15 -16 months

Leila!
You're 16 months going on 17! Better start racking my brain to remember what you've been up to these past two months before you get older...here are some things I don't want to forget about this stage:

-The biggest accomplishment you've had this month is you've started WALKING! Officially walking, not any of this walking a few steps here and there then going back to crawling kind of business you've been doing for the past couple months, but you're actually walking more than crawling and without needing to hold someone's hand. You still love to hold my hand or daddy's hand and usually look up at us and reach your hand out (which I adore and want to enjoy it while it lasts) but you don't rely on us as much anymore. On Monday December 5th, you decided that walking is more fun than crawling. This day was the defining moment in the walking business for you because you've hardly crawled since this day. You're a stubborn girl and do things slowly and on your terms. At the end of September you took several steps. Shortly after it was 7, then a month later it was about 30, then you went back to crawling and not wanting to walk hardly at all. Now you're walking everywhere and haven't looked back. Glad you made it before your 18 month birthday...way to prove mamma wrong!

-Cut a couple molars. Those things are no joke and make you grumpy. You have 12 teeth so far.

-15-16 months also come with words. You can say:

• "Tweet tweet" for bird
• "Boo" for cow
• "Woof woof" or "heh heh" for dog
• "Eeee eee" for dolphin
• "it tit" for binky
• That
• What's that
• Momma
• Dadda
• Light
• Hot 
• Bottle
• Me-ma or Mamu for Grandma
• Papa
• Beet
• Pretty
• "Nana" for banana
• Baby
• Poo poo
• Inga for "more" or "I want what you're eating"
• Ball
• Wow
• Whoa
• And you can say your name, Leila

You can generally mimic whatever we say and generally don't say it again after we've said it.

-You shake you head when we say "no".

-Are always covering your face and then saying, "boo!".

-When you're near an oven or watch me when I'm cooking you point and say, "hot".

-When I'm blowing your food to cool it down before I feed you, you blow too. But when I put it to your mouth to help blow, you stop and just wanna eat it.

-Now that it's Christmastime every time we drive by a home with lights, you point and say, "lights".

-Hate getting your face wiped.

-You're pretty obidient but tend to look at me with a sly look as if you know exactly what I don't want you to do but do it anyway.

-When you get mad or overly exhausted you throw yourself on the floor and start banging your head on the ground. If there's nothing for you to bang your head on you'll hit your head with whatever is in your hand. At first your daddy and I thought you were crazy and that something might be slightly off with you, but then we googled it and I guess a TON of kids do it too.

-Buttons. You insist on pressing any button you see. Let's just say we need to keep phones, remote controls, laptops, and anything with a button away from you.

-You adore animals, especially dogs. Anytime you see anything that even remotely looks like a dog you say, "woof woof".

-Are still obsessed with your "it tit". I know that taking away your binky should be a priority, but we're taking it slow. I'm trying not to give it to you as often but you scream and I give in because it's the best mute button. Now that you're walking, it's gonna go away soon babe because a walking toddler shouldn't have a binky. I know it's going to be a battle I don't want to fight.

-Apparently I haven't taught you how to be polite because you point at everything and love staring at people.

-Love to play with a ball and love carrying around your baby doll...especially love to be swinged.

-Don't like it when I touch or kiss daddy if he's holding you. You're daddy is all yours and push me away sometimes if I get in the way.

-Very sweet and love to give hugs and kisses.

-It's your favorite thing in the world to be thrown around like a rag doll (in the sky, on the bed)

-You're becoming more attached to me and are starting to have "mamitis". I had mamitis growing up and never wanted to be away from my mom. I love that you love your mamma. Within these last 2 months all you want is mommy. I swear, when you were younger you'd go with anyone and probably would never  notice if I left the room. You were contenta with anyone. I liked that you were easy and would anyone hold you but also wanted you to want only me sometimes. Now that's the case. The other night I left to go work on the house and you could tell I was leaving since I had my coat on. When Grandma came to get you, you clung to me so tightly, wrapped your legs around me, and cried when I tried to hand you over. That rarely happens with Grandma because you LOVE Grandma. It broke my heart but it's nice to be loved and missed.

-Have become quite the cuddle bug and haven't been a cuddler until now. Nothing makes me happier than cuddling with my little toddler.



-You're mastering feeding yourself with a fork and love to feed me too. This never was a problem before but now whenever you see me eating or drinking something, you want some too.

-You're fearless. Love going down slides and playing at indoor playgrounds (baby, it's cold outside), but you are scared of other kids trampling all over you. It's happened more than once and I don't blame you.

-You love to climb stairs.

-Yell "Daddy" as you run for the door when daddy comes home from work.

-You're still being swaddled (shame on me) and are going through this phase of not wanting to take your naps. Can't wait until you're in your own crib so life can get back to normal. I don't think the pack n' play is cutting it out for you anymore.

You're a happy, healthy, stubborn baby and we love you to the moon and back.