Addison Mae - 22 months

This sweet girl of mine is so big and so smart. She is speaking in sentences ... make that paragraphs. She can literally say everything (including repeating that something "sucked" after hearing her dad say it ... oops!) Though she is shy and sometimes clingy in new situations, she is such a social butterfly. She loves to say hello to people and especially to say thank you. If I teach her nothing else in this life, I hope it is to be grateful. She has officially developed a fear of thunder, thanks to the insane weather we've had. And officially is a little fish who would live in the water if we'd let her. Our recent trip to the beach was likely the highlight of her life. Upon opening her eyes every morning or after naptime, she immediately said, "I go swimming." Our precious girl is in for a big change come December, when she'll be a big sister. She loves to talk about the baby, but does not love that her mommy has been sick, tired and unable to carry her as much as usual. We're already praying that she adjusts to this new person well and quickly!

Weight: ~22 lbs
Length: ~30 inches

New things this month:

• Getting ready to be a big sister. I know she'll be wonderful, and we have lots of time still to prepare, but literally our first thought when we found out I was pregnant is, "What will Addie do???" She doesn't love to share, especially her two favorite people. But she does love babies. Here's hoping those two will balance out! She already loves to talk to and hug my tummy - she calls the baby "my tiny baby" and tells me often that the baby is growing in there. Where does she get this stuff???
• Going to the beach for the first time. Addie's expression when she first stepped onto the sand and saw the ocean was one I will never forget. Pure joy. She chased the birds and ran right up to the water's edge to yell, "Hi, water!!!" She loved collecting shells, swimming in the ocean and playing in the splash pad at our resort.
• Worrying. So this isn't new, and she comes by it naturally, but she sure does a lot of it. When she saw Jordan swim underwater for the first time, when anyone has an "owie," when she hears thunder, when she sees a bug, when anyone else touches her toys .... and on and on and on.
• Talking even more about emotions - especially happy and sad.
• Girl's got a pretty accurate throw with a ball ... and pretty hard, too! Future pitcher?
• I don't even know that I can accurately describe the talking ... she recently told the pharmacist in the drive-thru, "Don't pick your nose lady," at the airport, she saw a guy with long hair and said to me, "That nice man. Or maybe lady?", "I go swimming - put on swimsuit and jacket," "Not time go yet - tomorrow," "I look so pretty."
• Calling us by our first names when she needs something - especially if Jordan or I call for each other to do something. "Jordan, change my diaper," "Erin, bring daddy soap."

Likes:

• Being funny and silly. She loves to make us laugh by dancing like a crazy person, using her sense of humor or teasing us.
• Her baby dolls. Especially baby Julia, who is a Dollar General or Target special that has since lost all her clothes and is named after our friends Sarah and Brian's baby girl. All babies are now named baby Julia.
• Playing outside. All the time. Especially if there is water.
• Playing kitchen remains near and dear to her heart. Especially if Play-Dough is involved.
• Getting dressed up for church and running to show her daddy how pretty she looks.
• Playing anything and everything with her daddy. She clearly knows he's where the fun is. The two of them together makes my heart happy.
• Getting back to her favorite milk product - cheese. And all cheese products.
• Taking a bath in mommy's big bathtub.  
• Going to Target or Sam's or the grocery store. I don't understand it either.
• Talking about airplanes and going to the airport. She cried when we left the airport to come home because she wanted to stay there.
• Going to the library and checking out books. Then reading them constantly until I can't stand it anymore and have to take them back to get new ones. She loves the book drop, too.
• Going back to Starbright for the summer (I'm pretty happy about this one, too!)
• Her bubble lawn mower. And anything else that makes bubbles.

Dislikes:

• Green beans. 
• Listening when being told to do or not do something she doesn't agree with.