Toddlerhood: 17 Months

Hi! It’s me, Hailey. Mom is busy packing up the car because she and I are driving to Charleston today for a girls weekend with family. She is running around like crazy (I told her she should have started earlier!) so I decided to pitch in and tell you guys what I’ve been up to.  Turning 17 months old has brought some big changes!

I’ve become quite independent lately.  Whether it’s putting on my shoes, brushing my teeth or eating with utensils, I like to handle it myself. Mom appreciates it because it means less work for her, right? Unless you count more laundry and floor scrubbing, which I don’t. Clearly that’s her idea of fun.

I guess I should specify that though I like doing things myself, it doesn’t mean I don’t want mom right next to me. I play a game called shadow where I don’t leave her side. We play it all day, everyday. I think it’s boatloads of fun. I help mom put transfer clothes from the washer to dryer, pull the silverware out of the dishwasher and help her reorganize the house in creative ways that she never would have thought of.

Bags look better OUT of the box.

My favorite thing about this past month is that the big people are finally starting to get what I’ve been chatting about! It’s like a light switch flipped and suddenly I’m saying so many new words, repeating words (like got it!), and picking up on everything! My new favorite words are uh-oh, fish, cracker, ball, hi, shoe, quack quack, milk (kah) and juice (shooo).

Sometimes I drive mom and dad crazy the way I run around and pull things out of drawers, but I make it up to them by making them laugh. My favorite thing to do right now is to shrug my shoulders and give the ‘I don’t know’ look when someone asks me a question, but the fun doesn’t stop there. I love songs and do movements to the wheels on the bus go round and round (roll my arms), the itsy bitsy spider (I use my fingers to crawl), open close them (I love opening and closing my hands and clapping), and saying shhh with my finger to my lips. Mom always laughs hard at this one when I do it to her when she tries to sing.

I love to dance. Mostly I shake my head, but I also put my arms up and wiggle. I wave goodbye and blow kisses. I give high fives. When I get really excited I run in place. I like to show people my belly. I give awesome hugs.  When mom comes to get me after my nap, I’ll drop down to the crib and pretend I’m asleep. Then I giggle like a loon when she peaks over the crib.

Speaking of sleep, I’m on a consistent schedule. I go to bed at 7:00 and get up at 8:00. I nap once a day from 12-2. I must ALWAYS have 2 pacifiers for bedtime. Don’t even try to get away with only giving me one.

My hair is a bit of a mess right now, but mom can’t bring herself to cut it. She says she loves my little ponytails too much.

For fun I really love to play outside, pushing my car or bubble mower. When it’s cold, Koda and I do laps around the house. Koda is my best friend.

I stay pretty busy these days. I don’t sit still for very long. I’ll only sit when daddy lets me play with his iPad. I don’t see many screens, so I’m fascinated with it.

What else? I’m still a good eater, and less picky than I was last month. Mom is happy about that. Right now I’m really loving anything I can dip.

I weigh around 23 pounds and wear 18 month clothing and size 4 diapers and size 4.5 shoes. I have 10 teeth (4 front top and bottom and 4 molars), but my canines are starting to surface. Ouch!

I’m not assuming everyone cares about my shoes size, but mom likes to note those things. I hope I don’t inherit her crazy OCD on remembering every little detail. I just take it to mean she loves me. A whole lot.

Mom is calling and it’s time to get strapped into the car! Luckily I don’t mind car rides. Next stop- Charleston!

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