16 Month Update

Although we've been flogged with the cold and sickness this month (I'm seriously beginning to wonder if the tot and I are ever going to be cold-free), this has been a fantastic month for our Taylor Tot! She is learning and growing, saying new words at every turn, and constantly surprising us with her abilities. This kid is one for the books, and we absolutely l-o-v-e spending time with her.

Favorite Songs:  Still completely obsessed with her music videos, the tot now has actions to add to her favorite jams. She will clap her hands, stomp her feet and throw her hands up in the air (since she can't shout hooray) during "If You're Happy & You Know It". She can roll her arms and pat her legs during "Pat-A-Cake". But her favorite is hitting herself on the head and wagging her pointer finger 'no' during "Five Little Monkeys". I know I've said it before, but this kid is funny. Her dance moves and the way she comes up with things out of thin air is simply hilarious. Some of her other favorites are "The Itsy Bitsy Spider", "The ABC Song", and, of course, "The Wheels on the Bus". We've learned that if Tay is upset or doesn't want to do something, singing a song provides an instant distraction for her. It's amazing how all-encompassed she is with music - a passion that I hope she never loses!

Favorite Food:  This kid has been channeling her inner Garfield recently, because she absolutely loves lasagna! Since she loves it so much, I have been making it about once a week and she will gobble down two or three plate fulls in one setting. Talk about a girl after my own heart! While she's still a fan of broccoli and all types of berries, she has recently added grilled cheese, meatloaf, french fries, and bananas to her list of favorites. Our favorite, on the other hand, has to be watching her eat. She loves rubbing food on her face and in her hair and will shovel her meal into her mouth as fast as she can until her plate is clean. She takes the most giant bites out of pickles and bananas and then grins from ear to ear as if she's really accomplished something. Dinnertime is never boring with this little one around!

Favorite Activities: Reading books is still the top priority in the tot's life. She has gotten to the point where she understands not only the content on each page but when it's time to turn the page as well. She loves all of her "first words" books, the ones that show different images of animals, colors, shapes, and people. If you ask her where a certain animal is on the page, she can point to it with ease. She now knows what a cow, duck, sheep, bird, and tiger say (moo, quack, baa, caw, and rawr). She has also learned to say "papa" and "all gone"; however, she still refuses to say "hi" no matter how hard we try. Most recently, if you ask her something she is unsure of, she will bend her elbows, put her hands by her ears and shrug as if to say "I don't know." It's crazy the things they pick up on! Our girl also loves being outside, running and exploring new territory. She loves riding in her wagon and pushing/scooting around in the little toy cars at daycare. Spring is going to be such a fun time with her, and don't even get me started on how excited I am to watch this little water bug in the pool come summer!

Mama's Little Helper: The tot has recently taken on the role as my new assistant. She loves helping with anything and everything from cooking dinner and putting away the laundry to blowing her nose and throwing away the tissue (something we're all too familiar with lately). A few nights ago, Jake took off Taylor's clothes before bath time and told her take them to her hamper. Later that night, I went in her room to check on something and noticed one of her dresser drawers was partially opened with her dirty clothes and socks shoved inside. I literally laughed out loud at her adorableness. Bless her heart for wanting to help, but it seems she needs a little more guidance before we put her on full-time laundry duty!

Girl's Best Friend: Although it only took 16 months, Tay has really come around to Charlie, our half-beagle, mostly basset hound dog. She loves to climb on his back, give him big bear hugs, and kiss his forehead (which I'm not even grossed out by because it's so sweet). Charlie has warmed up to her slightly, but mostly he just lays there while she pulls his ears and "pats" him on the back. For those of you who have never met Charlie, he is the sweetest, most gentle dog I've ever come across. He has never nipped or growled at a single person. He has the true mentality of a true hound dog, seeking love and affection from everyone he meets. And these days, Taylor is happy to oblige. We've even started using him as a ploy to get her to do things. "Taylor, let's go in the other room." Girl doesn't budge an inch. "Charlie's in the other room." She slowly gets up, peeks around the corner to ensure that he is in fact there, then happily trots down the hall. It'll be interesting to see how these two interact when she enters true toddler territory.