"Emma, she sing Go"

You know Emma sings lots from Frozen when one of Stella's new sentences is, "Emma, she sing Go!"

We finally have grass in the backyard so we've been playing out there a lot.  Stella, your new sandbox from Nana and Papa is up and operational.  You and Emma have been playing in the cottage a ton.  It's so nice to go outside with no shoes on!

You are slightly obsessed with brushing your teeth and washing your hands.  This morning you decided my phone was dirty and needed washing as well.  That was a bit concerning.  It's still working though!

You respond immediately to the words, "Ready, set, Go!" and go racing across the backyard with a giant smile on your face.

Your hair is getting longer and a tad curly too.  I'm not sure how long that will last, but it's adorable right now.

You're a bit of a pain when it comes to food.  You don't like to eat vegetables unless they're mixed in with apple sauce or yogurt.  You now ask for a peach cup and granola bar by name (and usually accompanied with squeals or crying to get your way).

You are TWO!

I am late in posting this, but I was waiting for a couple things and the first happened tonight.  A couple months ago we attempted to convert your crib into a big girl bed.  That didn't go well.  I tried it again tonight and it worked perfectly!  You are officially in a big girl bed!  You cried a little when I walked out of the room, but you stayed in bed.  I left you alone to see if you'd stop crying and you did.  I didn't dare open the door to see if you had laid back down, so I just peered under the door to see if I saw any of feet walking around and I didn't so I figured you were sleeping.

The other thing I was waiting for was to get your sand box outside that Nana and Papa got you for your birthday, but we haven't done that yet as we're working on getting sod in the backyard.  Those pictures will come eventually.

We had your party on your actual birthday.  We did a Dr. Seuss theme since you love to be read to.  It was a nice enough day that we could be outside too.  You ate your cupcake frosting first without using your hands,  Then when you got most off you lifted it up and continued to lick the rest off.  You never ate the actual cake part.  You were wowed by a couple gifts: the princess bucket for the sand box, the soccer ball, and the mini drum set.  You got a trampoline from Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Denny too.  It's been funny watching you try to use it as you haven't figured out the jumping part.  You would much rather still use the neighbors' full size one and just run around on it without jumping.

You're starting to say more words and sentences.  My favorite sentence is still "I wuv you."  My second favorite one is your current one that's just emerged the last couple days, "I want one too."  Your words are getting clearer and clearer, which makes me feel better.  The other day Emma and I were still finishing dinner.  You were done and got down just to do puzzles by yourself.

A little stinker

It appears that I am only able to manage a post once a month, about this time actually.  Stella, please don't take it personally!  There will be more over summer.  It was a cold winter, and it's still a cool, late spring so there wasn't much going on.  You've been stubborn on many levels so we haven't had many new things to talk about.  Over spring break, we were able to go do some things outside.  We went to the butterfly house and the Children's Gardens at MSU.  We also went to Small Animal Day.  You weren't impressed with the Butterfly House.  To be fair, we weren't either.  Only about a half dozen butterflies and 5 of them were high up in a tree -- which I can't really blame them for!  You did like running around the Children's Gardens, although I'm still concerned you're going to fall into the pond.

You LOVED Small Animal Day.  We got there around 8:45.  Doors weren't supposed to open until 9, but they were already open and they let us in.  We got to see all the animals up close before any of the crowds got there and it paid off.  You greeted all the animals not with their name but with their noises.  You darn near strangled a chick though.  You wanted nothing to do with touching the cow.  Emma sat down like she was going to milk it this time, but then she just wanted to talk to the MSU student about her shirt.  You loved the baby goats and rabbit outside in the petting area.  You joyously ran back and forth between all the pens.

We went to Aunt Mickie's and Uncle Mark's for Easter.  Nana, Papa, Great Grandma, Uncle TJ, Aunt Kellyn and Addy were all there along with Uncle Mark's dad and brother.  We tried to put you down early for a nap as we were heading over there during the typical nap time.  That didn't work.  I was wondering how you were going to fare at the house.  You were clingy to start, but Papa started feeding you and you were all set!  You really need to interact with him in different ways!  You went to everyone, you hung outside with Uncle TJ and Aunt Kellyn.  You fell at one point and even went to Uncle Mark's dad to show him your arm and get some sympathy.

