16 months!

We haven't done an update on sweet Delaney since her birthday (that I recall), so I thought we should do a post on her to catch everyone up to speed.

Stats:  I'm not exactly sure, but at her 15-month check up, she was 22 lbs and 31 inches.  This comes out to her being in the 70th percentile for height and 39th for weight.  Looking at her, you would think that was backwards.  I'm just saying....the girl is packing a belly and a butt!  It does appear that milk does the body good, as she's no longer considered a shorty.

She has 4 teeth that are visible to the casual observer.  Actually, just the bottom 2 can really be seen when she smiles, but if you turn her upside down and tickle her a lot so she laughs, you can see that she has a third tooth on the front of the top row coming in and one on each side in the back has poked through.  So, we are technically at a grand total of 7 teeth.  Don't feel bad for her-- I assure you, it does not slow her down at meal time.

Skills:  She is on the verge of running.  Sometimes she takes off, as if to run, but gets tripped up a bit.  So, it's a work in progress.  She is a very fast walker though.  She has a good grasp on some important sign language words:  "More," "Please," and "Thank you."  As far as actual words: we have a few favorites "Hi,"  "Bye-Bye,"  "Uh-oh," (which totally counts when living with a toddler), "Puppa" for Puppy, "duh" for duck, "mama" which I think she really is trying to say "more" because the only time I hear it is when there is food out of her reach, "dada" and "du-dus" for Justus.  She knows several of the animal noises--dog and cow are her favorite.  She will try to climb just about anything, so we've learned.  Oh, and she's very organized and likes to clean up (Thank you, God, for this reward!).  If a drawer is even cracked open, she will go over and close it, and clap for her accomplishment.  She knows where to put her dirty diaper after we change and where her dirty clothes go.  Order and organization are good in her mind.  We'll reserve judgment on OCD tendencies a bit longer...

Loves:  Justus, of course.  Her new interest and a close second--SHOES!  Well, and food.  Still not one to play with a bunch of toys, she loves following her brother around.  Yesterday morning she walked right in our room and over to him, turned around, and plopped herself down right in his lap.  It was really cute.  She also has this new obsession with shoes.  If you know me, and the size shoe I wear (clearning throat, cough, 12, ahem), you would know that this presents a problem.  When I shoe shop, I don't really have the luxury of finding a great pair of cute shoes.  I basically ask the kind clerk to show me all the shoes in my size that they have in stock.  Once said clerk overcomes the visible shock and awe that people women actually wear that size, he or she usually brings out maybe 4-7 boxes and I might walk away with one.  On a good day.  From a store FULL of shoes.  So, this shoe craze, and it is nothing shy of a craze, has mommy a little nervous.  I will have to video our morning prep for you one day and post it because there is no adequate explanation for how much this kid loves her shoes (and how picky she is about which ones she will wear each day).  Food would be the other focus.  I swear, she knows when it is almost, but not yet quite, time to eat.  If she realizes I'm cooking, she starts crying and doesn't stop until the first bite of food hits her mouth.  Same can be said for going through a drive thru, as much as I hate to admit it.  She immediately starts making the sign for more, and will fuss until food is presented to her for consumption.  She's particularly fond of the carbs.  If you are around this one and have a piece of bread, watch out!  She also loves her friends at school.  Apparently, she and this other little girl, Kelly, are very close.  I was told yesterday that at nap time, they were two teenagers at a sleepover.  Oh. Lawd!  Already?  I'm glad she's social, as is Justus, but I'm afraid the "She's a sweet girl, but awfully chatty" note will be coming home from school sooner rather than later.  Not that I'm familiar with such a note.  Because I never got one like that.  Ever.

As has been the case for the last 16 months, she is the light of our world and just the most scrumptious thing ever.  I cannot get enough of her.  I told Kidd yesterday that I adore Justus and think he is so handsome and an amazing young man, but there is something about her--I just want to squeeze her because she's the cutest thing I've ever seen (no, I'm not at all biased)!  Perhaps it's because she doesn't really talk yet....