18 Months

Chloe celebrated her half birthday and turned 18 months the day after Thanksgiving.  We celebrated by going for her first ride in the wagon that she got from Grandma T and Grandpa Ken for her 1st birthday.  She loved the wagon ride.  There are two seats--one for her and one for her doggie.  Her doggie, who I think is officially named Ruff-Ruff, is definately her favorite--she sleeps with him, eats with him, even takes a bath with him sometimes.  When she doesn't have him in her arms, she walks around the house saying Ruff-Ruff, Ruff-Ruff and often remembers exactly where she last left him. She understands just about everything we say and for us, it is like a constant game of charades.  She still uses her sign language for milk, more, and all done, but it is often accompanied by short little versions of the words.  She has mastered saying Mommy, Daddy, up, more, ball, no, please (which she prounounced peas).  She knows animal sounds-Cow says Moo, and Sheep say Baa, Dogs say Ruff Ruff, Cats say Meow, and Pigs say Wee Wee Wee ( she hasn't mastered the oink oink yet).  She loves when her Daddy plays patty cake with her and often says more more. She also knows hand motions to several songs including "The Wheels on the Bus", "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "If Your Happy and You Know It".  Chloe loves to wake up in the morning and climb on Mommy and Daddy's bed and watch her morning cartoons.  She really likes all the Playhouse Disney shows including, Handy Manny, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Timmy Time, Chuggington, and Special Agent Oso.  We still think she may be a mail sorter when she grows up as she loves to put things into containers and then take them out and sort them and then put them back in.  Mommy has built up enough courage to let her color at home and not just at school.  So far the walls are ok, but we did find crayons stuffed into the couch cushions.  She has been eating better over the past few weeks and has even eaten a cheese quesadilla, peanut butter sandwhich.  She still loves her blueberries and chicken sausage, but grapes are a close second.  We are trying to get some vegetables in her and tonight she actually ate some sweet potato and even asked for more.  She ate them really well as an infant, but as a toddler it is been hard to get her to eat them.  I sneak them in her smoothies, but we are still trying and hopefully the sweet potato success is a sign of good veggie eating habits to come.  She is a great sleeper and often sleeps 11 or 12 hours at night with about a 2 hour nap in the afternoon.  We have the bedtime routine down pretty well now.  However, she no longer likes to sit on Mommy or Daddy's lap while reading her bedtime stories.  She likes to sit in the rocker all by herself and sometimes even "reads" the books herself.  She loves books and sometimes wants to read 10 before going to bed.  She turns the pages and points the pictures.  She even gets picky about what books she wants to read and which she does not.  Everyday is a new Chloe Adventure!