Sweet Sixteen

I can hardly believe that Cilla is 16 months old today!  I have been terrible at updating about her...moving will do that!  So, brace yourself, this may be a very long post.  But there are so many things that I do not want to forget.  This past month Cilla has really started to turn into a little girl and is rapidly losing some of the sweet little "baby" qualities about her.  I love watching her grow and learn but (sigh) it makes me really sad, too!

Where do I begin?!?!

 *She is so so busy and energetic and mischievous!  Oh, and a dare devil.  She is learning to climb and it may make my hair turn gray!  

*She has such an outgoing personality and such a fun sense of humor.  She is the little person who people love to be around.   

*She has not gotten any new teeth since right after her first birthday.  She is still holding strong to 12 pearly whites!

*She is definitely learning to test her mommy and daddy.  I feel like I tell her "no" more than I tell her anything else.  Let's hope it is getting through that hard head that she has!

*She loves loves loves to swim.  She has been missing our pool in Waco.  But, honestly, her mom and dad are not missing it.  She would walk straight off the edge into the water.  Can we say "No FEAR!"

*She loves our dogs (and all dogs for that matter).  I am not sure the feeling is mutual.  

*She is sleeping like a champ.  She is in bed by 8 p.m. most nights and sleeps until about 7:30 a.m.  

*We have been a one nap a day family since well before we moved back to Arkansas.  She takes between a two to three hour afternoon nap.

*She babbles lots but says few words.  She says "mama", "dada", "nana" (for banana and my mom), "baba" (for balloon)....she knows "duck", "quack", "horse", "naaaaaaaa", "Katie" and she has distinct ways of saying each of these, but it is hard to make them out.

*She is such a girly girl.  She is really into clothes, shoes, and purses.  It really is hilarious and we are not sure where she got it from.  Actually, we know exactly where it came from, but I PROMISE...I did not encourage it!!!

*She loves to read "Barnyard Dance", "Snuggle Puppy", "All the Ways I Love You", and "Kisses".

*When we say "WHOOOOOOO", her hands automatically go up in the air.  Every little Hog fan HAS to know how to call the Hogs!  This one makes us so proud.

*She still loves her giraffe and her paci.

*She is obsessed with her infant carrier and bouncy seat.  She REdiscovered these while we were packing and unpacking during our move.

*She weighed almost 27 lbs last week when I took her to the doctor.  She is still our little chunky monkey.  But the way I see it, there is more Baby Cilla to love on!  And her little legs are just deliciously plump and precious!  I LOVE IT! 

I could go on and on!

Cilla, It is such a blessing to be your mom.  You make me so so proud.  You are smart and witty (and you keep us on our toes) but we love you just the way God made you  Although we have 'toddler moments' several times a day, I still love my days with you.  I don't take one day for granted that God has given me the opportunity to get to spend my days with you; Teaching you.  Despite how exhausting it can be, I wouldn't trade it for the world.  You are so beautiful (which I know) but it makes me so proud when people stop us out in public to gawk over you!  Although I hope you are pretty on the outside, I pray everyday for you to be pretty on the inside.  It makes my heart melt to watch you learn to love others and to begin to have a heart that loves Jesus.  I love you so much more than you will ever know.