23 MONTHS OLD

Violet is 23 months old, and I am in love with this age.  She is so much fun to be around, to play with, and to teach.  I love talking to her and hearing what she has to say---especially when it's pronounced like a toddler would.

With fall finally here, though here in Texas I think it's called "the second half of summer", Violet has also fallen in love with pumpkins, or as she calls them, punkins.  We end up coming home with a baby one every time we go to the grocery.  She loves to put stickers on them, line them up, say "ffoooooooouuuurrrr punkins!" and hold up her hand like she's showing four fingers.  I'm really excited to bring her to the pumpkin patch for a little birthday party in a few weeks.  She's probably going to go bonkers with excitement.

Favorite activities: Dance parties to deadmau5.  Playing in blanket forts.  Jumping on the bed, or anywhere really.  Singing her ABC's.  Drawing circles---really, itty, bitty ones.  Craft time at the library.  Wearing socks and boots (but only inside because it's still like 90 degrees here).  Going down the slide at our neighborhood park over, and over, and over, and over again.

Favorite song: Violet loves any interactive song.  Her favorites are "Itsy, Bitsy Spider," "The Wheels on the Bus," "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes," "Twinkle, Twinkle," "Pat-a-Cake," "If You're Happy and You Know It" and she loves, loves, loves singing the ABC song.

Favorite book: I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen is still a favorite.  She also seems to have fallen back in love with Bubble Bubble by Mercer Mayer and Big Sarah's Little Boots by Paulette Bourgeois.

Favorite foods: This kid is such a ridiculous eater.  It is so difficult getting her to eat meat.  I'm hoping this is normal toddler behavior.  Sometimes I'll make a plate for her and she doesn't want to eat certain foods (almost always meat), but if I pretend it came from my plate, she's asking for more!  Some current favorite foods are: boiled eggs, raspberries, pears, peanut butter, and cheese.

Favorite toys: Puzzles and stickers.  She's also likes making sandwiches (or as she called them "maches") in her play kitchen.  She's quite the little chef, too.  Of course I'd love a salmon, cheese, fried egg, pickle, jelly, and ketchup sandwich, Violet.

I should also mention (because it's kind of a big deal), Violet is napping again!  After over an entire month of no napping, I thought all was lost.  But, I kept going through the routine every day, and eventually she just started to fall back into the swing of things.  Thank God.  

And I should mention (because it's kinda the cutest thing ever), that when I tell Violet there's a baby in my belly, she says, "Awwwww," and hugs and kisses my belly.  That means there shouldn't be any sibling rivalry, right?