eighteen months.

This has been one of those months where she's changed so much. Most notably, her speech. She can say anything she wants. She calls Zane "Z" and yells for him around the house, especially in the mornings. She's an early riser (6:15am) and Z prefers to sleep a little later (7:30ish). She can say everyone's names (mama, dada, haha, nana, I, deedee, e, tyty, sissy, bob, etc). She yells, "Siela! Skye!" everytime we go outside or back out of the driveway.

Other words include: Emma, PUP-py, baby, blankie, please, thank you, shoo-wee, good morning, YEAH!, and no. She says, "I want....." and points. Never actually says what she wants. Just that 'she wants'.

She makes her 'serious face' where she lowers her head and furrows her eyebrows. And a 'rock-n-roll' face.

Another common word I hear way too often is "mine". She does not share we'll. We are working on sharing with her brother. Constantly. She likes to push him in the face as she announces, "mine!" His patience is pretty good for a four year old....but the tattling. Oh, the tattling.

Take one look at her and it's obvious she's a toddler and no longer a baby. Love that she's a little more independent, but sad to lose my baby.

Zane and Hollin, both at 18 months.

 

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seventeen months.

She's a feisty one! She's all sugar and a whole lotta spice!

Love her curls and that grin!

She loves Paisley and Emma. As soon as we get downstairs in the mornings, she goes to their kennel and says, "PUP-pies! PUP-pies!" As soon as they're taken care of, she runs to her high chair and starts yelling, "Bites!" or "ice". We're still confused though, because "ice" doesn't actually mean ice.

She loves pushing her baby around in the stroller, but her temper flares if the baby falls out or she gets the stroller stuck.

The baby gates proved no match for this smarty pants. She started going upstairs by herself. At first she wouldn't attempt the trip back down. Then she got up the courage to go down. She always goes on her booty. We hovered for a few weeks, but eventually she proved to have way more energy than us. Hopefully we can stay accident-free for four more weeks and then we'll be back in our one-level house.

Running off her chicken nuggets.

She loves to rock her baby in her little chair. Especially right after she gets out of the tub. That naked little booty runs straight to her chair!

I can just hear her little voice when I see this picture. "BE!" She says it really high-pitched and forceful. I think she's referring to her blankie as "be". She's also started calling herself "HaHa". So cute.

I can't imagine the last seventeen months without this sweet, beautiful girl.We love you, precious Hollin Bell.

 

 

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Broccoli, Celery, Gotta Be....

Veggie Tales!

Zane and I went to Veggie Tales Live on Friday night. I guess this was Zane's first live show. He was not very patient while waiting for the show to start. Gotta love this face, though!

We found Siela and talked with her to make the time pass a little faster. She is getting to be such a big girl and is just beautiful!

Loved watching his dancing and excitement once the show started!

After he took his picture with Bob and Larry, he said, "Wait, Mommy! I have to talk to them!" Then he said, "Um, Bob, are you afraid of Batman?" Bob nodded 'yes'. Zane said, "We'll I'm not!" He had a big smirk on his face and told me that Bob would tell Larry that he's not scared of Batman.

It was a fun little night with my favorite four year old!

 

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sixteen months.

One month late. But here's a few pictures from the day I tried (unsuccessfully) to get a cute one of her in the Valentine outfit Aunt Gigi made for her.

 

 

 

 

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March in Madison

Just surviving. It's still full-on winter here. I was looking back through pictures from last year at this time. We were going to the park and enjoying spring-like days. This winter has been truer to the norm in Wisconsin.

Last year

This year

So, we're still hanging out indoors...trying to not get too bored.

We've had fun lunches/playdates with friends and snuggled with baby Mikko.

We spent snowy yesterday at the Madison Children's Museum with my friend from work. Sadly, I didn't get a single pic with Jessica, Aiden, or Zoey. Hollin has been super clingy (read: her feet don't touch the ground without her screaming and it's driving me a little crazy), but she actually had fun yesterday! She came out of her shell a little and explored. She kept putting both hands on top of her head and on the sides of her face and would look up at me with this silly, overwhelmed grin. Never could get a pic of it, though. Her favorite was getting in the phone booth.

Zane's too fast for pictures. I got one before we went inside, in his new "best jacket". Also known as a vest.

That's him way up there in his Spider-Man boots.

We play superheroes, autobots, and transformers. A lot. This is what my living room looks like at all times.

Waiting for breakfast

Hollin enjoying some chocolate chip banana bread

Zane enjoying a treat at Culver's

Zane rarely takes a nap anymore. He does pretty well, but some days he's ready for bed pretty early....even if he doesn't want to admit it. Saving the world is a pretty tough job. Wears a boy out.

 

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