Victoria Jean 18 Months Old

Victoria Jean is now 18 months old and is still an absolute JOY! She does have her drama moments (don't we all), but recovers quite quickly. She is happy most of time, as long as she is not being ignored, and is a delight to be around. This is my most favorite outfit on her (well except for the mismatched shoes - her idea). It is just so simple and comfortable and she just gets so excited when she sees this shirt with Mickey and Minnie hugging on it

So, we went to the doctor for her check-up his week. On a side note, i just love our pediatrician. He was mine growing up and he was just fabulous with Victoria. As with most 18 month olds, there is some separation and stranger anxiety and she just wasn't sure about the doc. Well, we had Baby doll with us and Dr. Jones examined Baby first and then Victoria. It was so sweet! That he would take the time to do that to make Victoria feel more at ease ... I love it. However, she got a little upset when she saw him coming after her ears, threw the doll on the floor and started screaming. Done with that game! Oh well, it was worth a shot doc. Anyway, she had gained 4.5 pounds and grew 3.5 inches since her twelve month. Well, those amounts are typical for the ENTIRE second year, so we have a big girl on our hands! She is now estimated to be 5'8" and 140 pounds. Must be all that protein. At dinner time, she only eats the meat off her plate. Weird ... never seen a baby do that. Riley just started eating his meat this past year! I am sure it will all change. Riley used to eat broccoli like candy. Now, it is a struggle for him to eat just two "trees."

Her likes at 18 months are:

Playing with Riley's toys.

Cars, trucks, trains ... pretty much anything with wheels
(mental note - we have got to get more girly toys in this house).

And of course, playing with Riley!

She also loves her crocs (must have them on at all times), meat, shoes, bananas, baths, eating dog food (which totally grosses me out), playing outside, when Daddy comes home, when Mommy comes home, pretty much when anyone walks in the front door, shoes, music (she sings the tuba part at the beginning of the Veggie Tales theme song), the Boz videos, books, shoes, sleeping (just like Momma), looking at pictures, and Oreo cookies. Did I mention shoes? Loves to pass them out to everyone, take them off and put them on, mix and match, try on other peoples shoes and wait for you to notice and start laughing (she is a bit of a performer ... loves an audience).

Dislikes the vacuum (see below), the car seat, an empty juice cup (will spike it on the floor), Daddy putting her to bed, getting out of bed when she first wakes up (she needs about 30 minutes to herself first thing in the morning), not getting to play the Wii, Mommy on the computer or phone, and pasta.

I found her doing this on the couch when I was vacuuming the other day.
I guess this is her coping mechanism ... too funny!!

Her vocabulary has expanded a bit.

Wha-wha (water)
Mommammammamma (Momma)
Chi-chi (which can be Daddy, Gigi or choo-choo - just have to be paying attention)
Pay (plane)
Bord (bird)
Chi (tree)
o-dare (over there)
char (car)
chru (truck)
chra-er (tractor)
wee (read)
yew (I want that, gimme)
Mie (mine - thank you very much for this one Riley, we hear it all the time now. I told Riley just yesterday, "mine" was not a word we use in this house anymore. If I hear it, whatever it is, is now mine - kinda mean, I know, but clever, huh?)

But I would say one of my most favorite things she does right now is when I tell Riley to go wash his hands for dinner. Victoria stops in her tracks, leaps to her feet and runs to go sit in Riley's chair at the dinner table. Everytime, it never fails! Absolutely hilarious!!! We have got to get it on camera.

I love her to pieces! Her smile and her big-o eyes are just beautiful, along with her little flip of curls in her hair. She is a sweetheart and loves to give hugs and kisses. She is strong-willed most definitely. The Lord made her this way for a reason. We just have to find the balance between raising her to be who she is without denying her to be who she is. It's a big job and we cannot do it without the help of our Heavenly Father, the true example of what we should strive to be as parents.

Some parenting verses I cling to:

"Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it." Proverbs 22:6

"Teach them [God's word] to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 11:19

"Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a reward from him." Psalm 127:3

"She [a wife of noble character] speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." Proverbs 31:26

"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." Psalm 103:8