Testing...1...2...3

So while Dave and I are constantly marveling at how brilliant and mature our baby girl is, sometimes there can be a bit of a downside to it.


No!

Alongside Z's development of skills she's developed quite the little personality that likes to show itself a few times a day.

Our 18 month old is two, I swear!

Cases in point:

For weeks now, she's been naming and putting shapes into her shape ball toy (something along these lines, but ball-shaped with more shapes - the blue and red one we had as kids).

But in the same time frame, she's also mastered the ability to throw up her arms in a fit, making her body as slick and stiff and impossible to lift or hold as can be.

She's a wonder at identifying items as we name them - even newly introduced ones (today's was 'sandwich' as in a toy food sandwich we made together).

And she's a whiz at the whine. If she knows we're in earshot, we'll get to hear a whine as her plea for help with something that's frustrating her. If she doesn't know we're there, it's amazing what she can pull off on her own! ;)

She's fast to say thank you and she's great about following most directions, like putting things back in their place.

But she's also been having a great time at testing the limits. I'll catch her watching me as she's reaching a little hand out for the recycling bin or for the buttons on the dishwasher.

This girl knows where the game is at!

All in all, she's terrific. I couldn't ask for a sweeter, funnier, little girl. So the fact that intelligence is at the bottom of the less-than-desirable behavior is tolerable and even amusing. I really never thought I'd ever laugh at a toddler throwing a fit, but I do!

But OK, I could do with a little less whine... :)


Who me?

Videos

Most of these are a little long, but they do seem to capture the essence of Zoe. Enjoy :)


Broken Shirt




Baby and Phone (I just hope she's not trying to emulate me!)




Diaper Change (I swear I hear her say "Ooh! what's that on your bum?")




Zo Tries Her Hand at Stippling



Bon Appetite




Rocks (or, Evening Patio Routine)

Fraud!

I heard a bit about this on the radio on the way in to work this morning and thought "Man, that would suck!"

Boy howdy, does it!

It could just be a coincidence, but I think we got nabbed in this scam for about $1600.

Unless Dave and Zoe had a trip on Czech Airlines they weren't telling me about...

Good thing I'm such a pain in the butt with receipts and debit charges.

Watch your dollars, folks!

Motor skills

Cuteness emitted from some of Zoe's sharpening motor skills:


Fun with Crayons at her new table


Spoonfuls of yogurt

Her language has been really fun lately, too, so I'll try to get some of the recent vids up, soon.

18 month stats

Saturday marked Zoe's 1.5 year mark, so it was fitting to commemorate the day with a trip to the Ped's for her check-up.

For those of you keeping track of the stats:

Weight: 23lbs (40th %ile)
Height: ~32" (80+ %ile) (that's nearly 2" in as many months!) edited after we were able to get her to stand next to a wall for a few seconds.
Head: huge

With those measurements, she sounds like a lollipop!!

Her height/weight ratio puts her way down in the 10th %ile range...the doc raised only a slight eyebrow at that, but we're compensating by putting more cheese on her tray ;)


Lovely pic taken by our talented friend, Gordon.

4th & Family

Last Thursday, Zoe, Dave and I hit the road down Vancouver (WA) way to have a long overdue visit with Dave's side of the fam over the long weekend.

Zoe started the morning by keeping me company as I got her stuff packed. She practiced her new climbing skills to get up into her chair with a book and her bear. This little one is picking up on some of my favorite past times: climbing (I was my mom's little climber, getting into lots of mischief) and reading! I wonder if it's too late to deter her from the climbing?....



Z was a total champ on the long drive down. She did a great job of entertaining herself for the first half of the trip with her books and doll while I sat up front in hopes she'd take a nap. And she did! Not the entire way, but we grabbed some lunch after she woke and she was still in great form by the time we arrived.



It's been a while since there's been a little one in our branch of the family tree and it seemed everyone enjoyed Zoe's youthful energy.

Hanging with Grandma Leona


Giggling at Grandpa Derrel's buzzy bee finger


In fact, this was pretty much the view I had of Zoe as she went on her explorations through the house all weekend long.



Zoe also had a great time catching up with her big cousins. She absolutely adored Hannah who is turning into a sweet little lady. I'd be more than fine with Zoe using Hannah as a bit of a role model as she grows up.



Playing ball with Daddy near Grandpa's (ENORMOUS) raspberry patch


Getting up, but refusing to rough it down without mom's help


Snuggles (lots of them) with Auntie Tammy


Meeting 4th cousin, Mia!


Sweet girl in a pretty dress (from Auntie Miren)


Gotcha!


All in all it was a nice visit with everyone...even with the abrupt 'nutty' ending :S

My little climber

Zoe discovered that she can hike herself up onto the ottoman in front of the couch today.



Fortunately, at least for now (though certainly not for long), she hasn't quite figured out how to get from the ottoman, across the gap and onto the couch...