Look at this little ray of sunshine.
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| Please note the slap-on bracelets. |
Miss Belen has evolved into the biggest sweetheart you will ever see.
She doesn't say much, in fact her word count has sat securely at four for quite some time now. She says, "Mom", "Dad", "Go", and "Poop". (Early potty training?? We can only hope.)
Don't let that fool you into thinking she doesn't get her needs met ... monkey-style grunting, pointing, and the occasional disgruntled squawk seem to be good enough communication tools for her. I think I need to start talking with her a bit more.
Maybe she'll be an Einstein and not speak till she's 4 ... but, she's only 14 months now, so she's got plenty of time.
Her favorite songs include: "Teddy Bear Teddy Bear" (with clapping), that Jake and the Neverland Pirates Song. You know, the one that goes like this:
"First we go, go, go
where the cannon balls roll
at Cannon Ball Canyon.
Then we twist, twist, twist
and we turn like this
at Twisty Turn Tunnel.
Then we clap, clap, clap
'cause we know where we're at
at Butterfly Bluff!"
We do all sorts of actions and she says "Go, go, go" over and over again.
Of course I can't forget, "Popcorn Popping", "Happy Family", and the "Uh-Uh-Uh Song" (or actually "Generator" by Freelance Whales).
Her favorite food is definitely cereal. I've got to get those cereal boxes off of the top of the fridge. All day every day she grunts and reaches for them. I've either got to clean out some cupboards ... or get a new house.
She will still eat just about everything else ... but definitely fruit and crackers are her preferred foods. And she's getting smarter; starting to turn her nose up at a few things in hopes for something better. Little stinker.
She loves to hold hands, and lately has been reaching out to Mac a
lot. She's helping him be a gentleman. Just tonight they walked all through the mall hand in hand. Yes, it was heart-melting.
She
loves stuffed animals. Every time we go to the store she finds the biggest one she can, gives it a hug and a kiss, and proceeds to drag it around as quickly and quietly as she can. I've felt the pressure to buy these things purely because of the dust they pick up from being drug around ... oops. At home, her favorite is definitely Watson the Raccoon ... he has a story about him and responds to some of the lines we read. She could gaze into his beady little eyes for hours.
She also loves dolls. Necklaces are still a favorite. Hair bows, she brings to me and then bows so I can get them on her. She wears any shoe she can get her hands on, and is already better at putting them on her own feet than Mac is. She loves books, balloons, puppies, lotion, toothbrushes, cars, and really anything Mom or Mac are doing.
She does not, however, enjoy getting clothes put on one bit. Perhaps it has something to do with her lovely little noggin? Maybe. She also does not like going to bed. I have discovered a magic blanket that has helped things considerably, but she would most definitely rather be up late playing with anyone or anything.
She typically does not like to be wrestled, but Dad is warming her up to the idea and she seems to handle things a bit better with Mac than she has in the past.
And although she is already as good at sharing as Mac ever has been, don't you rip things out of her hands. You will get the angriest, most ear-splitting shriek ever. After you think you've recovered, she'll let two more short ones fly. And if the toy hasn't been returned, the tears commence.
All in all, I
love this age. It's fun, it's sweet, and never a dull moment.
