Amaia at 18 months

**Warning a lot of pictures and a lot of (possibly pregnancy induced) sappiness below**

My baby is 18 months old!!!  Clearly, she is not a baby, she is a crazy toddler and I love her! Amaia is just SO happy, such a joy to be around....I could go on and on about how great I think she is.  She is smiley, giggly, silly and wonderful.  Really, I am more over the moon about her than ever and I feel so proud that she is mine!

This is mostly, so I can look back and remember, but this is what my girl is up to at 18 months.

Stats

We still have one tall and big headed baby girl!

Weight: 24 lbs. 8 oz.  (74%)
Height: 33.75 inches (95%)
Head: 19.25 Inches  (97%)

Talking

Her babbling has greatly increased over the past few weeks.  Many times it sounds like she is telling me something in long drawn out sentences, BUT in a completely different language.  I am trying to listen and respond, because seems honestly disappointed when I tell her that I have no idea what she is saying.

Her words are increasing: Da, Mama, rock, cookie, nigh nigh, yeah, no, Ash (Aunt Ashley), amen, shoes, and she says the first syllable of a lot more things: eyes, nose, mouth, dolly, duck, doggie.  I am sure I am forgetting some too.

Although she doesn't have a lot of words right now she understands so much - almost everything I tell her she understands. She loves to point out body parts and say what they are....and often pokes me in the eye in the process :)  She can (if she wants to) obey almost any command we give her as well.

Isn't she just a little beauty?!

Eating

Amaia is becoming a bit more picky about what she eats.  She is quick to give to the hand if she doesn't want something.  But all in all she is a great eater and she likes or at least will eat most fruits and veggies, which is awesome!  She eats lots of fruits and veggies, but I would say her favorite food is cheese and Annie's bunnies, but mostly she goes crazy over cheese!

Sleeping

Amaia is an awesome sleeper.  She sleeps 11 hours at night, still takes two good naps during the day and  is perfectly content to hang out in her crib until I am ready to come get her after she wakes up.  I am kind of ready for her to switch to just one nap, just so we have a longer stretch of time to go out and do things, but mostly I am just so thankful that she is a great sleeper.

Play

Amaia is my crazy little woman.   She is a proficient walker and is almost running.  She loves the simple things in life: balls, stacking blocks and cups, and anything she can make into a push toy or press buttons on.  She loves to walk around outside and explore.  Most afternoons we go on a little walk to go get the mail and she loves it.

I make her hold my hand most of the time and she complies, but doesn't always like it :)

And she loves to check out the rocks.

She also LOVES going to the park and particularly going down the slide and then attempting to walk back up the slide. She loves to go to her grandparents house, after all they have fabulous toys and cookies! She is recently really enjoying the ABC song and loves Elmo videos.  She gets really excited when she sees doggies.

She loves to climb up in her chair and rock.

She loves to tackle pillows and fall down on pillows :)

She is starting to enjoy her puzzles and shape box and she is even getting really good at matching the shapes with the holes they fit through.  Oh, and she loves her dolly and is too sweet for me to handle with her....dolly gets lots of hugs and cuddles.

She loves books too!  Her current favorites are her word books, the Foot book, the Eye book, the Very Hungry Caterpillar, God's Little Lamb and the Baby Bible.

Other cute things she does these days...

Blowing kisses!

She also says "mmm" when she eats something she likes,  she is starting to get shy and snuggle up to me in new situations, which is super sweet.  She scrunches up her nose when she smiles, is full of hugs and kisses and loads of other sweets things that I am forgetting right now.  Basically, she lights up my life!