You're starting to speak more and enunciate more.  "My shark" for the toy shark in the bath tub is a new one.  You enunciate mine, please, and "hug you" when you want me to carry you down the stairs (or up).  You still just point to the fridge and yell when you want something that's not on your plate for a meal.  I name things off and you just nod but don't repeat the word.  You're very stubborn about speaking as well as your eating.  You don't eat everything we put in front of you.  You also don't always eat the same things.  You can eat macaroni and cheese happily one night and then a week later not want anything to do with it.  It's a constant struggle.  We don't just give you alternate food anymore.  I think you're slowly getting over it.  I'm hoping you aren't as stubborn about transitioning to a big bed or potty training.

books and books and books

Stella, your favorite thing to do right now is to be read to.  This morning, you must have brought me books for 45 minutes.  When I tired of reading, you started with the big picture books where you point out pictures that I ask you to find.  Your vocabulary is expanding too.  This could be due to hearing all these words recently.  You try to mimic all our words.  There's some things you say very pointedly, but we still haven't figure out what they mean.  You've also started tugging and pulling at our leg to get us to where you want us.  You are still a climber.  Karen gave us the Barbie house that her girls had.  At least 3 times I have found you standing on the second tier or sitting on the top tier.  I'm just glad you haven't tried to climb out of your crib yet.

Pretty soon we'll start transitioning you to a big girl bed and potty training.  I can't believe you'll be two soon!

From new words to interesting conversations

Stella, you are expanding your vocabulary and sounds daily.  Tonight you just got down a sound for an elephant -- a "wooo" complete with arm motion.  Unfortunately, you do that for about 5 different animals.  We'll have to get it attached to the correct animal.  You've added applesauce, nose, snow, Emma, Daddy, nana, papa, and doggy.  You're working on Kaya, boot, coat, neck, and book.  It's just the end sound you have to finish up.  You identify your ears, head, neck, leg, arm, hand, foot, toes, mouth, butt, and back.  You tend to still reach for your ears when we ask you to find your eyes.  You are a climbing machine: chairs, couches, tables, stairs.  You're going to break your neck.

We're on our 2 week holiday break.  Emma, you and I have spent all but about 40 hours together.  I'm convinced you've only ever stopped talking during the hours your asleep.  A couple days ago we were having a family day.  Stella was napping.  I was ironing upstairs and then decided to read a bit while you and Daddy were downstairs.  You two had gone to see the movie Frozen earlier that week and were listening to the soundtrack in the family room.  You had complained about a tummy ache.  Dad and I were trying to convince you to try going to the bathroom even though you insisted you didn't have to.  To convince you a bit, I told you I was going to go to the bathroom too.  I went upstairs to use the bathroom and then read again.  Apparently Daddy thought I was still in the bathroom even though I was reading.  Here's the conversation that wafted upstairs:

Daddy: how long is your mother going to be in the bathroom? (I wasn't at the time, by the way.)
Emma: maybe she's going poop. 
Daddy: it's still a long time. 
Emma: daddy, she's a woman and women take FORRRRREEEVVVVER to go to the bathroom.

Another conversation happened with you and Daddy when you guys when Christmas shopping for my gifts.  You were driving in the car and asked him how old he was.  He told you 32.  Then you proceeded to go on about "and next year you'll be 33, then the next year 34, then the next year 35…" all the way up to 70.  Then you said, "And then I'll have to get a new daddy because you'll be too old."  He had to explain to you about how he'll always be your daddy.

Today over breakfast we were having a pretty heavy conversation about the people in the family who have died.  You said, "I'm really sad that my grandma and great papa died."  Then you asked who would be your mom if I died.  I had a hard time getting you to understand that I'd always be your mom even if I was dead, but that you could get someone to be like me (as mom) like Grandma Sandi has kind of become my mom now.  You said, "Well, who's going to get me to Grandma Sandi's?"  I said, "You'd still have Daddy."  You said, "But, what if you're both gone?"  I said, "Then Uncle Jeremy would take care of you and Stella."  You said, "But he doesn't know where Grandma Sandi's is!"

