Pneumonia, Ear Infections, and Christmas- Oh my!

Where to even begin? Let's rewind to the week before Christmas when Camden came down with a nasty cough and a fever. My first thought was Oh no, there is no being sick on Christmas! and then I promptly took him to the doctor to nip whatever it was in the bud so we could all be well on Christmas Day. (For the past two Christmases, we have been lucky enough to have a stomach bug either right before or on Christmas Day. I was so looking forward to a well Christmas this year.) The doctor's visit was kind of a bust; she told me that whatever Camden had was viral and we'd just have to ride it out.

That weekend, we had our family Christmas party at my parents' lake house. I was on the fence about whether or not to bring Camden up until an hour before it was time to leave. He was fever free but his cough was terrible. In the end, I decided to bring him, because it was Christmas time and we only see my extended family once a year at this party. Initially, I didn't regret the decision; he had a great time at the party. Then, towards the end, he was outside playing and had to sit on the porch for a few minutes with Matt because he was having a particularly bad coughing fit and couldn't catch a good breath. And then it happened: he threw up all over himself, Matt, and the porch. I knew right at that moment that we would be back at the doctor the next day.

So, it was the Sunday before Christmas Day and I took him to our pediatrician's "acute illness" office hours. Thank goodness I did, too. His simple virus had turned into pneumonia in a matter of four days. We started him on a strong antibiotic and the doctor seemed hopeful that he would be feeling like himself again by Christmas. Then she jinxed me: "If your little one [Macey] hasn't caught the virus yet, chances are in your favor that she won't."

On Christmas Eve, Macey woke up with a cough and a fever. Back to the pediatrician's office we we went. I braced myself for what I was sure would happen: they would tell me that this was a virus, just like they had initially with Camden, and there was nothing they could do. And poor Macey would spend Christmas miserable. It felt weird to be thankful that the doctor discovered that she had an ear infection so that she, too, could start on an antibiotic.

Oh, and did I mention that Matt and I both had (milder) versions of the virus? Our house was a chorus of coughs and sneezes the entire week of Christmas.

We hosted Christmas  Eve dinner (my parents and in-laws provided the food; we just provided the venue) and much of that was a blur. But by Christmas day, we were all feeling a bit better, which was a huge blessing. The day ended up being great. My parents come over early Christmas morning to watch the kids get their gifts from Santa. We were then joined by my sister and her family and my brother for our traditional Christmas morning breakfast and gift exchange.

All's well that ends well, right? Merry Christmas (a bit belated), everyone!

Camden was feeling well enough to go to the Christmas Eve church service with my parents and my sister's family.

Probably his favorite gift: a Star Wars light saber.

 

Macey slept in on Christmas morning due to a rough night, but she was pretty pleased with her gifts from Santa when she did join us.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Christmas Happenings

It was an eventful week in our house this week. As I mentioned in my last post, Camden's preschool had a Christmas concert on Wednesday. I was a little unsure how it would go. In the weeks leading up to the concert, I kept asking him if he was learning new songs at school and he would just shake his head and say, "Nope." But then every once in a while, I'd catch him singing a few lines of a random Christmas carol and I knew that he was, in fact, learning the songs. I also wasn't sure how he'd do up on stage in front of a couple hundred parents. Don't get me wrong: he's come out of his shell in a big way since preschool started. But feeling comfortable in his classroom and feeling comfortable performing in front of an audience are two entirely different things. So, I just prepped him as well as I could and hoped for the best. And you know what? He did great. He had a little bit of a deer-in-the-headlights thing going on while on stage, but he also sang most of the words to the carols that he denied learning. I was so proud of my boy.

I wish I could post some actual pictures from the performance, but the preschool has a pretty strict policy on posting pictures that include other kids on any kind of social media. However, here he is directly post performance with Nan & Pop:

 

 

 

And with his fellow performer, Will.

