I realized this week that twenty months isn’t really that far from twenty four months, which means Caroline’s birthday is coming up. I’m not even going to pretend I’m sad about it – I’m too excited about getting to throw a party (I’m thinking winter/arctic fairy wonderland in white and red plus some puffins and whales and narwhals because, duh). Plus she’s already seemed like a big girl for so long now it hardly makes a difference if she IS actually a big girl. The only down side is I don’t get to blow strangers away with her awesomeness, although that hasn’t been happening too much lately since I think she hit a growth spurt and has super super long legs so she doesn’t look tiny. I HOPE she hit a growth spurt, since her normal breakfast is three scrambled eggs, an apple, toast, a cheese stick and a bowl of cereal. JUST FOR BREAKFAST.

She’s still pretending she wants to potty train, but only enough to be kind of a pain in the ass – last night at dinner she INSISTED she had to poop on the potty, which she totally did, but then she pooped again. In the bathtub. On purpose. Because she thinks that’s hilarious. I think I’m going to give her through mid-September and then I’m switching to underwear and we’re going to do this more seriously. Things are just too hectic right now to do it entirely on my own. Oh yeah, and, I’m lazy.

We’ve been going to the playground a lot lately, although all Caroline does is swing. The whole time. Just swing. While shouting “HIGHER!” at me and screaming if I try to walk away for even a second to help her brother not break his arm on the monkey bars. How dare I!? Worst Mother Ever. But she loves swinging so very much I can’t stop taking her. I pushed her for an hour and a half yesterday and she still screamed when I made her leave (to go eat blueberry pancakes. Someone call CPS!!) Who loves something so boring THAT MUCH?

Her other favorite things include her pink sparkle shoes, creepy dolly, OTHER creepy dolly, Minne Mouse, both of her blankies, apples, plums, eggs, reading books, my singing voice (bless her), dancing, kitties, whales, grapes, Octonauts, napping in my bed, arguing, saying NO, running, splashing, babies, the zoo, aoudads (at the zoo), cheese and having people tell her she’s pretty.

Dislikes include having a dirty diaper, half of her clothes, not having enough eggs, not reading books and not swinging.

These pictures are kind of not great and all over the place but between the swinging and the blueberry pancakes we were Very Busy And Important today, so I had to do them right before bedtime.

She insisted on wearing her crown…as a garter. And then biting it.

Hi neighbors!!

Double trouble

Daredevil baby is always covered in bruises

Happy 20th Monthday Caroline!

20 Month Milestones (from BabyCenter, as usual)

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
Feeds doll – CAROLINE DOESN’T SHARE FOOD. But she could feed her doll if she wanted to.
Takes off own clothes – She can get from dressed to entirely naked in less than 30 seconds, including her diaper. I’m not sure if I should be proud or invest in snaps that lock shut.
Dumps an object in imitation, such as throwing garbage away – In imitation? No. But if you say “Hey Caroline, go throw your jammies in the laundry and this diaper in the trash and this bowl in the sink” she will do all those things correctly. When she feels like listening, she is EXCELLENT at following directions.

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
Learns words at a rate of ten or more a day – Easily. Her words this week include “iPad, sound machine, penguin, puffin (she can tell the difference between those last two in her books), lion, bell, carpet, Bailey (one of Evan’s friends), soda, bacon, eggs” and “band-aid”.
Can walk up stairs (but probably not down) – Up and down. Although down still makes me nervous, so I insist on hand holding if it’s more than a couple steps.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
May start exploring genitals – There was a playdate a few days ago with a friend who was very interesting in his own, ah, areas. Now Caroline thinks putting her hand in her pants is HILARIOUS. Toddlers, they’re just like frat boys!
Draws a straight line – She loves to color but I wouldn’t call any of her lines straight. Mostly they’re just scribbles. In pen. She hates crayons.
Names several body parts – She loves body parts, but refers to everything from her neck to her thighs as “butt”. We’re working on it.

