20 Months Today

Let's see. Anika is growing in amazing ways. She is becoming such a little person instead of a baby. She crouches down and her eyes twinkle right before she runs over to tickle you. She is crazy about ice cubes. She likes to hold them and eat them and put them in a little cup to carry around the house. When the ice melts she drinks the water (i.e. ends up pouring it all over herself).

Its been fun to watch her interacting with friends this past month. Bridget is of course still at the house about 45 hours a week, but this past month we have had Callie 3 days a week as well. Callie is just a couple weeks younger than Anika, so the 3 girls have a lot of fun together. I am very proud of the way Ani plays with both girls.

She is very friendly and loves to get the attention of strangers - at church, in restaurants, at the grocery store.

Lately she hasn't been sleeping as well - and I would swear she is teething except there are no teeth coming in that I can feel. She has all of her teeth now except the 2-year molars so hopefully teething is almost over for good!

This last month she learned how to say "I love you daddy" and "I love you Mama". It sounds a little bit more like "I la la Daaaa deee" and "I la la Maaa maaa" and sometimes "I la la Daa dee Maa maa". We love hearing those words and ask for them often. She is also known to love Bridget, Papa, Nanny, Nana, Bumpa, Ani, and yellow.

Her current favorite song is "Baby Mine" from dumbo. Whenever she doesn't feel well or is tired she asks for "Baby Mahn".

When she is excited, her feet do this little stompy dance I cannot accurately describe - but I love it. She still loves music and asks for it whenever she sees the ipods. Ani loves to dance and now has started singing along with songs. She even made up her own motions to Baby Mine and sings it to her dolls. "baby mine don't you cry" is "baby Mahn sh sh sh with finger to her lips. "Baby Mine dry your eyes" she points to her eyes and says "eyes", "hold your head close to my heart, never to part, BAby of mine" she holds her head with her hands and then hugs me. I swear I did not have any part in her making up these motions, she choreographed the song all by herself.

Being a mother of a 20 month old is wonderful. She is so inquisitive and talkative and funny and beautiful. I am very blessed.