Miss Monkey

Taylor,

You are growing up so fast… I know I say this every month but truly in the last few weeks, you have changed so MUCH.

At 18.5 months…

• Miss Monkey describes you so well… you are cheeky, adventurous and a happy go lucky little girl.  If I had to choose one word for you ‘monkey’ would be it.  You have no trouble scaling great heights to get to the top of the slide and then it is hard to get you to sit down before you step off the top!!  You have the cheekiest little smile and adventurous spirit.  Which of course gets you into all sorts of trouble…. like last week when you broke the arm off mummy’s sunglasses (grrrrr)… you are continuously trying to empty drawers and find treasures to play with!
• Another trait that is coming through quite strongly right now is your eagerness to help us out. You are quick witted to realise the order of events… like in the morning, you pull off your PJ pants and then open the garage door and go and put them in the wash (okay hang them on the washing line…with the clean clothes).  Last night you took off your shorts at Grandmas and proceeded to try and put them in her  washing machine… (good idea honey!!)
• This morning, I asked Liam to get his bag out (as he was going to the holiday programme for the day…) before he could actually do the task, Taylor you had gone to the cupboard and got his bag and YOUR crèche bag out of the cupboard.
• You know that after dinner that Indy gets some left overs for his dinner.  Daddy will go into the garage to get the bowl and you will be off to help him and hold open the door so he can go and get Indy’s bowl etc.
• You are getting good at setting the table… this is sort of Liam’s job… Liam gets you to help him by getting the mats out of the cupboard and you walk over and put them on the table.. not in the right places but you have all the right ideas…
• Taylor – you are a robust little girl… yesterday you fell over at the garden centre, what do you dust yourself, scraped knees and all and keep going as if nothing has happened.  You are always attempting to ride Liam’s bike, Liam’s scooter and even his skateboard.  I think you will be the child who will keep the local A&E in business…
• You are having mostly 2 bottles a day.  We are trying to hold you out for a bottle between 11-12ish and then one before bed.  Occasionally you will get a late afternoon bottle to tie you over until dinner.
• Food… you love eating at your little table, you are always sneaking tidbits off the kitchen bench standing on your chair.. usually this is when I am preparing food/breakfast or cooking dinner… a plateful of noodles or pasta you are a happy little girl…
•  You also like to share your food with us, with Indy and even with the cat (who does quite like potato chips!)
• Words… lots of cute little babble coming from you… you are enjoying singing at creche and we have heard a few baa baa baaa and then quack quack quacks strung to together (baa baa black sheep and 5 little ducks) as well as something to the tune of the ABCs.  We sat down and wrote down all the words you say at 18 months… and I’m sure there is more than this… ball, car, ta (water), raining, steam (when I pour hot water from my coffee in the sink), stairs, baby, dootle/tootle (bottle) harper/piper (cats), Mee Mee (Miaow), Oof Oof, Indy, Na (dummy and I want to get off/down) keys, shoes, Pi (I want a new nappy and goes and gets one), toast, Dic (Aunty Nic) bye bye and waves, tree, Mummy, Daddy, Liam, Taylor, Bath, Duck, Quack, Light, Cheese, Please, Teeth, Nose,  Mama (grandma), cold, hot, bee, bzzz bzzz, brmmm brmmm, Moo, More (MaMaMa) – I want more or I’m hungry), Up, Popcorn, Cracker, More please, hat.
• Creche is going well… you have realised I am now leaving and we have tears on my exit but then you pretty much settle down. You love playing with the musical instruments and get involved a bit in water play.  It is definitely a stimulating environment for you to be in… and nice for me to have mummy time too right now.
• you are sleeping through 99% of the time at night.  Occasionally, you wake up and won’t settle until you have a watered down bottle.

Photos of things you are getting up too at 18 months… sitting up at the table like a big girl, eating out of your lunch box!  Playgrounds are such fun places… Liam and you at Long Bay Playground and Easter Egg hunts!

This time next week you are going to be a BIG SISTER… I know that you will be such a great little helper…

Love you

Mummy & Daddy..