17 Months

I know I keep saying "this is the best age yet," but it's true again this month.  We are in such a sweet spot of babyhood where everyday is more fun than the one before.  It has been a good month, a healthy month with fun trips to the beach and a wedding and some big changes too.

The biggest news in Kate's world this month was that we received notice Kate's daycare was closing and we quickly had to make decisions about new arrangements.  I was nervous about the transition to a new place, new faces, new routines... but Kate is thriving at her new daycare.  She loves it, and thankfully it was the smoothest and easiest switch imaginable.  Another big change that I think is contributing to our child's happier mood these days is that she dropped her morning nap and now finally gets a good, long midday rest instead of sporadic catnaps on the floor at daycare throughout the day.  She takes one daily nap and has more energy for the rest of the day, less meltdowns in the early evenings from being overtired, and even sleeps in later (ok, for us "later" means 6:00 a.m., but we'll take it!).

Her appetite has improved too in the past few weeks, maybe it's a growth spurt, maybe she's realized everything we put in front of her is tasty, but I'm excited about this current phase of non-picky eating for as long as it might last.

Kate is feisty and has started showing some defiant behavior and testing her limits.  She watches us very closely when we tell her no, and then grins slyly when she does it anyway to see if we were serious.  Seeing that bottom lip pout and shrill scream when she realizes that we do mean what we say is slightly heartbreaking, but I know it's all part of parenting and teaching a toddler.

Favorites: Playing outside, apparently making new friends, singing, running circles around the couch- especially if it involves chasing her Daddy, scrambled eggs, showing off her belly button, yelling "Shoes!" whenever she finds a pair and then attempting to put them on regardless of who they belong to, helping water plants, and pretending the remote control is a telephone

Dislikes: Ponytails, slow food service, getting her shoes tied (it means sitting still for entirely too long), and being reprimanded for bad behavior

I am so proud of Kate and how sweet, kind, gentle and helpful she is most of the time.  Watching her eagerly help sweep the floor, comb her hair, and put dirty clothes in the hamper make me realize more and more what an independent person she is becoming who wants to help, feel important, and make her own choices.  This month, and seventeen month old age, has been one to cherish for sure!