16 MONTH MOTHERHOOD UPDATE
I had stopped doing these updates when Evie turned 1, thinking that my new normal would be somewhat established/consistent at that point. Yes, all you moms who have gone before me, feel free to laugh LOUDLY as you read that. Looking back, I wonder what I was thinking. Evie is still changing so much, so quickly! And, as she grows and changes, so do our schedule, activities, and daily trials/triumphs. Now that she's full-on toddler and in the throes (yep, that word is totally appropriate) of her final big developmental stage for Years 0-2, I thought it was time to get back in the habit of sharing what on earth is going on.
WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE LAST TIME?
A lot, since it's been so long! Evie dropped her morning bottle in early-May, and her evening bottle just a few weeks after that, so we've been bottle free for a while now (which is SO NICE for this mama!). I wish I had some advice for how to transition away from bottles, but in this like everything else, Evie is a "unicorn baby". She just decided to stop one day, so we went with it. She also dropped down to one nap each day, which makes it reaaaallllyyy hard for this mama to get anything done. Now, she naps around 2.5 - 3 hrs each day, and starts napping between 11:30 and 12:30, depending on what our morning looks like. We also got in all four of our canines at once (ugh! teething hell) and are working on a second molar. I'm all for it. Let's get these last four teeth in so we can forever be done with teething!!
She's also started talking up a storm. Still lots of nonsense sounds, but she says:
Hey
Hi
Bye bye
Duck
Mama
Dada
Yeah
Yes
What's this?
What's that?
Like this?
All done
More
HOW'S MAMA?
Toddlerhood is so different than I imagined. The highs are there, but the constant undercurrent of struggle makes it harder to see them. I resonated so strongly with this tweet when I saw it:
That's my life. Making sandwiches that are too sandwich-y and having Evie let me KNOW. It's just a tough age for me to parent her through. I'm a structured introvert who likes down time and quiet. She's a fiery, strong-willed, independent Aries who can't stop moving and making noise. I joke with G all the time that her strawberry blonde hair was the only color she could have with a personality like this! I keep reminding myself that she's everything I would hope for my daughter - brave, courageous, strong, daring - but it sure is hard to parent those qualities in a 16 month old!
CURRENT SCHEDULE
7:30 AM - Wake up!
8:00 AM - Breakfast (usually yogurt or eggs and some kind of berries)
8:30 AM - Evie watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while I get dressed
9:00 AM - We're off for morning activities!
10:30 AM - Snack time (usually cheese, fruits, and veggies)
11:30 AM - Nap
2:45 PM - Lunch time (a sandwich and more fruits/veggies)
3:15 PM - Playtime! Current favorites are dress up and anything to do with cooking/kitchen
5:30 PM - Quiet time. We read a book or color.
6:00 PM - Another episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while I make dinner
6:30 PM - Dinner time
7:00 PM - Bath time
7:30 PM - Books & Snuggles
8:00 PM - Lights out!
FAVORITE PRODUCTS
We've been really into imaginative play lately, and love pretty much anything Melissa & Doug. We currently have the Coffee Maker and the Pots & Pans. They say 3+, but I just confiscate the tiny bits and we're good to go :) I have to admit, having her make me coffee each morning is pretty adorable. We're also really loving our Nike tennies. They're her favorite shoes to wear, and we have several pairs. We also upgraded to a kid carseat since last time I wrote! We finally said goodbye to our much-loved Uppababy Mesa and transitioned into the Britax Marathon. Evie loves it, and I love the safety features, how easy it is to buckle her in, and (my favorite thing) all the 5 star reviews from moms who's littles made it unscathed in nasty car accidents. If it keeps Evie safe, I'm so game. So far, we really love it. (and the price point was reasonable too!).
That's it! Let me know if you have any questions! I'd be happy to answer them next month :)
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