Putting up the Christmas tree

Christmas Eve with Aunt Kellyn and Uncle TJ

Christmas morning checking out the Elsa Frozen doll

Stella opening her basketball hoop

Emma in her Anna dress

Christmas morning

New Year's Eve with James and Spencer watching Despicable Me 2

Stella the observer

Stella, I still maintain you will be a scientist of some sort given how observant you are.  Here's another example.  I've put up the Christmas decorations which meant moving a couple picture frames from the tower of drawers we keep our movies in to the shelves with the media components.  They've been there 2-3 days now.  I was making dinner today, turned around, and saw you holding one of those frames.  I said, "Stella, put that back."  You walked over to the tower of drawers and put it back on that.  Well, you were correct that it had been there.  I'm pretty confident Emma would not have noticed that at 18 months.

You are more hesitant when it comes to trying foods than your sister was.  Tonight we had vegetable noodle soup (homemade might I add!).  I put some of it in a bowl for you without the broth.  I put some pieces on your tray.  You ate the noodles then moved everything onto the table off your tray.  When I tried to put it in your mouth with a spoon, you shook your head no, said "no no no no," and waved your hands in front of yourself so I couldn't get a spoon in without you knocking it off the spoon.  I got some applesauce and would put a piece of the soup on the spoon, put some apple sauce on it, then you'd eat it.  Once you realized it didn't taste that bad, then you ate some of it without apple sauce.  You did the same with turkey leftovers yesterday -- you needed my cranberry sauce on it to eat it.  On Thanksgiving though you mowed down a lot of turkey and wouldn't eat anything else.  You're very much your father's kid when it comes to eating left overs.

You are also your father's kid when it comes to looking for things.  We got home from school today and you wanted a snack.  I put you in your chair (booster seat with a tray strapped to a chair) and gave you some graham crackers broken up.  Emma then went into the fridge to get something and you saw your milk cup in the bottom of the fridge door (observer again!).  You said, "mi, mi, mi" while reaching for the fridge.  I gave you your milk cup and returned to making dinner.  In about 15 minutes you were crying again for your milk.  You had put it between you and the chair down your side.  I reached for it, handed it to you, you took it and smiled and said, "Heh, heh," as if you couldn't find it right next to you!  I still think you can be a scientist since you look for the details but miss some big ideas at times!

18 months!

Stella, you are 18 months old now!  I've decided this is one of my favorite ages: you're mobile (although that does lead to some stress at times when you're going into the tupperware, pots and pans, or other cabinets or when you're emptying out my drawer containing all my hair ties and hair brushes), you play on your own a bit, you are picking up more and more words.  Within the last two weeks, you've added or clearly spoken "pot pie, whoa, tent, milk, backpack, Emma, Daddy, book, baby, night night, snack".  We'll get home after school, you'll pull out your chair at the table, and say "snaaack."  We were playing with the tent today and you kept saying "tent".  When I put you into the car in the morning next to Emma's backpack, you point and say "backpack."  You recognize other words and get excited at them: strawberries, grapes.  You have started signing "please", waving, and blowing kisses more reliably.  You point to my Ireland mug with the sheep on it and "baa".  You roar when asked what sound a lion makes and moo when asked what sound a cow makes.  You love standing or sitting in boxes no matter the size.  You also love dumping out all toys then wading through or walking on them.  There isn't always a lot of playing with them.

You broke 20 pounds!

Stella, you finally broke 20 pounds (at least by my weighing).  You are still in 9-12 month clothes even though you are 17 months old.  You are pretty long though as most of the clothes are short in the arms on you.  The pants still seem to fit ok.  If we could get your height to grow too, the added wingspan would definitely be a bonus in volleyball.

Your new phrase is "Uh oh..."  You did that the other morning as you dropped your milk on the floor during breakfast.  You like to repeat it too.  You are signing more reliably although at times it seems like you forget you can do that to communicate and you just point and gurgle a bit.

You love Emma.  I think you may miss her a bit now that you're at daycare and Emma's at school.  When we get home in the evening and Emma is laying on the floor, you just lay on her and hug her.

