Month 19: She's a Big Girl Now
Our Month 19 highlights are slightly delayed, and there's a lot to cover. Let's get to it!
Toby and I started attending music class together this month - our first structured activity. It's a Music Together program, which relies on parents/caregivers as models for the kids to learn from. In our session, it's basically just the instructor and me singing. (Maybe it's just easier to pick out my voice in a room full of women and children.) I'm doing my best to show Toby that it's cool to participate (which feels unnatural to me). Toby loves it. She definitely has rhythm!
Szuyin can coax an entire set of ABCs out of Toby by singing one letter at a time and waiting for a response. Obviously, you have to be a generous listener, but she will make sounds for every letter. We love her 'W' most.
Little Miss Big Girl is very attached to her stuffed cat Lolo. She used to stay in the crib all day, but now she's a free-range cat and, for her protection, I sometimes have to break Toby's little heart and keep Lolo inside while we go on an outing. I worry what would happen if we lose her - there have been a few times when Toby has woken up in the night and couldn't find Lolo and it was a CRISIS.
In her best bout of speaking to date, she tried to talk her way out of a nap by yelling "diaper change, dada!" She did not need a diaper change. She just wanted to come out of her room. But maybe she understands that I am not willing to risk having that need go un-met.
The door to screen time is starting to creep open. Toby will ask us for "meow meows" or geckos on the TV because we've shown her some YouTube videos. (She's been really into geckos ever since her Aunt Ashley took a cool photo of one.) Also, the word "gecko" does not come easily, but she is determined. And, when I say that Toby "asks" us...
She has this cute little way to announce that something's going to happen. Whenever she decides that she'd like to go outside, for example, she just stops what she's doing, says "walk," holds out her hand, and affirms this new fact of her life by saying "yeah!" and nodding emphatically. I don't know how much longer it'll be cute.
This nineteenth month has been a very fun one. We had holidays, and a visit from Uncle Chase and Aunt Ashley, and the resumption of weekly story time at the library. Toby and her neighbor friends are figuring out how to actually play together, not just be put near each other for photos. She's healthy, and growing, and getting quicker and quicker in every way. We have a tiny little toddler toilet in the house, but it's not quite time for potty-training yet.
In summary: yeah, we're having a lot of fun out here.
Thanks for reading!