17 months

17 months and the Little One...
...has discovered the magical world of dress ups
...pulls her mama and dada out of bed in the mornings (off, off) and spends the day grabbing our hands, guiding us to whatever is next on her agenda
...rode a bus and a carousel for the first time (all in the same weekend)
...had her first full(ish) day at childcare (she slept for an hour, played fearlessly on the play equipment and practically high-fived the carers on her way out...mama nursed a headache for most of the morning from crying so hard in the car park)
...will read any book put in front of her, but some clear favourites at the moment are We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Hairy Maclary (K does a mean Scarface Claaaaaw), Good Night Sleep Tight, and If You're Happy and You Know It
...bids her farewells ever so cheerfully (ta ta taaaa with a few flicks of the wrist)
...fetches her bowl and spoon and helps to make her weetbix every morning (before putting the weetbix in the bowl she can't help herself and takes a bite - every time!)
...sings her mama the most beautiful tunes on their nature walks
...surprises her parents by showing them how much much joy they can feel in just one day

*The girl is ice cream mad, so in an effort to use that to my advantage I made some creamy coconut, banana and blueberry ice blocks. Needless to say, they were a Big Hit and Super Easy. Blend one banana, 1/4 cup of coconut cream, 1/4 frozen berries, 3/4 cup of yogurt and a good healthy drizzle of honey. Freeze in 4 small ice block moulds. Recipe from this little gem (I halve it to fit in this old guy). They don't last long as K and I eat them for dessert too. I'm a little sad I came to the ice block party so late in the season though...

15 months

15 months and the Little One...
...loves to create a bit of abstract art...her favourite colour to draw with is yellow (she reaches straight for the yellow crayon every time)
...climbs on and off the sofa like it aint no thang
...felt the utter delight that is running under the sprinkler on a balmy summer eve for the first time
...has mastered some more pretty cute words (angel, pear, purple, moon, star, hippo, Humpty, Mima, egg, click when holding up her camera...) and keeps adding to her repertoire of animal sounds: owl (ooot ooohh), fish (opens and closes mouth with little pops), and bee (uuuz, uuuuz) are some of our favourites
...now walks up the stairs to our letterboxes without holding onto my hand (boo hoo)
...shows determination and focus when playing with the shape sorter, still loves making 'cups of tea' for anyone who will throw one back, but she'd spend all her days reading books or having books read to her if she could
...makes her mama and dada feel big joy and the dazzle of happy hearts

14 months

14 months and the Little One...

...entertains us with her animal sounds - oink (with a crazy tongue roll) and roar (always whispered) are some of the favourites
...astounds us with her words (hat, apple, shoe, por favor, teddy, agua) and song lines (e-i-e-i-o, row row, roll over)

...has a fire in her (Brazilian) belly, and has thrown some thoroughly dramatic tantrums (just like her mama, I'm told)
...loves to play lady (wear a necklace, carry a bag or poach mama's hat)

...understands more than we realise
...sometimes wakes us up with noisy kisses
...will happily eat weetbix, lentil burgers and pikelets

...went on her first $2 ride (and I guess there's no turning back...)
...makes her mama and dada feel oh so lucky, oh so grateful

*Can you tell I've given up trying to get a shot where she's looking into the camera? These photos taken in JanMa's front yard, where again, there are many little friends to say hello to, hiding about the place. The wombat family near the front steps are clear favourites and they each get a kiss.

13 (and a bit) months

13 (and a bit) months and the Little One...
...no longer walks, she runs
...has settled into a blissful daytime nap routine (for now!)
...sings along to 5 Little Ducks (wack, wack, wack, wack), 10 in the Bed (wol o wa, wol o wa), Fish and Mice (barks out little sounds when the children repeat the words Holly sings)
...is right into lids (on, off, on, off), her new tea set, the yellow Fisher Price bus, Teddy Oswald (teddor), the hose or watering can, listening to her two cds (this and this), and of course, the camera
...dances, oh she dances (every time Dada walks through the door we've started doing a little jig)
...loves scrambled eggs, happy cow cheese, yakult (sugar and mini bottle = what a combo!), and steamed broccoli (finally, a win)
...met her Uncle Rich for the first time and charmed the pants off him

...thinks jumping is the funniest. thing. ever.
...delights and amuses her parents every day

*I hope you can see the little animated photo at the bottom? I just love the look she gives in the third photo of the sequence...I'm not a technical person at all, but that was super easy to do. Watch out! I'm addicted!
**The perfectionist in me wants to point out that a (retrospective) 12 month post is coming soon!

