18 months old!

Baby girl, you are now a year and a half year old.

Not so much a baby anymore, but you are always first to notice other babies and follow them around like they belong to you.

You are so friendly.
A simple "hi" is never enough, so you say, "Hi.... Hi.... Hi.... Hi.... Hi."
Puppies are also your favorite. Yesterday you were playing in the back yard with Macie all by yourself. I was worried she would bowl you over like she's done before, but you weren't worried. You picked up her bones and threw them for her, cringing in delight as she raced by you, knocking you a bit off balance.

Your new favorite thing is reading books. Most mornings are a back and forth routine of getting on and off my lap with your blanket and "Goodnight Moon." You love to find the mouse ("Eee Eee") on every page. Sometimes you get confused and point to the kittens.

Afternoons, it's "Hop on Pop," and if dad's home, we practice hopping on pop. You really love the first page..."Pup, up, pup is up....cup, pup, pup in cup" and so on.
You love shoes and purses....how did that happen?

You shuffle around the house in my flip flops, and this morning, you grabbed your purse, put it on your shoulder, and announced, "Bye!" and came over for a couple of kisses goodbye. You always want to make sure everyone notices you are leaving.
This week, you learned how to work the watering nozzle on the hose in the front yard. You were very excited, and a little wowed by the power of the water kicking back against your tight grasp. You like watering the sidewalk more than the Black Eyed Susans, and you think it's really funny when you get me wet while I'm trying to take your picture.
You are almost perfect. Almost.
You like to throw things and hit things when you get mad or hurt. Yesterday, you threw rocks at some nice girls at the soccer game because you thought it was fun. You squeezed a praying mantis so hard he started to claw you and you screamed.

You throw food on the floor instead of saying, "all done." You pull off your diapers, you scream at Winco when I won't let you put the buckle in your mouth.

You want to touch everything, and when you can't, you are really good at throwing fits and turning on the tears.

You are one and a half, but I feel 2 coming ever so quickly. You have all your teeth except one last cuspid on the bottom and your 2-year molars.
Two days ago, you gave me you "stinky" signal and ran to poop in the toilet for real, after trying 3 times earlier that day. You don't know the difference between pooping and farting yet, except that one gives you watery eyes and one makes you laugh.

You recognize your family in pictures and kiss their faces. You love juice and blueberries and raisin bran

and peas and chips and boys. All the names you can say are boys..."Daddy" was her first word, then there was "Stee" (Steve), "Anee" (Andy), "Shay" (Shane), and "Do" or "Chew" (Joe).

You do not like meat, but  you do know when we try to give you chicken because you pull it out of your mouth and ask, "Chicky?" Even I lose my appetite for chicken when you put it that way.
You love so much and you are so loved!
I love spending every day watching what you will do next. While being a stay-at-home mom can be daunting sometimes, I can't imagine missing these moments. Your daddy and I love you more every day, Cayden, and we thank God for this gift he has given us.