 

On Thursday night, we took the kids to our neighborhood clubhouse to visit Santa. (Can I just say how awesome it is that my neighborhood does this every year? No standing in the winding line full of screaming kids while waiting on Santa at the mall!) Camden did great with Santa; there was no fear at all. He marched right up to him and told him that he would like a light saber for Christmas. Santa took his hand and asked, "What else?" Well, this question caught Camden off guard. He had rehearsed his light saber answer, but hadn't considered that Santa might want a longer list. So he thought long and hard and the best he could come up with? "A penguin! And a snowman!" He then started laughing hysterically at his own answers after realizing how ridiculous they were.

Macey, on the other hand...well, let's just say that Macey was not a fan of the bearded man in the red suit. She wouldn't even let me hold her while standing in the general vicinity of Santa so a picture was out of the question. I wasn't interested in forcing it-- the whole screaming kid on Santa's lap thing isn't my style. Santa seemed grateful. She did, however, have a fantastic time running around the clubhouse and scaling anything climb-worthy in sight.

This was when Santa asked what else he wanted besides the light saber. He's considering...

 

...and this is just after declaring he wants a penguin and a snowman. Notice his laughter at his own joke.

 

 

 

I'll smile for anyone BUT Santa!

 

We've also continued a fun little tradition that we started last year: driving around our neighborhood a few nights a week to look at Christmas lights. Camden's favorites are the big, inflatable characters that peek out of a Christmas tree or a train or some other sort of object. He calls them "peekers" and gets so excited when he spots one. It's sweet how much he tries to include his sister too. Whenever he spots an elusive peeker, he'll say, "Macey! Look! Look out your window!" And much to his delight, Macey typically follows his directions and lets out her excited squeal when she spots a giant character.

And, finally, my very talented sister/photographer took our Christmas pictures again this year. And, once again, she didn't disappoint. I absolutely love how they turned out:

 

Thanksgiving and birthday parties.

It's the night before Thanksgiving and I'm feeling particularly thankful right now. This long semester (that I almost didn't complete) is officially over in a few short days. I am so, so incredibly glad I stuck with it. I was looking at my plan of study that hangs on the side of my fridge earlier tonight and it struck me just how close I am to being done. And I almost gave all of that up. So, yes- I am thankful that the semester is almost over and I'm thankful I stuck it out.

I'm having such a great time with my kids right now. It's no secret that there are some stages of childhood that are a little more challenging than others. It's not that Camden and Macey's current ages don't come with challenges-- they most certainly do-- but I'm just really loving where they are right at this moment. I'm so incredibly thankful for them. I hardly remember who I was in my life prior to having kids; I have no doubt that I was made to be their mom.

I'm thankful that I have a husband that gets up in the middle of the night to go rub Macey's back when she's teething and is having trouble staying asleep. He also spends countless hours playing Star Wars Angry Birds with Camden just because there's nothing else Camden would rather do at the moment. I will never get tired of seeing two blonde heads go flying past me into the foyer when they hear Matt's key turn in the door at night. I'm thankful that my children have an excellent father.

There are so many other things: I'm thankful for a mom who would (and does) drop anything to be by my side whenever I need her. I'm thankful for a dad who has always supported me and my decisions. I'm thankful for a sister that lives right down the road and who is also a babysitter, carpool partner, and friend. I'm thankful for a brother who can make any situation funny with his sarcasm and wit.

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope this year has provided you with a lot to feel thankful for too.

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On a completely different note, we celebrated Camden's fourth birthday party this past weekend. It was Ninja Turtle themed (of course). I debated whether or not to include preschool friends this year, but ultimately decided to stick with family (and neighbors who are like family). I think we'll start the "friends parties" next year.

Since it was TMNT themed, we had pizza for dinner. I'm pretty certain that Camden and Will didn't stop running for the entire two hour party. We all had a blast.  And now, some pictures:

TMNT cake courtesy of Nan. Seriously, I'm so lucky to have a mom and sister whose culinary & artistic abilities far surpass my own.

TMNT cupcakes courtesy of my sister. She's pretty awesome.

 He opened his presents in record time. I told Matt that I feel old having a kid who's big enough to be in the 'action figure' stage!

 

Birthday Boy!

The aforementioned non-stop running.