11 (and a bit) months

11 (and a bit) months and the Little One...
...is still taking a few steps between her mama and papa's outstretched arms...the running hasn't begun yet...
...dances like crazy to Little Peter Rabbit on the nursery rhyme CD
...is obsessed with stairs, dogs, birds and the puddle at the end of the driveway
...loves breakfast the most (girl after her mama's heart)
...giggles and giggles at her papa's booking reading performances 
...is happiest exploring outside
...misses her JanMa and Grandfather (road tripping in the States) oh so much
...charms her parents every day 

10 months

10 months and the Little One...
...is turning into a super eater, especially when it comes to finger foods (vegemite on toast is number one)
...has started to wave (it's right up there with peekaboo on the cuteness factor)...and will even wave goodbye to her toothbrush when we pop it away bathroom medicine cabinet...
...is often found under a table, chair, the bed...
...moved into her cot for day naps and the first sleep of the night
...walks with her wooden block trolley (with a bit of guidance)
...hands you book after book, and will happily sit and have you read the same story again, and again, and again (this makes my heart so happy)
...says mama, dada, behbeh (baby in Peepo), flower, agbar (?) and many other beautiful little sounds
...points this way, points that way...
...is sporting 5 'pegs now
...threw a top little tanty coming home from a playdate (oh my, has it started already?)
...has free reign of the living area, but still loves to find a spot at my feet on the kitchen floor
...is crazy about other babies and children
...has stolen her parents hearts (they will never be the same)

*Photos featuring two of the latest favourite toys - both from oppies. A red and white rattle (of the old fashioned kind - I had one similar as a baby - does anyone else remember these?) and a wooden toy car (the knob at on the bonnet is always thoroughly inspected).

9 months

9 months and the Little One...
...is a crawler and a climber
...plays with the mantra: dissemble, destruct, and destroy
...has a thing for sweet potato, doesn't mind a bit of yogurt, and will always eat avocado (but not much else)
...spent a sad night in Emergency with a bad case of croup (etched in my mind is the image of a little girl on a big big hospital bed)
...stops what's she's doing, freezes, and her eyes glaze over with pleasure whenever you lightly stroke the back of her neck
...has mastered not only the asylum rock, but now pulls out the old jailbird rock when Papa comes home at night (pulling herself up on the gate near the stairs and rocking from side to side, with a bit of crazy head)
...hides and plays peekaboo (this never gets tiring and is one of those things that is just as adorable every time, right?)
...is fascinated by the fridge and magnets (I really must get onto making some of these)
...makes her mama and papa smile more than they ever have before (more than they could have imagined)

*Photos taken at JanMa's and Grandfather's house where all the plastic Fisher Price garage sale toys live. Still, it was the play mirror that was the biggest hit. Little madam.

8.5 months

8.5 months and the Little One...
...had her first plane ride and taste of sunny Queensland
...is on the move...climbing up, down, sliding backwards, rolling...attempting a crawl (so close) but prefers to walk, gripping tightly on your hands, swinging those Botticelli legs
...laughs when there's laughter (sometimes being hilariously forced bellows)
...seeks out small, teeny tiny things of interest (fluff, food crumbs, small buttons on clothing)
...busies her index finger and makes a low constant murmur when concentrating
...loves toys she can shake, like her confetti egg and maraca, and reading books that call for animal sounds
...chatters 'dada dada dada'. all. day. long.
...was fascinated with the cats that visited Uncle John and Aunty Mary's apartment
...had a tough few days with those pesky front teeth coming through
...continues to melt her mama and papa's hearts, growing more beautiful by the day

*This post was a little late as we were away on the 11th. Couldn't resist layering a holiday suit for this months's photos. She'll grow out of them soon...Oh my, it feels like only yesterday Little Sister sent the Little One To Be the sailor romper. Will post some holiday (and more romper!) pics soon.

7 months

7 months and the Little One...
...has graduated from eating books to listening to them being read (Where is the Green Sheep, My Dad and Goodnight Moon are clear favourites)
...entertains us by making music with her bottom lip and doing the 'asylum rock'
...is only interested in grazing on her purees and porridges (her favourite is apple and berry bircher muesli)
...stands up by holding onto the side of the toy basket, wobbling around with a big grin and cheeky giggles
...is mesmerised by older children, especially her 3 cousins and her little friends Iris and Sofia
...has new rides - a black Safe and Sound compaq in the Golf and a hot red one in JanMa's little Fiat
...loves a good roly poly on the bed
...said farewell to her little 'village' neighbour, Remy, but promised to visit him in Melbourne sometime soon
...makes her mama and papa giddy with happiness every day