I Want to Remember

Kate, just because I don't ever want to forget you at 16 months, I need to jot a few things down.

- Your vocabulary is still pretty small. You can say:
"Mama"
"Dada"
"dip" (imagine that... the Roskowske kid's first few words included "dip")
"du" for duck and dog, I think
"di" for down (you normally point down, too, as you are saying it)
"I" but only when prompted to say it (we are working on I love you)... and it is super
dramatic. You open your mouth really wide before you say "I". Too funny!
"ba-ba-ba" is no no no. You say it as you point your finger at us.
"Allie" which sounds more like "Ah-yee" and is very breathy, but cute, none the less. You
love Baby Allie. All babies, actually.


- You know sign language. We taught you to sign "more", "please", and "thank you". You have your own signs, though, some of which I have yet to figure out. You have this weird one where you put your hands on either side of your mouth and make a fish face. I think that one might be "drink". You also have this one where you rub your two fist together and for the life of me, I can't figure out what that one means. Which, by the way, makes you very angry. You hold up your hand and blow when you want to blow bubbles. You have a sign for coloring, which I can usually figure out. You always know who carried chapstick and when you see them, you pretend like you are putting on chapstick and point at them. I would call that sign language, right??


- You are completely 100% crazy! In a very cute way, though. You like to dance, play with the big kids, get dirty, run on Mommy and Daddy's bed (gives us a heart attack), play on the couch cushions, make loud noises, and throw stuff (I was almost hit in the head with a hair spray bottle the other day!).


- You are very loving. You give big squeezes and let out a big grunt as you are doing it. You give sweet kisses with your mouth closed now. You will come up and love on one of us and say "aahhh" while you lay your head down.

- When asked what Mommy says, you point your finger and say "ba-ba-ba-ba" (no-no-no-no)


- When asked what a baby says, you cock your head, get this really strained look on your face, and pretend to cry. It's hilarious.


- You are a complete drama queen!! If you have an owie, you show everyone and make this fake cry noise. You want it kissed all the time and when asked if that makes it feel better, you smile and nod your head, "yes".


- You sometimes lick your finger when you turn pages in a book because that's what Mama does.


- When you want up on something (a chair, our bed, the countertop), you pound your hand on it until we put you up there.


- You LOVE being outside. You could run and collect rocks all day long.


- You love carrying a purse, but love digging through Mama's more. You spent 30 minutes the other night looking through receipts from my wallet.


- You love your baby dolls. You rock them and sing to them. You give them bottles.


- You are a helper. If asked to go put something in your room, you will gladly run it back there. But, you need a high five after the task is completed. :)


- You know when you need your bed. Even if you are being rocked, you point to your bed when you are ready. You just roll over and go right to sleep. You are such a good little sleeper. You do the same at nap time. You take about a three hour nap everyday and wake up a happy little camper.


- You have the best laugh ever.


- You are getting SEVEN teeth!! I put my finger in there a couple weeks ago to check on your molars and was shocked to feel five teeth pushing through in addition to your molars!!! Poor girl! There has only been one day, though, when I thought they might be bothering you. Once all seven of those teeth are in, you will have fifteen teeth!!! You're a big girl now...


- You have become more of a mama's girl. You love your daddy to pieces still, though. Before, you used to cry when he left the room. Now, there are times when you only want your mama. Which is fine with me! :)


- You LOVE LOVE LOVE fruit!! You could sit and eat mandarin oranges until you exploded.


- You can point to parts of your body when asked. You amazed me the other day when I asked where your knee was and you pointed to it.


- On that note, you amaze us everyday with how smart you are. You will watch us do or say something, and just pick right up on it. It blows me away. The other day, you were in the tub and you showed me your rubber ducky and said, "Du". I asked where your other ducky was and you shrugged your shoulders and held up your hands ("I don't know"). I said, "Look behind you." and you turned around! How do you know what behind means?


- You are getting very imaginative. You pretend to eat, "num num num num", and like to make "drinks" in your play kitchen. You use the blender to pour a "drink" into your cup and then pretend to drink it. When you are done, you say "mmmm" and rub your belly.

We love you more and more everyday. You make us laugh all the time. Every minute is more fun with you in it.