Showing posts with label milestones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label milestones. Show all posts

Thursday, March 15

21 - 22 Month Update

 Happy (belated) 21 Months & 22 Months Zion!

Every single day you do something new and wonderful.

Yesterday, you started jumping on the regular floor for the first time.  Up until this point, the only actual jumping was limited to Mommy & Daddy's bed, but now…you can jump from a stationary position.  You get so excited and giggly every time you do it.

 I now understand why those who have  older children always tell me to take videos as frequently as possible, tons of pictures, and write everything down.  It is because each day with you now is filled with wonder and awe as you experience new things and gain new understanding.

Your joy is infectious.  Your giggles and laughter are worth more to me than all the riches of this world.  When you look at me and tell me you are happy, I can't help but smile and feel grateful for the lovely little girl you are quickly becoming.
 You have recently started forming full sentences.  In fact, after we got back from Texas your vocabulary began to flourish.  Your daddy was so surprised by how quickly you went from two word phrases to putting together fully understandable sentences.

And now, your daddy and I talk somewhat nostalgically each night as we retire those baby words that are no longer, and accept your revised proper pronunciations.   A few biggies:  Instead of "I wah tee" you now say "I Love You."  Instead of "Tee tee" you now say "Thank-You".   And there are several others but I must admit I get a little bit choked up as I think about it.

 You are smart, observant and adventurous.  Willful yes, but also well-behaved.  You are learning to express yourself in healthy ways , and have fewer tantrums and meltdowns.  Although when you do, oh wow…those fits you know how to throw are quite a dramatic sight to behold.

Luckily you and I have been working on communication, and when you feel heard and understood, you do very very well.  I've learned a few things from improving our communication that have actually helped mommy and daddy communicate better too!
 Activities you currently love:  playing outside, tea parties, painting, coloring and other art, playing dollhouse, pushing your baby doll in her baby stroller, walking, running, helping out around the house, doing things all by yourself, getting up on the stepping stool, jumping, somersaults, watching Backyardigans, Wonderpets, Dora, Diego and Blues Clues.

Foods you enjoy: chicken, salmon, fish sticks, turkey bacon, oatmeal, apple sauce, apple juice, plums, bananas, grapes, strawberries, Popsicles, roasted seaweed, beans, rice, macaroni & cheese, turkey burgers, bread (toasted…always toasted), chocolate milk, water (you drink a ton daily), goldfish crackers, string cheese, yogurt, animal crackers, anything that comes with a dipping sauce: including veggies…(thank you Lord!), and treats of any kind.

 You still do the squirrelly face on command, please, do not ever give that up.  :)  You also started saying, "Oh goodness" whenever you fall down or do something clumsy.  It is so adorable.  You say "Hi People" to people on the subway, walking down the street and pretty much anywhere you go.  You sometimes follow that with, "How Doin?"  Another thing that is really cute that you say is, "So yummies!" about anything that tastes good to you.

You made Daddy's day last Friday when he got home before you were in bed, and you told him, "Daddy, So happy to see you."  He may not admit it to you but it put tears in his eyes.  You sure know how to make your mommy and daddy feel loved.  Speaking of love…you are growing in your relationship with God, "Big Dada" as  you call him, daily.  You pray every night with me and always say your own prayers when I am done.  Sometimes I hold back a little giggle when you pray that God would help you to use the stepping stool to get something that is just out of your reach.  Such a sweet innocence.
Darling Zion, Daddy and I are so proud of the little girl you are.  We are blessed beyond measure…so grateful to God for letting us share life with you every day.  I would ask you to slow down a bit, but I know it will do no good.  You are soaring.  You are beautiful and sweet and kind and funny.  Pure joy.

We love you so much.
Mommy

Tuesday, March 13

{Immediately} Improve Communication with your Toddler

The challenges and privileges involved in raising a child through the toddler years can seem endless.  On top of power struggles and picky eating, the most obvious challenge is communicating in a way that your toddler will listen.  


In the book, "The Happiest Toddler on the Block," Dr. Harvey Karp shares practical advice and tips to transform day-to-day life from a constant battle of wills, to an opportunity for learning and practicing better communication.  .  If you've never heard of him, I'd like to kindly nudge you to take a moment and glance at his bio.

 Today, on Green Eggs & Moms I am sharing two fantastic tips from the book, that will help you (immediately) improve communication with your toddler.

Sunday, January 22

Zion {20 Months}


My precious baby little girl!  I am amazed by you.  You are my sunshine.  You are beautiful through and through.  I love you so very much.  Happy 20 Months little cuter-pie!

Some things I simply must remember:

*The way you call out for an object when you are looking for it: Ex. "Bear, Eeee-Ahhh-Yoooh?" (Where are you!?)