Happy fourth birthday, sweet boy.

 

My precious family. 

And just like that, he's four.

My sweet Camden Miller,

Four years ago today, you made me a mommy for the very first time. I had no idea back then the ways in which you would change my life. All I knew was that I had waited for you for a very long time, you were finally here, and I was so in love.

And that was pretty much all I knew. Thinking back on the first days, weeks, and months you were home makes me laugh now. I had no idea what I was doing, which was such a foreign feeling for me. You see, your mommy is a bit of a control freak, a planner, a perfectionist to her core. But you came into my life and made me realize that there are some things that can't be meticulously mapped out; that life isn't always orderly and neat. There were countless days I spent just holding you on my chest, feeling your back rise and fall as you slept with your body curled up against mine because you wouldn't nap any other way. There were so many nights that I stared at the clock at 3am, wondering if I'd ever sleep again. There was attempted (and failed) sleep training. There was your acute stranger anxiety that made me have to be fiercely protective of you. Then there was your speech delay and all of the days we spent driving to the best speech therapist I could find and all of the evenings we spent working on your flashcards because I just knew you were going to get it; I couldn't wait to hear your voice.

No amount of planning, studying, and reading can ever fully prepare anyone for the ride that is first time motherhood. The early days with you taught me that sometimes life is more beautiful when you surrender control. You were this tiny, perfect human, that I loved more fully than I could ever have imagined possible. You challenged me in ways that I had never been challenged before. There were a lot of things I didn't know (how on earth would I ever have time to keep my house clean? Why oh why did you always wake up 45 minutes into a nap?! Should I get dressed and put makeup on every day if I'd inevitably just end up with spit up down my shirt and stuck inside all day long?) but the one thing I did know was this: You were made for me.

From the first moment I held you in my arms four years ago, I was completely in love. I felt such a deep connection and bond with you and those feelings haven't waivered with time. You've changed so much in the past four years, but sometimes I still see traces of the baby you once were. You're a cautious boy who thinks things through before acting. You're loving and kind and you have such a good heart. You're nurturing to your little sister. You're very smart and intuitive. You're thoughtful and sensitive. You have a great sense of humor. You're so many things that make me proud of who you are, Camden.

You're in preschool now, which is such a huge milestone and one that filled both of us with some anxiety initially. But you've adjusted so well and it warms my heart to hear you ask if you can go to school on a random Saturday morning. When I drop you off in the morning, your teachers tell me that they've seen big changes in you over the last couple of months; you're more confident and comfortable in the classroom. You're growing up, buddy. You know what else? You rarely remember to hug me goodbye before heading into your classroom. Instead of making me feel sad, your eagerness to start the day and your confidence walking away from me with the knowledge that I will never be too far makes me so proud of you. My goodness, you've come such a long way.

Sometimes we sit together in the evenings and play games on the Kindle. The other night, while we were in the middle of an intense game of Ant Smasher, I said to you, "Camden, I really like you." And I meant that. I love you of course, and you know that, but I like you so much too. I like who you are and I like the glimpses I get of the person you're becoming. I just enjoy your company so much. You didn't seem to think my declaration was too strange, as you continued to smash ants while responding, "I like you too, Mommy."

Happy fourth birthday to my first born- the one who made me a mommy and the one who taught me that there is so much beauty to be found in the imperfections of life. I love you more than you could ever possibly imagine and I will always be your biggest fan.

Love,
Mommy

It's that time again...

Yes, it's almost Camden's birthday time. But more on that later. For now, it's time for an updated interview with Camden. Click below to view:

Interview with Camden: 4 years old

14 months, road trips, and Halloween

Macey Jean,

Happy 14 months to you! You took a road trip with Mommy and Nan last weekend and you did such a great job. Our first stop was Richmond, VA so that you could meet your great-grandmother. You charmed her and your great-uncle while we were there (they both said you look like a little china doll). We ate lunch at Great Grandma's kitchen table and you turned to her seated next to you and said, "Hiiii." Then we ran around outside in her big back yard and watched you collect countless leaves. We had a nice time and you went with the flow in your typical carefree manner.

