Hannah @ 20 Months

Hannah,

I just sat down to write your 19 month post and realized you’re 20 months old. I’ve been telling people constantly you’re only 19 months. Now that we’re in the 20’s, I feel like you’re practically two!

Girl, girl, girl. You are officially busy. You aren’t even holding a candle to Drew yet (or maybe I’m just more used to it this time? Nah…), but you keep me on my toes! I can almost always find you digging in the trash, searching for an empty toilet paper roll to stick your arm in. If you’re not there,  you’re probably reaching something on the counter you shouldn’t. Just the other day you brought me the small remainder of an entire cupcake that you’d helped yourself to in the kitchen. You’ll use whatever seems like a good stool at the moment: Drew’s tv bike (for getting on his bed), the ride-on horse (for the kitchen), Drew’s firetruck, or the stool for the bathroom counter. You’re a mess!  

You’ve EXPLODED with language in the last couple of weeks. Whereas you were just saying single words last month, now you’re saying full sentences. The main ones are, “I want juice,” or “I wanna bite.” Of course you’re using new words as well. Today you kept saying, “Over. Over. Over.” in the car. I finally realized you were saying your DVD was finished playing! I just love hearing you talk. It’s the sweetest thing! Drew didn’t really start talking until much later (he was too busy DOING!), so it’s nice to be able to understand you at a younger age than what I’m accustomed to.

The other thing you are almost always doing is singing. You love “The Lord’s Army,” “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” and a song from a Backyardigans episode. You sing in your crib when you’re waiting to get picked up, in the car, and basically all day long. Precious!

Your little personality is emerging these days. Sometimes you throw a little tantrum, or whine like a drama-queen, or throw something when you’re angry. I never was able to picture this side of you as a baby because you were the easiest little thing! You’re gonna start making me earn my role of “mommy” now! The good news is that you seem to have an obedient heart. You don’t really wish to test many of the rules you’re given; you follow them without too much difficulty and are very responsive to correction. That is quite a different scenario than what we’re using to around here. Hahaha! (And we love your brother to the moon and back! It’s just that y’all can be night/day different.)

Drew loves for you to tag along with him, especially outside. You really enjoy the outdoors as long as: 1) you have me out there with you 2) food is involved and 3) it’s not too hot. You’re a lot like your mom with the last specification!

I noticed about two weeks ago that your maxillary frenulum (tiny muscle straight at the top of your upper lip that you can feel with your tongue) is connected between your two front teeth. I don’t know how we never noticed this, but it explains why your two front teeth never show. They can’t because your lip won’t move out of the way! I’ll eventually take you to get it looked at, but my research with Dr. Google revealed that most dentists will recommend waiting to see if it either tears with a fall (ouch!) or is resolved by the eruption of permanent teeth. Thankfully, it was never an issue with your nursing and is not an issue with your speech now.

Things you love: Daddy, Drew, juice, the pool, chocolate milk, tea, chip & dip, your blankie, passie, baths, mud, painting your toenails, Deda & Pop, Grammy, Granna and Papaw, riding in the car, watching DVDs on drives, singing, nursery at church, shoes, babies, and books. I’m so glad you’re learning to love looking at books. I love sitting in the rocking chair with you and your blankie (especially when you’re freshly bathed and smelly so sweet) and reading with you.

Sweet Hannah, I love your infectious laugh and the way you get the hiccups so easily. You have the softest most tender little hands, and I love when you rub my arm with your little fingers. The way you lay  your head on my shoulder at bedtimes is the best. I love the way you get so excited for your Daddy when he comes home in the evenings. He is eating that up!

You are such a sweet spot in my life. Parenting you is such a joy, and I dream often of our days together in the future. I pray that we have an incredible mother/daughter relationship and that our friendship grows deeply from there. I can’t wait to walk alongside you as you change and grow. You are so beautiful, my daughter! I love you!

Mommy