18 months and counting!

We've hit our 18 month birthday with breakneck speed and are gaining on month 19 with a voracious pace.  Hannah has moved up in the world of toddlers as she learns new things every day.  We suffered some illness over these past few months with a wicked cold right after Christmas, then Mom had flu, Hannah had light flue, Dad had flu and then Dad had some other gastro bug again. 

         Hannah had some tummy discomfort with cutting teeth and then ran a fever which inspired us to trek off the the pediatrician who discovered an ear infection which prompted the first application of antibiotics in her little body.  She was a champ and never fought the

meds except for the very first application.  This has been a fun stretch as she is defining who she is more and more with each  passing day.  She discovers things on her own and has started coming over to me when she wants a participant and pulls on my pant leg or pats on my leg to get my attention.  She has a fine personality for a tea party and hosts very well.  She shares with "Caroline" the bear very well and  makes sure everyone is well fed with all the same spoon:)  She is running now as well as climbing and hopping a little bit.  She can put her socks on when she really really concentrates and still has a fondness for books.  She has begun to look at cookbooks and books with pictures of live animals rather than animated ones and does a fabulous job of identifying those animals when you ask her.  She loves balls of all kinds and if it looks like a ball at all, she will attempt to carry it off.  She loves tools and machines and is a great help in the kitchen (no, really she is!).  She helps unload the silverware from the dishwasher and put dishes in the sink and as I cut things up she will put them in the pot or bowl, too.  She loves to help crack eggs and does pretty well for her age with a wisk and rubber spatula! She can mop the floor with two mops....one in front and one behind, fingerpaint or brush paint and helped Dad paint the walls in the dining room.  She has figured out that she can see herself in hats in the mirror and then kisses the beautiful baby:)  She also discovered that if she looks around in the mirror she can see what is going on behind her.  She is pretty handy with her spoon now and is a pro at food moving (moving items from where they began to another spot.  ie:  mashed potatoes on top of her broccoli).  She is learning to use the camera and musically she loves her keyboard from Uncle Doug and just figured out how to make the recorder sing by saying "Whoooo" in the mouthpiece like an owl.  She has a fabulous apron and chef hat she wears when we cook and now knows how to imitate Mom putting on lipstick. 

When we travel places she is really recognizing where we are when we get there now, too.  The Library, the Playground and Grandma's house seem to be favorites.  She identifies everyone in the pictures we have on the walls when you ask her and will talk to the pics in her room when she first wakes up.  We had relocated her into the office for a few weeks while we worked on some things in her room and she enjoyed waking up and looking at the big 75 gallon fish tank that houses our 20 year old Pirana "Fred".  So we had decided that we put a 10 gallon tank in her room here in the near future.  Lastly, we took a virgin ride in a "Car Cart" at the grocery.  You know the one with the car on the front end of it?  It was like going from a Toyota to a Box truck for Mommy but she just loved it!  She turned the wheel and beeped the horns the whole way.

Her last check up put her at 35" long, 23 lbs 12 oz.  She is cutting 2 eye teeth and 4 molars all at once right now but for the most part you would never know it.  She is a very pleasant child though not overly excitable.  She is very confident in trying new things and loves to watch and play alongside other kids.  Her motor skills are all developing great and to Dad's pride she is definately a Columbus Blue Jackets fan!

She has been tolerating adult surroundings very well as we have continued with some doctor visits with Grandma here lately and will be at the hospital on the 6th of April for open heart surgery with Grandma, too.  The Lord shines through this little one and brings many people joy and I feel honored to sit by and see it happen.  She makes so many people at the hospital smile whenever we are there and the nurses love her.  One nurse even gave her a little cat the last time we were there, which is right up her alley!  Hannah loves kitty cats and stalks the neighbors cats whenever she can:)  Anyhow, I suppose that's enough to share for now.  We are enjoying our time together and watching and learning from her as she watches and learns about the world around her.  So to all you reading  this, keep in touch and we'll update again soon!