KK is 20 months old!

We've hit the "20" months...it makes 2 seem SO close! And KK is certainly acting her age! While challenging, nothing could make me happier than being Mommy to this beautiful, spunky, happy, silly, funny, smart, moody, charming little girl. Her new nickname is Parrothead, not because she loves to say "Yay Jimmy!" when we get in the car, signaling her desire to listen to Jimmy Buffet, but because she repeats and remembers EVERYTHING. Including "Oh shit!" and "Jackass." Today when I picked her up from daycare, another child dropped his sippy cup and Kendall replied with a chant of "Oh shit! Oh shit!". Miss Janet was kind and said that she thought she must be saying "Outside! Outside!" but I think we both knew better. Apparently I have some work to do in the language department, especially while driving. Ooops.

Speaking of language, KK's language skills are exceptional (in my humble opinion) and I think that complete conversations are just around the corner. In some ways, I am sad that her pronounciation is getting so clear. I'll miss the little "KKisms" like "All day!" meaning All done!, "Melp" for Milk, "Hining!" for Hiding (which she loves to do in very inconspicuous places like 'behind' the railings on the staircase or under the barstools in the family room), "Mitteee" for Mickey, and "Daay daaay" or "Taay Taaay" for KK, her own nickname.

I don't know officially, but I think KK weighs about 23 pounds. And she is getting tall! Remember how much she loves to play under tables? I think those days are coming to an end. The other day she ran full-speed toward the kitchen table and knocked herself flat when the top of her head hit the side. I swear she was able to run clear under the table the day before - she must have grown two inches overnight! We'll find out her actual stats at her well-child checkup next week.

KK loves her some Wiggles! Though I've sung it to her many times, I think she really learned to sing Twinkle Twinkle from Greg Wiggle. She gets better with the words and melody every day. She has also started to sing the first line of "Three Blind Mice" randomly throughout the day. She can identify all of the Sesame Street characters and Mickey's friends...learned mostly from books, but also from watching them on TV occasionally. She also loves JoJo, Little Einsteins, and Go Baby. Especially Go Baby! She squeals and dances like crazy when she sees Baby and Sophie. Dancing...she LOVES to dance...if you can call it that. It's one of those things that is hard describe, I might have to try to get her moves on video.

I think we're doing pretty well with gross motor skills but fine motor skills are still a challenge for us. She is doing okay with feeding herself with a spoon, and in fact insists on feeding herself by saying "Do it! Do it!" and pushing us away. She just can't seem to get the food onto the spoon very well by herself. She is trying and is interested, though, so I'm not worried. She has no interest in drawing, coloring, or doing art of any kind. We try things now and then, but she's just not that into it. Nor has she shown any interest in dressing or undressing herself. I guess that could be a good thing.

Besides swear words, KK has a photographic memory for people's names. She knows the names of most of the kids on our street and even says their names as we pass each of their homes. It's almost scary how she can remember a name after meeting someone one time. Sometimes she gets confused though...today we were at the store and she got all excited shouting and pointing "Teenie! Teenie" when she thought she saw her babysitter, Krystine. It did look a lot like Teenie, but was just another 17 year old with a ponytail.

And speaking of ponytails...they finally stay in!!!
Happy 20 month birthday baby girl! xoxox