Michaela @ Sixteen Months

{I started this post last weekend thinking I was going to be able to post it on time. Alas, this crazy busy week has gotten away from me. I still need to take an updated photo of my darling girl, too. But that's not going to happen tonight [Thursday] as she's already in dreamland.}

Well, there goes another month of Michaela's babyhood. Woosh! It's going by much too quickly.

In spite of the fact that I wish time would slow down just a bit so that I could enjoy my baby girl as a baby for a while longer, it's all good. She is healthy. She is smart. She is beautiful. She is an amazing baby in so many ways.

I know she's still growing, but her rate of growth has really slowed down. At our last pediatrician appointment she measured at 31 inches tall, and 21 pounds. This makes finding clothes to fit a little challenging. Height-wise, she wears 18 months clothing. She needs that for the length of her torso in particular. But because she's a light-weight, she really needs 12 months or 12-18 months clothing. We spent some time and money this summer picking up good deals on clothing for the cooler months to come. Now I'm worried that she won't be able to wear them. In fact, I won't be surprised if her shorts from this summer fit her again next summer because most of them are a bit big on her still. Oh, well. That's what I get for being proactive.

Michaela "talks" all day long. She has much to say! I like how she gestures when she's talking. That's the Italian in her, I guess. Lots of shoulder shrugging, pointing, and throwing her hands up. She cracks me up. Her vocabulary grows every day. She mimics me all the time, too.

Now that I've returned to work, there are tears when it's time for me to leave her in the morning. I'm told that they are brief episodes. When I get home from work, she dismisses whoever is caring for her (Grandma, Grammy and Papa, or Auntie) with a "Bye!" and either the wave of her hand or a blown kiss. We are still trying to get our routine down as it's just been about three weeks since I had to report back. Sleep is an issue once again. She doesn't want to sleep in her crib because she wants to be in the same room with me. So, she has been falling asleep on the sofa with me, and then I relocate her when I'm ready to go to bed. After that, it's a good night's rest for us both.

I just realized this evening that she has two new molars on the bottom. That might explain the runny nose she's had for nearly a week. In any case, she now has a total of twelve teeth. She's pretty good about letting me brush her teeth. She thinks the toothpaste we use for her is tasty, so she likes to suck on the toothbrush.

Michaela is spending most of Thursdays with my sister this school year. She starts the morning off with Grammy and Papa, but then they take her to a local church where my sister is involved with the Community Bible Study group there. While Auntie is participating in the bible study, Michaela is in the childrens' group learning all about Jesus. Auntie has been excited about taking Michaela to this ever since she was born.  I wish I could be there with them, too. After bible study, Michaela goes home with Auntie and spends the afternoon with her. I'm glad they get to have that time together. My sister is a fun auntie.

Sixteen months is a busy and fun age!

Here she is! Having a great time in her little pool at Grammy and Papa's house on a very hot day.