A "JOYE"FUL LIFE: "Ellison, 15 months".....

I am slightly behind - she is turning 16 months next week, but it's all good. Just trying to get some of the highlights down on paper for my own memory. As usual, I will leave out so much, but hopefully this will capture a good bit of where she is at this point in her little life.

Her personality is very consistent - happy, carefree, loving life and people. She will occasionally squat down on the floor in protest now if she doesn't get "her way" but not every time. I can usually redirect her pretty well to avoid some of that. But generally speaking, she is very low key and happy. She loves other children and watches them intently. Her nickname is "El belle", and her brother calls her, "Ella". She continues to "give love"to us every time she goes to bed - she now does it without us prompting her. She continues to be a little "book worm", slamming down about 10 books in our laps anytime she wants us to read to her. She will walk around carrying a stack of books double her size wanting us to read to her. I have been known to have 17 books in my lap at one time, all that she has plopped down in my lap, then crawls up into the chair with me to read! Continues to love her bed - loves getting in and lying down. She has not fought a nap or bedtime yet - loves to just be put down. Her new thing this month is that she likes to "wave goodnight" to everything in her room before going to bed. She will do her sweet little sideways wave to her pictures, her fan, her curtains, her CD player, her changing table and diapers, her initials on the wall, her closet, and her overstuffed brown bear. After she has waved goodnight to them, I will say, "and goodnight mommy", to which she lays her head down on my shoulder for one last love, and is then ready to lie down. That has become a really sweet ritual at bedtime. She sleeps from about 7:00pm - 6:30/7:00am every night. She still takes 2 naps a day....., 9:00am-11:00am, and then around 2:00-3:00 or 3:30. I love it! I know she will be dropping her morning nap at some point in the near future, but for now, it's fantastic. She climbs on everything, and uses whatever she can to get some leverage to hoist herself up! We have had MANY falls because of this newfound love of hers. She has already had some really nasty falls - much than than her older brother has had. It doesn't seem to stop her though - which is kind of scary! She loves to sit with EB and watch "Praise Baby". She LOVES her brother, follows him around everywhere, wants to do everything he does, wants to sit with him, roll on him, and give him hugs constantly. They really are sweet friends, and I pray they will be the best of friends one day. She eats everything, and seems to enjoy it. She is quite independent with her eating and does not like for me to cut anything up for her - but I still do. She still loves animals - loves them. Squeals with delight every time she sees one. She has been much sicker than her brother ever was as an infant - guessing it's because she has an older brother who is out and about more. But, she has already had stomach flu, several colds, 1 ear infection, RSV, and FLU. She got her first wasp sting (today actually), on her finger. It swelled and was painful to her - she kept walking around pointing to it and then looking at me. That's pitiful. She is beginning to really respond to music that she recognizes. She will stop in her tracks, say, "ahhhh", and put her finger up to her ear as if to listen. It is usually some Chris Tomlin song thanks to her big brother! She knows "pat a cake", and is beginning to learn, "head, shoulders, knees, and toes". She understands nearly everything we tell her now - it is mind boggling really what she understands and how quickly she is computing everything she is hearing. She is very responsive, and very communicative. She has been able to understand so much, but is just now beginning to be able to verbally respond, which is so fun. She repeats everything we say, some of it sounds the same, but other things are very distinct. She loves shoes! She likes to choose her own pair (yes, already at 15 months she is choosing shoes), and will bring them to me, and then run to the door. She knows that "shoes on" mean she is going somewhere. She continues to be very compliant in the car - doesn't mind being in the car or being in her carseat too much. Now on a long trip (which we haven't done), that may be a different story. But around town, she doesn't mind at all. She loves balls - loves to throw them and roll them. Think she may like balls more than her brother! Still loves "blanks and paci" - and tries to fish them out of her bed anytime she can! Still trying hard to limit her paci time to naptime and bedtime use only - but will let that slide if she is sick. She still likes milk, but doesn't drink it nearly as much as she used to. Still just drinks water, and a few cups of milk a day. She loves to drink out of a straw - she gets so happy every time! She can climb up the ladder to the swingset now unassisted (alittle scary for me and I make sure I am right there), and take herself down the slide now alone. Still not a huge fan of the swing - will swing for about 2 minutes before she says, "all done". Everytime she drops something or spills something, she says, "uh oh". Recently she will come find me if she notices that the cats have made a mess. I will ask her to show me where, and she will gladly lead me to wherever the problem is, will point to it and say, "uh oh"! Every time she walks past the litter box in the laundry room she says some form of "yuck" and makes what sounds like a cat hissing sound! She is learning that it for sure one area of the house that is off limits! Anytime I have my cup of coffee with me she says, "hot".

I am going to try to recall some of the words that she says now in her own phonetic:
1. "splish splash" - "pih pah"
2. "apple" - "appah"
3. "banana" - "nah nah"
4. "shoe" - "schooooo"
5. "car" - "cah"
6. "Ellison" - "Ehson"
7. "Brother" - "Baba"
8. "Bebe" - Baba"
9. "E-daddy" - "E-dah"
10. "cracker" - "cakuh"
11. '"church" - "chuh"
12. "school" -"oohl"
13. "supper" - "supuh"
14. "fig newton" - "nut nut"
15. "outside" - "ah ah" (pronounced a, as in "hat")
16. "cat" - "cah"
17. "pasta" - "pas tah"
18. "head" - "heh"
19. "eggs" - "ehs"
20. "phone" - "pone"
21. "star" - "stah"
22. "bye bye"
23. "uh oh"
24. "Daddy"
25. "Momma"
26. "Papa"
27. "diaper" - "piper"
28. "brown bear" - "ba ba"
29. "spoon" -"poon"
30. "waffle" -"fahhhfle"
31. "cereal bar" - "bah"
32. "hot corn" - "ha cah"
33. "milk" - "mih"

She can tell us what the cow, sheep, pig, duck, and chicken say.

I know I am forgetting something. Oh well, if I think about it I will add to the list. That's a good start for now.

Our sweet girl continues to bring more smiles to her mommy's face than I ever thought possible over this past year. I cried tonight rocking her, thanking her for making me smile when some days, it's all I can do to muster a smile. But God is using you, my sweet daughter, to minister to my aching heart. Thank you for allowing yourself to be used for His glory - don't ever stop! I love you!!