"18 months" (or) "Please indulge a doting mother"

Norah reached 18 months last week, my baby is officially no longer a baby. She is a walking (more like running), talking, BUSY little gal.

A few things about Norah at 18 months:

She loves colors, numbers, and singing the alphabet.
She can count to ten all on her own.
She loves her music class.
She still loves a great bath!
Just like both her parents she LOVES ice cream (especially chocolate ice cream)
She loves books and puzzles and will plop down on anyone's lap who is willing to read her a book.
She loves to 'color,' (which there has been much evidence of on our walls :). Thank heavens for Magic Eraser! I've had to teach her the coloring mantra, "Just on Paper," which she now repeats to me any time I bust her coloring on something she shouldn't.)

She loves animals, butterflies, balloons, and anything to do with water. Anytime we go out anywhere I always ask her in the car what we should look for and she always says the same three things: "Fufflies" (butterflies), "manoons" (balloons), and "wato" (water, i.e. the ocean). And anytime I ask her where she wants to go she says, "Beach!"

She loves her people. Her highchair is across from the refrigerator where we have lots of pictures of family and friends, and while she eats we have to go through each photo and say everyone's name.

She is very interested in checking stuff out and exploring new ways to do things. A few weeks ago I came in the front room to find her watching her show like this:


and since then her wagon has been one of her favorite places to hang out.


One of my favorite things that she likes to do right now is to come behind us and give hugs.


Needless to say, these 18 months have been magical. We love you Norah, thanks for being our best little friend.