18 Months Old

It is amazing how a child can grow in a such short amount of time! Hope went from a 5 pounds, 15 ounce helpless little baby to an amazing little girl! She is smart and full of personality and I love the little person she has become! I wouldn't change a thing!
She is talking like crazy... and full sentences too! "Where did daddy go?" and is so polite "Thank you Mommy!" "Sorry Daddy". I love the way she uses your name after she says something. She also knows her name. You ask her what her name is and she says her first and last name. And this is my favorite... I say "I love you Hope" and she says "Love you too!" It actually sounds like "Lalu too!". She is truly an amazing kid and I can't believe how quickly these past 18 months have gone by! It makes me sad a little because you can't get that time back, but I know the best is yet to come! I just don't want to wake up one day and realize she is all grown up. I want to savor each moment! She is still working on her potty training. She goes in the potty a couple times a week and will tell you "Poo Poo" either right before or right after. She is working on her colors too... mainly red, blue and yellow. She can count to three... only because we use counting to three as a dicipline thing.. One... Two... Three (Three is Time Out!!) She can put on her own shoes and of course, take them off. We still use the sign language dvd's and she know a ton of signs and words... these dvd's aren't just for sign language, they also help her to increase her vocabulary and understand what everyday items are. She is like a sponge, you tell her what something is and she will remember it. She loves to color, puzzles, slide and ride her four wheeler. Her absolute favorite thing to do is swim! We have gone to a local waterpark a few times this summer. She likes to ride the slides over and over and over again. She never gets tired of them and has absolutely no fear!! She wears these little floaties on her arms and she doesn't want you to touch her in the lazy river. She wants to float all on her own and let the water push her along. She will blow bubbles and kick her feet or she might just sit there and watch everyone as she floats along. It is so funny to watch her! She is like a little grown up in a little body!

Yesterday we had our church picnic and then afterwards we went to a friend's house to see their pet deer. Miley is the 16 month old doe and Bambi is a 3 month old fawn. They were both rescued as infants and raised by this family. They have free reign of the property and always stay close to home. I don't know who had more fun with them... me or Hope!

Here is Hope doing the sign language sign for "deer".



Bambi still gets bottle fed, so Hope got to feed her!











Here is Hope feeding Miley and Bambi their favorite treats... Vanilla Wafers!