You respond to more requests now.  If we ask you to get a toy or put some toys or books back, you actually know what we're talking about and will do it for the most part.  You enjoy flipping through books more although you tend to look at them upside down.  If we tell you to look for something or look at something, you tend to squat with your hands on your knees, lean your head forward and peer off for it.  It's really adorable!  You also have a surprised look that is great.  I haven't been able to snap a picture of it though.

I've decided my favorite ago so far is the 18-24 month time so I'm really looking forward to the next 6 months!

still not walking

Stella, you still aren't walking.  You're nearly 14 months.  You're really close.  You can stand on your own and free form squat.  You can walk assisted, you cruise around furniture, you can even walk holding onto us with just one hand.  You took some steps on your own a couple days ago, but haven't repeated it since.  We (well, I) were worried you would walk while we were in Ireland.

You are a climber!  Emma and I came into the playroom one day to find you had climbed onto one of the chairs to the play table and then onto the table!  You stand on the rocking chair and have flipped it over on yourself at least three times.  You're in the destructive phase: knocking down towers of blocks (hard and soft), pulling books off shelves, emptying my tupperware cupboard to climb into it.

Emma has learned the art of redirection.  If you are doing something she doesn't like (interfering with her toys or playing with a toy she wants), she will give you something to distract you instead.

You make time-outs hard.  When we send Emma into time out on the steps, you just crawl over to her and hang out.

You're starting to dance when music plays.  You finally started signing more about 4 days ago.  You've figured out "up".  You say "all done".

You've discovered you love the play tent.  You throw yourself against the red side, squealing in delight.  You also have figured out to yell and scream when you don't get what you want.  You still don't get what you want, but you sure do try.

Stella is 1!

Stella, yesterday you turned 1 year old!  I can't believe a year has gone by already.  I'm so grateful you got to meet your great grandpa.  All yesterday I thought about where I was at different points in the day 1 year ago: around noon Daddy and I were walking the hallway of the hospital trying to induce labor; hard labor was on about 1 hour later; around 3:55 I started pushing and you were here at 4:11.  You were a wonderful mother's day gift!

Today we had your party.  It was a smaller crowd than normal (ironic now that we finally have a larger house).  There were people noticeably missing from Emma's first birthday (your Grandma and Great Grandpa) which made my heart ache.  They would and did love you so much.  Ok, enough sad business...

Nana, Papa, and Great Grandma got here while you and Emma were napping.  Emma might have been looking out the window waiting for them as she walked down the stairs as they entered.  Daddy and Emma were giving them the tour of the place while I went and woke you up.  You were clingy to me, which was ok.  You warmed up a little bit.  You were happy to be on the floor playing but didn't really snuggle with anyone except me or Daddy.  You did go to Nana, Great Grandma, Addy, and Jeremy for a bit though.

Eventually everyone else got here: Mark, Mickie, and Addy; Uncle Denny and Aunt Marilyn; Sandi, Mike and Mikey; Jason, Kristina, TJ, and Christopher.  (Uncle Jeremy got here before your nap.)  We ate.  The theme was gardens and flowers.  Dirt pudding and food with flower accents (either cut out or arranged) were the dishes.  I decided to go fancy and used my mom's crystal for serve ware.  Better than letting it sit in the cupboard.  This is just as special an occasion as any other time.

After eating we opened gifts.  It was difficult to keep Emma from opening all of them.  You weren't too interested though.  You were happy to chew on the plastic packaging from one of the animals Uncle Jeremy got you for our zoo.  You loved looking at yourself in the mirror of the make up table Jason and Kristina got you.  You also loved your motorcycle Daddy and I got you.

Emma's hands in her lap here are very deceiving.  This was not at ALL how she acted while you opened gifts.

Flamingo and packaging you chewed on.

You loved climbing on the box that your water/sand play table came in from Nana and Papa and Uncle TJ and Aunt Kellyn.

Harley Babe!

We were able to Skype with Mama Duby while opening presents too.  After we did cupcakes.  I made sunflower looking cupcakes.  You devoured yours!  This was not what your sister had done for her birthday.  You were pretty filthy after, but you didn't put any in your hair which was good

You REALLY wanted that cupcake.

Grabbing a giant piece.

The aftermath.

All-in-all we had a great day!  We are so happy and lucky to have you.  I know from now until your second birthday there will be big changes, and I am excited to watch them!  Love you!