We continued our girls' road trip by heading up to Northern VA-- Mommy's hometown. You found the hotel luggage cart to be particularly exciting and enjoyed running back and forth between our connecting hotel rooms. Mommy had to attend her childhood best friend's baby shower later that day and Nan brought you at the end of the shower so you could meet everyone. Once again, you handled walking into a room full of unfamiliar faces with ease. Everyone loved meeting you and couldn't believe how petite you are at 14 months old.

Unfortunately, our road trip happened to coincide with the time change, so after a not-so-great night of hotel sleep, our day began at 5:30am on Sunday morning. I'll admit that was my least favorite part of the trip, but overall? You get an A+ for being a great and easygoing travel companion. Thankfully, Daddy and Camden met us at Nan and Pop's boat house on Sunday afternoon and you took a 3 hour nap while Mommy crashed on the couch. We both felt much better afterwards and you mercifully decided that 5:30am is not an ideal wake time for either of us.

Now, a few quick 14 month stats:

• According to my home scale, you are weighing in at 17 lbs, 12 oz.
• You now have 6 teeth-- 4 on the top, 2 lone teeth on the bottom.
• You have transitioned to one nap a day at 12:45pm. This nap usually lasts around 2 hours.
• Bed time is now 7:45pm. You normally wake between 7-8am.
• You're a bit more adventurous with food now, but I still have a hard time getting any fruits and veggies in you. I primarily get veggies in you by mixing them with mac & cheese. Whatever works, right?
• You play much more interactively with Camden now. Often while I'm making dinner in the evenings, you two are riding little push cars around the house, chasing after each other and squealing.
• You talk a lot. I had a running list of words you can say, but I lost count over the last few weeks. If I had to guess, I'd say you have between 30-40 words right now.
• You are starting to combine two words here and there! You say, "Hi Daddy", "Bye Daddy" and "good girl". You amaze me with your verbal abilities.

And finally, we can't forget Halloween. You were only a couple months old for Halloween last year, so you really got to experience trick-or-treating for the first time this year. You weren't very interested in going up to people's doors to get candy (your awesome brother, cousins, and neighbors collected extra candy for you), but you were very interested in running up and down the street in your Minnie costume while holding your pumpkin bucket. And yes-- your Minnie ears miraculously stayed in place.

 

With my Ninja Turtle & Minnie Mouse.

 

Nan & Pop trick-or-treated too.

The trick-or-treating gang.

Minnie on the loose!

 

Minnie's stash.

And one of the boys.

 

 

 

Happy 14 months, my sweet girl. You are so very, very loved.

 

Love,

Mommy

This and That

We had our neighborhood Halloween parade today. Camden had been looking forward to the parade since we told him about it last week. You see, Camden spends quite a bit of time in costume these days. Ever since we bought his Ninja Turtle costume in preparation for Halloween about a month ago, he's spent a good portion of each day dancing to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle theme song while in full costume. Lately, though, he's had a new request when dressing up: he wants Macey to be in her Minnie Mouse costume too. And he wants her in full costume-- including her black and red Minnie shoes. This morning, as we were scrambling to get ready for the parade, Macey took those Minnie shoes off about 15 times. Finally, I gave up and decided I would put them on her once we got to the parade. Camden, however, wasn't having any of that. He takes this costume stuff seriously. After several failed attempts to put her shoes back on himself, he came to me and said, "Mommy, I'm really worried about Macey's Minnie shoes. They need to be on." It was hilariously adorable. Thankfully, Macey was much more willing to comply with her brother's request once we were outside. Finally, seeing Macey in full costume, Camden could relax.

Matt stayed up late Saturday night working on this minion pumpkin. His dedication paid off; he took home the grand prize in the pumpkin carving contest at the neighborhood parade. He'd never admit it, but he was totally proud of this pumpkin.

