18 Months

Although Ida is still very small she is making her way up on the scale! She is now 31 inches tall and 18 lbs 2 ounces putting her in the 8th percentile for weight! As of about 15 months she is wearing 12 month clothes, size 3 diapers and size 4 shoes. Ida's hair has lightened up in color quite a bit and her eyes are like a denim blue color with quite a bit of grey mixed in with blue. Her hair is so fine and thin that she doesn't seem to have much there. But I was finally able to get some adorable pig tails just a few weeks ago! Something I've been waiting for for a long time!

This little girl has attitude, sass, and a strut to her walk. And a small part of me loves it! I'm sure I may not always feel this way when she uses that attitude and sass on me. The little bits and pieces that she has already shown me might terrify me just a little for her terrible 2's. But I wouldn't change her personality for anything. I wish that I could follow her around with a video camera all day because I feel like that is the best way of really capturing her personality. It's just so hard to try and put it into words. I hear so many positive comments about her. She just has this personality that draws people to her and that people love.

Ida is a screamer. She always has been and the more she wants something the louder she screams! Especially when it comes to food. She loves food and is the perfect definition of hangry. She gets so mad when she is hungry. She is really trying to talk but her ability just hasn't caught up to her desire yet. Much like her walking. But she will try to repeat anything you ask her to, it just usually all sounds the same. :) She never really picked up on the signing. She will sign all done, please and milk, although I'm no sure she knows exactly what the sign for milk means. And I think she uses the sign please more for when she wants something. She went through a small period of signing more but it was short lived. She also has said a couple words like Austin and Dad. She is starting to get into more things like cupboards and climbing onto the table. She is also a lot more destructive than Jacob ever was. I have to be a lot more careful with books because she will rip the binding off or rib flaps off or color on books, walls, furniture. I've had to be more careful with leaving things out.

Ida has a million facial expressions. And she has started trying to explain things to me and she is so cute because she makes so many different facial expressions while she does it. As well as her arms and hands. Even though she doesn't talk much she is extremely good and letting people know what she wants through her continual grunting. Which is pretty much nonstop every day. She may not use words but you know what she wants. And if you pretend you don't know what she wants, she looks at you like yours super dense. She is really funny when she gets mad because her expressions change in like .2 seconds. One second she is crying and the next she has a completely straight face with no emotion. When she is throwing a fit she lays flat on the ground, face first, and spreads her arms straight out. She also has the best frowny eyes when she is sad or upset. Even though she has grown into her eyes, I still think they are big and have so much expression in them. She is very easygoing and has little to no stranger danger. If someone wants to hold her she pretty much goes to anyone. She just has a way of making everyone feel good and happy. She is also very observant and a fast learner. She definitely observes to learn and not just for entertainment. She picks things up so quickly. She still has a bubble and doesn't love when people get in that bubble without permission. (Especially Jacob) But has also started to enjoy playing with Jacob more and more.

Ida has some funny quirks. Something she really enjoys doing is picking the lint and toe jam out from between her toes. As soon as her socks come off or she is laying down or in bed she is picking between her toes. She is also the cutest when she is going to bed because she gets so happy and when you put the blanket on her she grabs it and pulls it close to her laughing and smiling the whole time. She also likes to stick her finger in the hole of her pacifier when he is going to sleep. She likes to have multiple pacifiers when she is going to bed so she can have one to rub her eye or stick in her ear but I'm trying not to let her have more than just one. If she is having a rough night or we are staying somewhere new then I will usually let her have two. When you are holding Ida she likes to absentmindedly dig at your nail bed with her finger nail. Which does not feel very comfortable as well as rub her nail under your finger nail between the nail and the skin. She doesn't do it on purpose. Just does it when she's not really thinking about it.

I feel like it's hard to pick out favorites for Ida because I feel like she likes mostly anything. But she does really seem to like animals. Especially cats and horses. When she is upset or gets hurt all we have to say is "Where's the kitty" and she will immediately stop and start looking for the cat. She also likes dogs and loves when we visit my parents and she gets to see Cricket. Although I'm sure the feelings are not mutual.

When it comes to food I feel like it is also hard to pick out a favorite. She just eats and doesn't seem to like one thing more than the other. But if I had to pick right now it would probably be watermelon. She eats so much better then Jacob and it is really nice. I do think she has a sniffer built into her for food. She can find any snack bag of food anyone has. Also if she wants something you are eating she will come up to you with huge doe eyes and sign please and you pretty much can't resist her. :)

She also really likes soft blankets or pillows and anytime she comes across one she lays on it. When she gets really excited about something her whole body shakes with excitement! And when she is laying on the pillow or blanket she will almost bounce her legs with enjoyment. She is kind of going through a phase where she doesn't like the vacuum but up till this point has never had a probably with it. She also doesn't like being tackled by Jacob.

Ida is a pretty good sleeper except when she is teething or sick. Then she becomes the worst sleeper! If she is teething or sick and she wakes up in the middle of the night she does not go back to sleep for hours! Usually 3 hours. Probably because she doesn't feel well but it is so exhausting! When she is feeling fine though she sleeps really well. She is now down to one nap a day and takes naps really well as well. She loves her lion wub and I don't think will be ready to give it up for awhile. We love this little girl and her contagiously happy personality! She makes life so fun!

And more pics just because she is cute. :)