Harper: almost 16 months

For some reason I thought I stopped doing monthly updates on Ryder once he turned a year old, so that's the last time I did one for Harper. The other night I was reading some of my old blog posts to jog my memory on what Ryder was like at the age Harper is now, and while I was so grateful I had recorded everything, I also felt bad that I haven't been quite as thorough with Harper lately. I love rereading entries about the "little things" that capture my kids' personalities, so I'm going to attempt to catch you up on little Miss Harper.

Vocabulary/Sounds:
Ma-ma
Da-da
brother = bah-bah
circle = gerkel (This was one of her first words...no idea why!)
yes = des (It started as "yesh" but has transformed a little bit).
banana = nana
thank you = tanks
cheese
six (not in the right context at all, but she loves to say it!)
uh oh = ah mmm
whoa whoa whoa (in a voice like Joey Lawrence from Blossom)
"hmmmmmm"--in a tone that sounds like she's pleasantly surprised; her voice starts on a high note and then slides down

Expressions:
-shaking her head "no", even if she means "yes"
-holding up one finger if you ask her if she's 1
-scowling! She lowers her chin and furrows her brow until you return the expression. Then she giggles and tries to regain her composure to do it again.

looking quite "scholarly" with Mr. Potato Head's glasses at bath time

crazy hair!

 Developments:
-climbing EVERYTHING! (Couches, chairs, tables, toilets, etc.) Our kitchen chairs have to be tipped over so she won't climb onto the table, as well as our coffee table and end table in the living room. She now likes to climb on the TV stand in order to push buttons on the bottom of our wall-mounted TV, which just became a wall-mounted TV because of Harper. :)

-power walking--that's the best way I can describe it since it's more than a walk but not quite a run

-points to her head, hair, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, bellybutton, and toes when asked

-gives great hugs (squeezing tight around your neck and putting her head on your shoulder) and blows kisses when asked

-If I tell her to pick out some shoes because we're getting ready to go somewhere, she'll go to her closet and find 2 shoes, whether they match or not. :)

-This girl LOVES to read. Sometimes she sits in her room and looks through the ones she has strewn all over the floor; other times she will bring me a book and back herself into my lap so I'll read to her. (She still chews on books too, and I am going to save some of them that have perfect little teeth imprints).

-She doesn't say the names of animals, but she'll make sounds for some when she sees them:
* monkey-- ha ha ha
* dog-- she just pants like one! She makes this sound for other animals too, like horses and goats.
* snake-- ssssssssss
* cow-- sometimes she'll make a deep "oooo" sound

-She loves playing with Ryder in his room because he has all of the "cool" big kid toys. He's really sweet to her (about 90% of the time) and reads her a book every day before her nap. I tuck her in and leave the room, and he sits in her purple chair and reads her the book. A few minutes later he comes out and closes her door quietly after telling her he loves her and that she should take a good rest. (Yes, I've eavesdropped!)

-She loves holding Ryder's hand to walk outside to the driveway instead of me carrying her. Let me tell you, they look adorable walking hand-in-hand!

Foods:
The only foods Harper doesn't seem crazy about are black olives and zucchini. Those are literally the only two foods she has tried that she spits back out--I think it's a texture thing. Some of her favorite foods are fruit (any kind), bread, pasta, and cheese.

Sizes:
-size 3 diapers
-size 4 shoes are getting snug!
-quickly outgrowing 18-month clothes

Height: 31 3/4 inches
Weight: 23 lbs. 14 oz.
(No wonder Harper needs some new clothes; she has gained 3 pounds and grown 2 inches taller since December!)