 

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In other news (and at the risk of sounding like the most indecisive person on the planet), I am still enrolled in school. It's actually kind of funny-- I waited so long to drop the class I was taking this semester that when I went to meet with my advisor last week, he told me it was too late to withdraw from the course. So, my options were: fail the class and just be done with it or talk to my professor and try to catch up on the assignments I had missed when I stopped doing work after I decided to withdraw from school. It's strange; I actually felt relieved that I had missed the withdrawal deadline. It was like being given a second chance. I went home that night, emailed my professor, and caught up on all of the assignments I had missed (there were only two) before I even heard back from her. Thankfully, she is willing to work with me, and while it's doubtful that I'll get an A in the class due to the late work, I might still be able to pull off a B. The best part, though, is that I'm back on track. I still have some doubts and hesitations, but they're things I think I can work through (for example: I have zero desire to teach in my current county, but there's no reason I can't work in other counties). It all comes down to this for me: I will never regret getting my teaching licensure. I may find, after a couple of years of teaching, that it's not the right fit for me and that's fine. But I know I would regret never finishing my licensure. There's a reason, after all, that I keep coming back to this time and time again over the past ten years. I'm over halfway done; no more quitting for this girl.

 

 

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And finally, Macey and I are taking a road trip with my mom this weekend. One of my best friends from childhood is expecting her first child in December and her baby shower is on Saturday. Since Macey has never met my grandmother (something I've been feeling immensely guilty about!), Mom and I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to visit my grandmother on the way up to my hometown for the shower. I'll admit that I'm a little nervous about this trip; Macey isn't what I'd call an excellent car rider. She'll tolerate a 30 minute drive with no problem; anything more than that and she's over being restrained and ready to run around. This will be a 4 hour drive so it could get interesting. I'm also a tiny bit worried about how she'll do sleeping in a hotel room. She's such an awesome sleeper now that I dread doing anything that will mess up her routine. But I'm completely willing to risk a less than pleasant car ride and a sleepless night for Macey to meet her great-grandmother. Fingers crossed that it goes more smoothly than I'm expecting!

Raising Boys vs. Raising Girls

I remember so clearly sitting in the chair at my optometrist's office when I was about seven months pregnant with Macey. He was making small talk with me while examining my eyes. The conversation went something like this:

Eye Doc: So, do you know the gender yet?
Me: Yep. It's a girl.
Eye Doc: And what do you have at home already?
Me: A boy.
Eye Doc: Man, are you in for a world of difference. Girls are so much easier. It'll probably seem like a piece of cake to you this time around.

And then there were the people who, upon hearing that I was expecting a girl, would immediately say, "Uh oh-- get ready for the drama!"

Granted, we're far from the teenage years now (thank goodness), so it's quite possible that my view on parenting different genders will change down the road. But for now, I will say this: raising Macey has been easier. And it's been harder.

Yes, both. And here's why:

Camden had (has) a slow to warm up temperament. As a three-year-old, that manifests as a boy who asks for permission before engaging in a questionable activity and who feels most comfortable at his cousin's side in his preschool classroom. No big deal. As an infant and toddler, however, his temperament meant extreme stranger anxiety. There was actually a period of time when I would start to sweat and feel anxious when I knew it was time to head to the cash register at the grocery store with Camden in tow. Why? Because I knew that if the cashier dared to speak to him (and of course she always would-- his head full of white hair practically begged to be mentioned), he would scream. And cry. And scream some more. Public outings were an extremely stressful experience for both of us for at least a year.

Macey is my spirited child who has never met a stranger. Yesterday at the grocery store, Macey popped her pacifier out each time we passed another shopper so she could greet them with a very southern sounding, "Hiiiii". And then she'd pop her paci back in until we reached the next person. When we checked out, I was signing the receipt while Macey sat in the shopping cart a couple of feet away from me. A woman approached her and started talking to her: "Hi, pretty girl! How are you? Look at those eyes!" and on and on. I turned to look at Macey's face and wasn't the least bit surprised to see her crinkling up her nose and doing her "show off" smile for the woman. She's an entertainer, that one. She thrives on attention.

So, obviously, taking Macey out in public as both an infant and toddler is much less stressful due to the lack of severe stranger anxiety. In that way, I'd say she's easier.

