22 Months - oops where did the time go?

So I clearly have neglected this blog long enough. Anika is 22 months. We are done with daytime potty training. She just has it all down. We still have to do some night time training, and I am not looking forward to getting rid of pacifiers, but she is getting so grown up already, we'll just take that stuff slowly.

Ani loves to care for her dolls and stuffed animals. She takes their clothes off and puts blankets on them and sings them lullabies. Sometimes she sits them on the potty and wipes their bottoms when they are done. Yesterday after her doll Tessa had imaginary potty success, she proceeded to literally wash her hands in the sink. We heard the water running and discovered a very wet cloth bodied doll. Poor Ani was so disappointed that Tessa had to spend the night drying out in the kitchen.

At this age she does all kinds of cute things, like calling for her dolls when they are in a different room. I guess she thinks they are able to get up and walk to her. The other day I caught her scolding one that did not come with a "listen to mommy". I guess that phrase may have showed up in our conversation a few times lately.

She learned to zerbert and loves to blow raspberries on our bellies. She's fond of choosing her own shoes but hasn't had much interest or opportunity to pick out her clothes yet.

Her hair is getting really long now. It easily fits into one of my ponytail holders. I love that people in the store can easily tell she is a girl.

She is speaking in complete sentences now and saying things like "I missed you mommy", "no Bridget, my turn now", "no run away from Mommy". She has stopped calling me Mama and switched to Mommy. It makes me a little sad, but I definitely prefer Mommy to "Julie" which is what she calls me if she thinks she needs to use my full name "Mommy Julie!", for example if she wants to be picked up out of her crib and I am slow to wake up.

She is still quite a good dancer. You can tell she is listening and she likes to move her body to the beat. "Oh, Donna" a song from the 50's or 60's is one of her current favorites. Go figure.

She loves nursery rhymes and requests that we read from her nursery rhyme books several times a day. Michael Finnegan, Little JAck Horner, Humpty Dumpty, and Hush Little Baby are some of her favorites. I am getting pretty good at memorizing them so I can read from across the room as she turns the pages, which is very helpful!

Lest you think it is all joy and giggles, she has also started having a harder time sharing. Monday morning is a rough battle as both girls have to re-learn that they need to share toys. She also hits, bites, pulls hair, and pinches when she deems it necessary. This activity is pretty frustrating but I think some of it is stemming from jealousy and possibly the pain of her two year molars working their way out. I have seen quite an increase in drool in the past few days and she seems to feel better with something in her mouth.

Ani is sometimes jealous of Monty. "No sir" she says when he tries to cuddle with us. She definitely also does not want Mommy and Daddy to cuddle. So far its because she wants Mommy all to herself, but yesterday she did wake up from her nap and ask to cuddle with Mike instead of me. So I think my days as preferred parent are numbered.

We are very happy to have Daddy home with us during the day. If only the school system would pay him to not work and hang out with us, life would be perfect. Its also handy to have the car around, as this morning's grocery shopping trip would have been miserable walking in 100 degree weather.

I'll have to post some pics soon, but that is all I have for now. Happy last few days of June!