*The way you say, "Corn essss Yelllohhh!"  (Corn is yellow)

*How you love it when I sing to you at night, which has caused me to put a 3-song-cap on your lullabies.  Your favorites are: Sing La-La, Hallelujah, Amen and Rock-a-bye Baby.

*How you try to do everything yourself…and moments when you snatch the stepping stool when I am preoccupied and help yourself to something on the counter top…lol.

*Your obsession with twirling!  You can go and go until you fall down, but you always get up and do it some more!

*The first time you realized that you could hurt some one's feelings…and then ran to comfort them in remorse.  I am amazed at how much you understand!

*How you think you should have a cupcake or a cookie or a treat after any thing good that you do.  :)  Or after anytime I say the words…you know what?

I know I am missing things on this list, it is so hard to catch everything…you change so much each day, and do so many new things each day.  I enjoy your company so much…you are pure joy to be around. 

I love you, Princess Za-Za! 
Mommy

Thursday, December 22

19 Months + VLog + January Ad Space Giveaway!

I have been meaning to do this for a while now… I apologize for the quality, I've not spent much time venturing into iPhone-cinematography.  This is part 1 of a very adorable two part video of Zion speaking out of her current vocabulary.


And now for a 19 Month Update!











Little lady…you are barely a babe anymore.  I watched as you carried on with your daddy today, I couldn't believe how you actually participated in placing the little candy eyes and buttons with care.  How did you get so smart and so advanced so quickly!?  

Things you love right now:  "Super Why!", Oatmeal, iPad/iPhone, Dancing, Singing (especially songs with hand motions), Turning Lights Off/On, Pretending with Elmo, String Cheese, Counting to 10, The ABC's, and any trips outside to watch people.

Your first memorable holiday experiences have you charmed for: the Christmas Tree, Presents, Christmas Carols, Hot Cocoa, Egg Nog, Apple Cider and fun holiday treats.

As I sit here writing this, you and your daddy have headed out for a movie date to see "The Muppets."  We have no idea if you will like it, be able to sit still with it, or even enjoy it, but we thought we'd test it out, since your daddy and I love going to see movies.

Happy 19 Months little lady,
Love Mama Mommy

I enjoyed my little milestone raffle so much last month, that I thought I'd do it again.  So enter below for your chance to win the featured ad space on the upper right corner along with an exclusive post!!  Two runners up will get large ads and be included in my shared intro post!

a Rafflecopter giveaway






 

Friday, November 18

18 Months & Happy Half-Birthday Giveaway


On Tuesday, my little baby girl once again reminded me of the numbering of days.  18 months.  EIGHTEEN months!  That is 1.5 years old!  That is HALFWAY to TWO!  And Zion, how I have enjoyed watching you grow up so far.  It is so hard to look back at pictures of you and see how much you really have changed, especially when at times it is hard to remember you any way different than you are now.

You are high-spirited, beautiful, inquisitive, thirsty for adventure and filled to the brim with giggles and silliness.  You love: bananas, (still), toast with butter, shoes and sock-socks, Elmo and Diego.   You adore your daddy and look forward to weekend playtime with him, while cherishing the short time you have with him each morning before he leaves for work.  Each day you greet us with a huge "HIIIII" and plenty of hugs and cuddles.

You love reading and get excited any time a new book is added to your library.  Every morning you demand (pleasantly) that daddy read with you.  You have a sweet sweet innocent understanding of God and proudly say "Aye-men" after your prayers.  Often you will be singing a song, typically the ABC's or Elmo's theme song.  You especially love acting out the motions to Itsy Bitsy Spider.

You still love coloring and stickers.  You don't know what to think about play dough.  You thrive on every opportunity to help mama…and have become the chief recycler in our home.  :)  Yesterday you helped me make a batch of brownies from start to finish.  I sure hope you will grow a love of baking and cooking like I have.

You've begun to further explore your independence, testing boundaries, climbing new heights and practicing new skills.  You can climb up onto the couch all by yourself.  You love practicing buckling your high chair straps together.  You try to put your clothes, socks and shoes on.  You often try to take them off, resulting in getting stuck with an arm strapped tightly to your head or falling over sideways with a booby trapped pair of pants twisted around your feet.

Despite the day to day challenges of looking out for you, disciplining you and teaching you healthy boundaries, I find my heart overwhelmed with your innocence, still wishing I could freeze time and not endure the slow unraveling of your dependence on me…but then I catch glimpses of who God has created you to be…and I open my hand and heart recognizing that you are a gift and not a possession…one that I will cherish for all the days to come.

I love you my little cutie-patootie-pie.
Mama

P.S.  To celebrate Zion's half-birthday I am giving away FEATURED AD SPACE in December 2012!  Enter using Rafflecopter below!! XO XO XO





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