But. Oh, yes, there's a but. Camden's my little rule follower, through and through. Always has been, probably (hopefully!) always will be. He's not rebellious, he rarely tests boundaries, and it's highly unusual for us to need to tell Camden something more than once. For this reason, I didn't need to do a lot of babyproofing when Camden first started toddling around. If he opened a cabinet I didn't want him playing in, I'd simply say no, and that was that. Every morning when I showered, I'd sit him on the bathroom floor with some toys and I'd take my time, knowing he was perfectly content as long as I was close by.

Macey is-- let's just say, not exactly a rule follower. She has been known to head towards a forbidden object or activity (touching the TV screen, feeding Maggie anything in sight, jumping on the couch, etc.) while staring at Matt or me and shaking her head no. Basically, she's telling us: I'm aware that you're not fond of the decision I'm about to make, but I just can't fight the urge. Our entire house is babyproofed to the max and that still doesn't always keep her out of forbidden cabinets (she's amazingly resourceful, I swear). Showering while Macey is awake is an impossibility. I could lock her in the bathroom with me, but it would take 2.3 seconds before she decided to dive head first into the tub. Or, perhaps she'd forego the tub and splash around in the toilet instead. One thing's for absolute certain: there would be no patiently waiting for me while sitting on the floor.

When it comes to rule following, I'd say Macey is harder.

I could go on forever-- the contrasts between Macey's temperament and Camden's temperament are stark and numerous. But you get the point: my optometrist was both right and wrong in his prediction. And those who swore I was in for a life full of drama once Macey arrived? Well, they were right on in some ways and completely wrong in others (although I'd swap out dramatic for another descriptive-- like wild or maybe spirited).

Know something else? I think very few (if any) of the differences between the two of them are related to their genders. You might've already guessed by my excessive use of the word, but in my opinion, it's all about temperament. I've got a Slow-to-warm-up Boy and a Spirited Girl, but it just as easily could've been the other way around. They both can be sweet; they both can be challenging; they both can be kind; they both can be frustrating; they both can be loving; they both can be moody; they both can be silly; they both can be serious. They're both mine. And they're both perfect.

Pumpkin Patchin'

We're in the midst of a not-so-great weather pattern here right now (read: we might as well move to Seattle, because I haven't seen the sun in over a week) and we're also in the middle of transitioning Macey to one nap. Combine these factors and you have the recipe for a less than ideal afternoon road trip, but we decided to brave it anyway and head to a pumpkin patch about 45 minutes from home. There are closer patches, of course, but this one had all of the bells and whistles in the form of hay rides, train rides, a corn pit, farm animals, pig races, and one giant tube slide that was undeniably the biggest hit of the day. Despite my initial misgivings, our pumpkin patch afternoon turned out to be a blast. (Also? Cool, overcast days make for smaller crowds, which was a huge plus. I made sure to make note of that for future reference.)

 

We fed goats...

 

 ...and ducks. Macey kept squealing with excitement about the "duhs!"

 

The aforementioned tube (pipe?) slide:

 

We all braved it, including Macey & Daddy.

 

Camden insisted he go solo, which surprised me. He couldn't get enough of this thing.

 

My butt is still sore, but I have to admit- it was pretty darn fun.

 

Time for a train ride. My parents and nephew came along to the patch with us.

 

The corn pit was a huge hit with Macey. I had to keep her paci in the entire time she was in there, though, to prevent her from taste-testing.

 

 Everyone enjoyed the corn pit; it was quite comfy in there!

 

Pumpkin selections are made, thus ending our successful trip.

13 Months of my Peanut

As evidenced by my title, Macey Jean is still a peanut-- I'm pretty sure she still hasn't hit the 17 pound mark. This afternoon, my dad (who hadn't seen Macey in a little over a week) said, "Well, I'd say you've grown, but I don't think you have!" While she might not be making leaps and bounds in the growth department, she is growing up in every other way imaginable.

