... but she couldn't give me running, clinging hugs, or kisses with premature smooch sounds... This stage is wonderful!!!

But with it, comes its challenges. She is testing her limits (and the limits on our patience) by doing everything we say not to do. (Does this ever change?). No climbing the stairs without Mom/Dad... boom, 5th stair before Mom has a chance to blink. No throwing food. Hurricane took out her food tray. Pet the dog gently. Arson's eyes water from being poked and he's collapsed on the floor while she uses him as a step stool. 

We're trying to be diligent about explaining alternative behaviors or redirecting her attention... but she's no fool! There is a rememberance-test-mommy-zone-bubble that I have to extend further and further each time. (Meaning, I can no longer just remove her a foot from the stairs... I have to walk her two rooms away and distract her before she gallops back to her climbing apparatus.)

 I had to hide the Easter Egg crate (see above) because every time we'd walk past the dining room, she'd insist on squeezing the eggs out of the crate from the back. I guess Easter is long over, anyway, but the eggs gave her something to open and shut and open and shut.

I stayed home with Mara yesterday because she has pink eye (again). Hence the watery goopy eyes in the main picture. That doesn't slow her down at all, though. And girly dress? She takes no notice.

 Oh NO! I got dirty! Guess this means another bath!

Na-na-na-nah-nahhhhh-na.

What? You can't be mad at meeeee!

And her height poses little problem for all the items she is determined to reach. Thank goodness we have yet to find her on the kitchen chair, to the counter, to who knows what.... Yet.

We took her to the Butler's neighborhood pool this past Sunday, and she was not as excited about the water as I thought she'd be. You practically had to peel her off her Daddy. She was stuck to him like a suntan.

She was extremely interested in the huge loopy water slide, and kept pointing to go on it. We tried explaining that she'd have to go under water, but that didn't seem to put a damper on her goal. Soooo, Mommy took her down the loopy water slide and we ended up plunged under the water, much to her surprise! She cried, yes, and was rescued by Daddy... but I think she enjoyed it but wouldn't admit it. She'd point at the slide and nod that she wanted to go again, but she chickened out when we got to the bottom of the staircase. Oh well. She chilled outside the pool afterwards, in her sweet 2 piece and Mommy's sunglasses. I put her in dry clothes once she'd been out of the water for awhile, and she was standing there and a puddle formed under her... Guess those water diapers don't hold everything! HA! At least we didn't repeat my bathtub experiences.

 Here she is being a defiant little one while Mommy was working.

Other updates: She weighed 21 pounds 13.5 ounces at the doctor yesterday. Not sure how tall she is - her 18 mo. appointment is in June. The cutest thing she's done recently is learn the word "Elmo," which she pronounces "Mel-mo" when she wants to read his book or watch his DVD or sees his picture. However, she is way more delighted when Oscar the Grouch makes an appearance. (He is her favorite character) She specifically likes to sign that Oscar has a piece of pizza in her picture book (which he does). Other words she will say are Mama, Dada, Mama (for Mara, and it sounds a little different than my name), Dog, Elmo, Bubbles (that one is crystal clear), Bye, Hi or sometimes Heeyyyy, Endo and Arson each have sounds but don't sound like how we say them, she has a word for giraffe (GAF I think), book (without the k), Binky (I can't describe what that one sounds like but it's distinct), cookie (Kuh Kuh), she'll say "Mauw" (sounds like cow) when I ask what a cat says, she still knows all the other animal sounds... hmmm. I am sure I'm forgetting something.

She loves helping scoop the dog food in the measuring cup, put the food in the bowls, and slide them on the floor to the dogs. If Endo isn't there (she frequently isn't), Mara will point at the bowl and talk to me about it, wide eyed, until I call Endo and she comes downstairs. Mara will gesture and point at the food until Endo starts eating. She keeps an eye out for Endo, for some reason, and often goes into our bedroom to point at Endo's booty sticking out from under the bed. Then she'll giggle, run over, and pet her.

She helped me sweep the floor with a little dustpan broom. I can get her to wipe up a small spill with a paper towel, or wipe her mouth or hands with a napkin. She will tickle Daddy's toes or poke his belly if I drop a hint.

She still pulls out trusty Retro Rocket and goes shooting across the floor, a binky stored safely in the seat compartment. She likes to sit on her mini-mower and ride around, too. I let her have a sip of grape G2 gatorade on Sunday and she made a sour face, giggled, and came back for more.

She's being such a sweetheart and I am enjoying hugging and kissing her to bits and pieces. Thanks for reading!