I was going to post just a couple of these but I CANNOT PICK which ones I like the best so here’s the most epic, ridiculously long photo post ever. Kade from KBG Photography took over 600 shots on Saturday and gave me a disk with 370 edited photos less than 24 hours after our session. How’s that for amazing turn-around? If you’re here in Eastern Connecticut I HIGHLY recommend using her for family photos – she was fantastic with Little Evan, even when he was being…difficult. Check out her website or like her on Facebook to see all the great shoots she’s done. (And thanks to April for suggesting her!) I’m so glad I was able to get these taken, even if my stupid kidneys forced us to reschedule. Thank you so much Kade!

And Mom/Mom Davis/Other Relatives, I have a release form saying I’m allowed to print as many of these as I want so if you need new family pics for the walls just let me know!

Belly handprints: Fail. But still cute!

He did NOT want to love the belly.

He had no problem loving the belly :)

My super pale belly is...kind of creepy. But the kid is cute!

Little Evan is trying to escape. But we'll call it hugging.

For the record, those are my pre-pregnancy jeans unbuttoned/with a Bella Band. They still totally fit over my butt at 38 weeks pregnant, something I am ridiculously proud of.

I am so enjoying seeing this across from me at breakfast again.

Cream cheese mustache and juice

No matter HOW whiney and stinky and demanding toddlers can be, they sure are more fun than a kidney infection. Especially ones who give good night kisses on demand and sleep all night. I am going to be SO SCREWED when the new baby comes and I’m back to 24/7 infant care – my body has totally readjusted to need more than 5+ hours a night again.

I missed Little Evan’s official monthday on the 5th (Dear Future Evan reading this: BLAME YOUR SISTER) but here’s the latest update from the Baby Center Milestone Chart:

21 Month Milestones (oops, that’s a month ahead, thanks for calling me out Robyn! 20 Month milestones below)(but I’m leaving this up because to be honest, I really doubt I’ll be remembering to do them with a week old baby hanging around anyways)

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
• Can walk up stairs – Walk is such a specific word. Crawl? Yes. Sort of fling himself regardless of personal safety? Definitely. Take actual person sized steps? If someone holds his hand and hauls him up, yes again. But if what it boils down to is an ability to get himself safely up a flight (or three) of stairs then Yes, Absolutely. And fast.
• Able to set simple goals (e.g., deciding to put a toy in a certain place) – He is still Mayor of Trash, but he has also been promoted to Czar of Shoes. And he’s really good at it – you can ask for a specific pair, like “brown boots” or “dada’s shoes” or “MorMor (grandma’s) boots” and he will bring both to you with almost 100% accuracy. Although he also remembers which shoes I wear most often and will bring those by default. Really impressive, right?!

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
• Throws a ball overhand – Old news.
• Kicks ball forward – Old news.
• Stacks six blocks – Screw you and your block stacks Baby Center. My kid’s too busy learning to unlock my iPhone to mess with blocks.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
• Names simple picture in a book – Sometimes. Works best with animals and he mostly signs them/makes the noise. But with some encouragement he can name simple things like “apple” or “digger” or “ball”.
• Can walk down stairs – Again with the “walking”. E has been diligently and patiently working on “getting down a flight of stairs safely”, which seems to be going quite well as long as you’re willing to stay out of reach and give him time to scoot down each one on his butt. If he finds himself unattended on a set of stairs (not that that would EVER happen with such a responsible and attentive mother as myself) he will go down backwards. But if you stand next to him on the stairs he will reach for your hand at the same moment he throws himself off the top step.

EDITED TO ADD: 20 Month Milestones for my 20 Month Old who is not 21 Months Old

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
• Feeds doll – He keeps trying to shove his food into my belly button to “feed” the baby. Does that count?
• Takes off own clothes – Yes. Please see: every picture I’ve taken off him in the past month. Nekkid bebeh!
• Dumps an object in imitation, such as throwing garbage away – MAYOR. OF. TRASH.

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
• Learns words at a rate of ten or more a day – Repeats words at a rate of a zillion a day. Retains and says words on his own at a rate of about 4 or 5 a day.
• Can walk up stairs (but probably not down) – See long-ass stair climbing assessment above.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
• May start exploring genitals – No, and I’m a little sad, because that would make for some AWESOME blogging material
• Draws a straight line – On a piece of paper? Not a chance. On my wall? You bet.
• Names several body parts – Points at several body parts on demand, and loves to say “teeth”. But he’s more obsessed with shoes and hats than nose and ear.