Dear Addison - 21 Month Update

Dear Addison,
It has been a loooooong time since I have had time to sit and write about how much and how fast you are growing up! You are now 21 months old and that 'big girl' number 2 is coming up too quickly!

So much has happened since I last wrote, you were only 13 months old then!
The biggest physical milestone - walking - happened at 15 months. You stood up one day all by your self and balanced there for about 30 seconds before falling down. You did that a few more times then the next night you took a bunch of steps, then walked down the whole hallway, falling on your bum every few steps. You were off after that and it only took a few weeks for you to get really comfortable and become a pro. You are now experimenting with climbing, you can climb up and down all stairs confidently and are practicing with ladders. Playgrounds are a big hit, lots of switching from swing to see-saw to slide, back to swing. I have multiple heart-stopping moments each trip we take when you take risks that I am not ready for like running in front of moving swings. 'Welcome to parent-hood' I hear you all saying!

Marmite-faced summer splashing

Another thing we get a lot of comments on are your teeth! You decided to get most of your teething done in one big lot. You had 8 teeth when you turned one and two months later you had 16. It was a rough two months of teething powder and pamol and lots of night wakings but after those 8 teeth came through you were good as gold. Now we just need the second set of molars to come through and we are doneski. You have a beautiful cheeky grin.

Helping me bake a cake - most important job!

Your hair is growing in well now, you have a decent amount of length in the back and a little bit on top. I can put in a couple of pigtails or a ponytail at the back and it turns you into a big girl straight away. You aren't a big fan of hair washing and have developed a couple of little dreads at the back of your head. So cute but so frustrating so they have been chopped out and saved. You have blonde hair that is a couple of shades lighter than Mummys and it looks like it will be a little bit wavy like hers too.

You are now talking like a pro too, around 14-15 months came a few words - stuck, Mummy, Daddy, Dight (Dwight the soft toy), more, mmmmm, no, appy (nappy), car, and you have taken off since. I can understand most of what you try and say and you will make a good effort most times to copy the word. We have had a couple of times when you strung a few words together and you are good at associating things too 'Daddy - bye-bye- big truck -gone' when Dave goes to work. We also get a lot of 'uh-oh' 'oopsies' and 'oh-no' which is super cute. Right now you are awesome at saying please and thank you when prompted - long may that last! It is awesome to watch your brain develop and make connections with words. I estimate you can say just over 100 words at the moment which is awesome!

Twinning with your cousin

Blanket fort

Your baby sign has pretty much transitioned to words now, you still sign for food/hungry while saying 'eat' and getting your lunch bag, drink is one you use a word for and please you will usually say and sign at the same time. Those were the main signs we taught you and I am so glad we did. You clearly enjoy being understood and your knowledge of routine is pretty awesome.

Sleeping is going pretty well too, we have a pretty solid bedtime routine - nappy change/jammies, into sleep sack, teeth brushed while having some stories read to you, drink then bed with your 'friends'. You play in your cot for a while before drifting off and lately have been waking up a couple of times in the night because you have taken your socks off, thrown a toy or three out of the cot or managed to half take off your clothes. Sometimes all of the above. But once we go in and sort you back out you drift back off quite happily. I am so, so thankful that you are a pretty good sleeper. We are starting to think about either taking the side off your cot or bringing in your single bed - crazy stuff!

Unique sense of style

Best way to eat yoghurt

Personality wise you are a beautiful soul with a very unique view of the world. You are quite wary of new things and still cry when you see some strange men. You like to have mum or dad close in a new environment or situation and will cuddle up to us for the first wee while until you feel comfortable enough to explore. At home you run around like a wild thing transporting and fetching things and moving them from room to room, playing tea parties, riding your trike, pushing your trolley and generally creating mess wherever you go. You love to be read to, you love dancing and nursery rhymes, you love being outside and you love wearing gumboots. You have your dads sense of humour and laugh a lot. You also have a very clear way of doing things. You wake up every morning and straight away ask for your socks to be on, then your boots. Only certain soft toy friends are allowed to be in your cot at night. Mum and Dad MUST put socks and shoes on as soon as possible. You ask us hopefully every day if you are going in the pram or the car. You are adorable and learning so much about the world.

I am excited to see what the next few days and months hold, you learn so quickly and each day is different than the last. We are so lucky to be your parents Addison!

xx Mum and Dad