Hooray, Miss H has celebrated her half birthday, making her a big ol’ 18 month old! I feel like she’s officially moved into toddler-hood, and we’re finding that toddlers come with both challenges and fun.

What has amazed me lately is how much Miss H understands – she’s a sponge soaking up everything we say. When I’m prepping food in the kitchen, it’s fun to send her off looking for different items – “Miss H, go find me your green truck” – and off she trots to find her truck. It’s a great game that keeps her busy and also shows me how much she pays attention. She’s also counting “1-2-3” and making it up to “TUV” in the alphabet! So fun. But I think my most favorite, favorite thing out of the past month is Miss H starting to call me “Mommy.” It’s just too cute!

We’re still waiting on Miss H’s next set of teeth – she’s had all the signs of teething for quite a while, but those pesky canines haven’t shown themselves yet.

Our “state of the family” right now is this:

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What we’ve learned:  I think a year and a half in, it’s official: kids are a lot of work! Obviously this isn’t something we just learned, but as Miss H continues to grow so does the work. We’re cooking more for her, we still do a million loads of laundry, and we’re chasing her around all over the house, neighborhood and park. It’s exhausting! Fun exhausting, but still wears you out by the end of the day.

What we’re enjoying right now: Miss H is just fun to be around. It’s fun watching her play and see how she entertains herself. She loves dancing and spinning in circles! She’s a goof.

What our biggest struggles are: A frustrated Miss H. As happy and lighthearted as she is, Miss H also has super stubborn streaks (umm, like her parents!) and wants to call the shots. Obviously, we try and find a balance with that, but sometimes we have to make the ultimate decision – “No, you can’t jump on the chair!” She gets so, so mad at us and I know we’re just in the early stages of starting to discipline.

What has been Miss H’s most exciting milestone: The other day Miss H was holding her two loveys in her hand. She held them up and said “One lovey. Two lovey. Two loveys!” I was astounded. I have no clue if she actually realized she was counting, but I like to believe she knew exactly what she was saying (proud mama, I guess!).

What we’re looking forward to: I’m still awaiting more arts and crafts time. We can get Miss H interested in coloring a little bit, but it doesn’t hold her attention for very long. Maybe this winter?