18 Months: Emaline Right Now

Like many parents, Nick and I started making guesses about Emaline's personality before we ever laid eyes on her. The surprising part is how much of what we thought is turning out to be true. She is sweet, loving, and affectionate. And at the same time, she is brave, stubborn, and active. She wants you to cuddle her when she first gets up and before she goes to bed. She offers hugs and kisses throughout the day. When she is upset, she will pat your back as you pat hers. Last week at her well-check (they're not called checkups anymore apparently), the nurse came in to administer shots and when she saw Emaline, turned to the other nurse and said, "She's little but this one is surprisingly strong." I was so proud.

Nicknames:
Baby J
Ema-J
Ema Jo
Embot
Monkey
Em
Ema
Emaloo
Loola

I wish I had been writing these updates all along, but right now is such a fun age. Emaline is so busy! She zips around the house on wobbly legs. She moves from one thing to the next as though she actually has something that must get done. She talks nonstop and will attempt to say any word you ask. She has probably 50 words and it grows everyday. She says "bless you" when I sneeze (but when you fake it, won't respond) and says "okay?" if she thinks I am hurt. And for awhile now, when she hands Nick and I anything, we say, "Thank you. You are so helpful". So now she searches for things to pick up and carry around saying, "helpful, helpful" (which sounds like (hapfoo, hapfoo). Laundry, dishes, any household chores, she wants her little hands in there. 

Favorite words:

Mama

Dada
Toby (Boby)
Baby
Nose
Eyes
No
Hi
Helpful
Grandpa (Gampa or Buppa)

Her favorite things are books and music. She loves to pull my books off the shelves and carries them around the house with her all day. She will sit with her own books and turn the pages. She will hand me stacks of books and then push her way onto my lap. She sings along with the radio, even if she's never heard the song. If she is upset in the car and we put on a song she likes, not only will she stop crying, she will start singing. She dances in the living room. And I know the current kick is no screen time but Sesame Street songs on YouTube and Play With Me Sesame on Sprout have gotten us through so many long days and rough nights. 

Favorite songs to sing:
ABCs
Twinkle Twinkle
Row Row
You are My Sunshine
Happy by Pharrell
Lost in My Mind by Head and the Heart
Halo by Beyonce
How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep by Bombay Bicycle Club

Did you miss: My attempt at changing the way I talk? The early days?