Today Mary had her 18 month check-up (Yes she is 19 months, but March was a very busy month for us). She is always so scared and clingy. When the doctor examines her--you can see that she wants to cry, but is holding it all in until she is all red-faced and tears are running down her face. She did the same thing when she got her shots--didn't even cry. Well she is healthy and in the 50th percentile and so on and so forth.

I am constantly amazed by the fact that only yesterday she was just my little baby and now she is truly a little girl. Although sometimes she crawls up into my arms and says "baby." This means that she wants me to cradle her in my arms--like a baby--and say "aaawww, look at my little baby." Then she laughs and squirms free. She doesn't really want to be held like a baby--she is too independent.

Right now we are working on (among other things) trying to leave our hair in pigtails. Her hair is finally long enough for pigtails and it is so adorable. She likes the word pretty, so I tell her how pretty her hair is and sometimes that is enough for her not to mess with it. In the last couple days we have gone from pigtails lasting seconds to hours. We are making much progress.






Mary's phrases of choice right now are, "I sorry," "I fall," "Thank you," and "Okay" which is pronounced, "Otaaaayyee." "I sorry" is used even if she's not sorry, but you should be. And "I fall" is used when she falls, which is often, and if something is dropped. "Thank you," like "I sorry" is said when you give her something or she gives you something. It's very sweet and I am excited that she has some manners. I AM doing something right!

Lastly, Mary now loves to talk on the phone. She went from preferring to speak to the phone when nobody is there, to now preferring a person to talk to her. What do you know? So now unfortunately, when I am talking on the phone, she is yelling "talk, talk!" and reaching for the phone.

If you are wondering about the top picture: it is Mary with her bikini bottoms on her head. Apparently I haven't shown her the correct way to wear them. Alrighty well that's it for now.