Cinco de Ruthie Months 12-16.5

I had every intention of doing a 12-15 month update and a 15-18 month update, but here we are with a 16 1/2 month old and I think its about time! I have missed doing the monthly updates and she has changed so much over the past 4 months its been so much fun to watch!

Since she turned a year old up to now, she loves:

-Still Chloe, especially when Chloe is getting in trouble

-balloons

-skype, she gets so excited when she hears the skype 'ring' or we tell her its time to call Grandma/Grandpa or Gigi or Papa. We're so thankful for skype!

-her blankies. I keep thinking she was needing a blankie and when I saw the luna lullaby muslin blankets on baby steals I bought the three pack thinking that would be great for her and her sister. Wrong. Ruthie thinks all three are great for her. She sleeps with 2 of them and one stays in the car. She absolutely loves them and I kicked myself for not getting them sooner.

-to be tickled, thrown in the air, have her tummy drop. She's still our thrill seeker, the higher and faster the better

-to pretend to feed her baby's. She always shares her milk with them unprompted, its really cute

-she's doing great sharing. She'll share her paci, milk, water, blankies, etc. She always wants them back, but its a start!

-the beach and the waves. She runs straight for the water and has absolutely no fear. She has been knocked over, dunked, swallowed water, all the things I would think she would hate but she just laughs and heads right back in. She doesn't even mind the salt water in her eyes. Its all really cute, but I'm anxious for her to learn to swim when she's old enough.

-to sing! She started doing this when we were in the mountains, we were singing row row row your boat, and she started singing row row row row row row row, it was so cute. Joel and I couldn't get enough of it. Whenever we singing the wheels on the bus, she starts singing row row row row. I really want to get it on video.

-She's starting to really like to do hand motions to songs, head shoulders, knees and toes, wheels on the bus, patty cake, etc.

-Elmo. L O V E S Elmo. LOVES LOVES LOVES Elmo. Pretty much sums it up! Mickey too, but Elmo big time now.

Size:

Height: 31"-61%

Weight: 23 pounds, 50%

Sleep:

My girl loves her sleep and she has really been a fantastic sleeper lately. She is still sleeping from about 7pm-7am

Naps:

She is still taking two naps and I keep thinking we'll transition to one, but she's still hanging on to both. Most days if we're home, she'll sleep from about 9:30-10:45am, and again from 1:30-3:30 somedays I have to go in and wake her up after 4pm! If we're out and about, she skips the morning nap and usually naps from about 12:30pm-3:30pm or 4pm.

Eating:

She is such a super eater, we are so thankful. She really has been eating about as much as Joel and I from a major growth spurt. She loves pretty much everything. A few of her absolute favorites are grapes, tomatoes, cheese, brown rice, sushi (just california rolls), pb&j and grilled cheese sandwiches. The few things she'll tolerate but isn't crazy about are: still bananas, green beans, juice (no complaints here), and anything I overdo. If I give her something meal after meal, she gets sick of it and won't eat it (not that I can blame her). She likes sweets okay, but would pretty much rather have a grape tomato over a cookie anyday. Daddy's girl (thankfully)

She absolutely loves water. She doesn't care about juice as I mentioned but water she just will drink and drink. Its funny and we're really glad she does!

Mobility:

-She is a runner! My girl can move! She is all over the place and loving her freedom. She loves to climb and her Daddy can't wait until he can take her rock climbing which we're both pretty sure she's going to love and be great at. We're working on going down stairs, but we're not there yet.

Nicknames:

Ruthie Lou

Words:

She has really amped up the talking over the past month. She says, Mama, Dada, Chlo Chlo, ruff ruff, moo, neigh, bock bock (chicken sound), baa baa, go go (says this one a lot!!), no no (Mainly if Chloe is barking), yeah and quite a few other animal sounds. She also has her own language with words like turshk, urshk, urgah. She knows exactly what she's saying and I'm certain if I could interpret it would make sense ;-)

Signs:

She signs more, please, all done, milk and we're working on thank you. When were in the car, she'll start signing all done, its cute that she understands.

Teeth:

Almost a mouthful! She's got 14 through, top/bottom 4, 4 molars and 2 bottom canines. I think the upper canines are coming in, but now that the bottoms are in, when I try and feel them I get bitten!

Other:

-She loves loves loves playing a nighttime game with Joel. She'll cry and cry until I'm holding her at bedtime, then as soon as Joel leaves the room, she'll start giggling and staring at the door until Joel plays peek a boo with the door. As soon as she sees him she busts out laughing until he does it again and again and again. She loves it and it is so cute.

-She's started making silly faces on purpose. Here is one, sort of, it progresses into a scrunched nose and puckered lips. I have to get a pictures of the full face, its too cute.

-She really loves to go outside and ride in her car that we push around.

-She's not so into going for walks anymore I think because she doesn't want to be confined. When I was sick we didn't go at all for over a month and I think she just needs to get used to it again. We're going to need to work on it before her sister comes to town, since I think we're going to be walking a lot!

-Her hair is starting to come in! The mullet still grows at an exponential rate compared to the rest of it, but the top of her head is now about an inch long. I'll take it. I've cut the mullet three times now and its due again.

-She does not like it when she is in close proximity to anyone and they laugh loudly. It scares her completely and she falls to pieces. It is pitiful and I have no idea what to do to get her more used to this and also learn that laughing is happy, regardless of the volume.

-She also really doesn't like loud screams, screeches, or yelling and again, she falls to pieces.

-It takes her a while to warm up to people. If you ignore her, she will love you. She's gone in and out of separation anxiety and now we're back in it. She pretty much stays within 5 feet of me at all times (which I'm thankful for whenever we're not at home).

-She has been an angel with this house renovation. Our house is torn up completely and she has been a great listener and stayed pretty much out of what she needed to stay out of. It has made this so much easier.

-She is a mess!! She doesn't care one single bit about being dirty, covered in food, etc. She loves to be playing in the dirt. A puddle is even better.

-She thinks its hilarious to stand on one foot and also to jump. She still doesn't leave the ground when she jumps which I absolutely love.

-She also thinks its hilarious when you shoo a fly. Absolutely hysterical.

I can't believe how big she is and all that she's doing. Every day continues to be better and more fun and we are absolutely loving this stage of life!