Sleep:

Macey is still in limbo between one and two naps per day. The vast majority of days, she takes two. If she refuses her afternoon nap, though, I don't sweat it-- I just take her out of her crib after giving her about 30 minutes to fall asleep (she doesn't fuss or cry; she just walks around yelling and playing) and put her to bed earlier at night. I actually look forward to transitioning to one nap and having a more open schedule, but I'm also trying not to rush her and let her make the transition naturally.

At night, Macey sleeps anywhere from 10.5-12 hours straight. Thank you, Matt, my sleep training superhero.

Breastfeeding/Weaning:

Obviously, Macey is completely night weaned. During the day, she will nurse 3-4 times. I know she is capable of going without breastmilk-- yesterday, we were at the zoo all day and she never asked to nurse. So, she had gone 10 hours without nursing by the time we got home. If I keep her busy and active, she doesn't think about it. However, if we're home during the day, and especially if I'm sitting on the floor playing with her, she'll march right over and demand "boo". I am completely relaxed about this weaning process-- I have no deadline, I feel no pressure, and I'm just going with the flow. She takes a sippy cup like a champ and seems to enjoy whole milk, so I imagine we'll be done breastfeeding in a couple more months.

Physical Milestones:

We've reached the running phase. Gone are the days of the wobbly walk; now I hold my breath as she runs down the sidewalk outside. I can't count the number of times she's skinned her knees over the past couple of months. Guess how many times she's cried about it? Zero. This girl just gets right back up and keeps on going. She continues to be totally fearless-- well, except for one thing: swings. She is terrified of swinging! So far, swings are the one and only thing I've found that intimidate my tough girl.

Verbal milestones:

Macey is a talker. This, as you might remember, is an entirely different experience for me; Camden had a single word at 13 months old. Macey has nearly 20 and makes some animal sounds too. At 13 months old, her words include: Mama, Dada, Daddy, Nan, Pop, poop, eye, bye, ball, boo (for boobie), hi, go, hot, bug, duck, cat, and bat. She also neighs like a horse and meows like a cat. Yesterday at the zoo, she was meowing at the giraffes which was hilariously adorable.

Food:

Food is an area where I always struggle at this age. For me, it's always been tough to transition from the pureed baby food to healthy table foods that a picky toddler will actually eat. The foods that Macey will generally eat pretty reliably include: pancakes, muffins, yogurt, dry cereal, mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, graham crackers, crackers with peanut butter, various pasta dishes, any kind of diced chicken, green beans, peas, puffs, and Arrowroot cookies. I am determined to get her to eat bananas and avocados (two of Camden's favorites at this age and they continue to be two staples of his diet today) but so far, no luck. I think it's a texture thing; she picks them up with her hand, squishes them, and puts them back down. I'll keep trying.

Miscellaneous:

Macey is a little entertainer who has never met a stranger. If someone looks in her direction, she will smile and say, "Hiiii!" Just yesterday at the zoo, we were on a fairly crowded bus and Macey was sitting on my lap. I saw that she was smiling and scrunching up her nose at someone and I looked over to see a couple smiling and waving at her. She was enjoying being the center of attention and providing them with some bus ride entertainment.

Macey is also a little mischievous. It's not uncommon for us to look over and see her watching us while shaking her head no. She will then proceed to do whatever it is that she knows is a "no no"-- usually it involves scaling furniture of some sort. It's like she's telling us, "I know I'm not supposed to do this, but I just can't fight the urge."

This girl is airplane obsessed. Whenever we are outside, she will freeze the second she hears one overhead (we live near an airport, so there's a pretty steady stream of airplanes most of the time) and she'll point excitedly. Speaking of obsessions, her number one obsession is being outside. Anytime she hears the front or back door open, she will book it to the open door as fast as her tiny legs will carry her and will have a serious meltdown if she's not allowed outside. Needless to say, we spend a lot of time outside these days.

Macey and Camden are big buddies. I'm so glad for both of them that they have each other. They spend a lot of time every day chasing each other around the house, riding cars out back, and just laughing at each other. Witnessing their love for each other and watching their friendship develop is my favorite thing about being a mom of two.