20 Months

It is crazy to me. This is the first time in 4 years that I am keeping my 20mo old in a Crib. And she’s staying there as long as possible if I have my say about it!!

This is Shelby and Morgan. I think Morgan looks just like Brooke in this picture…

It is also the first time in 4 years that I am not preparing to bring a baby home in 1 month. So crazy.

I am happy to say that right now I am at a happy wait and pants size. Exactly where I was the summer before I got pregnant with Morgan. Brings a smile to my face, although the remnants of my baby days have left me a little pudgie and flappy through the middle, and also with less of a chest, but I am okay with it. Look what I looked like 36weeks prego and you will have sympathy..

Morgan…

Shelby…

Brooke…This was actually  the night before her unexpected delivery. I was my max weight of 220 here. Holy moly!

And in the end. I am 70 pounds lighter, with three beautiful children, still accepting the fact that I will not be bringing home a 4th baby. We are stopping at three, and decided that some time ago, but I am not sure it will ever sink in.

As for the cute 20 month old I have now…. she is a handful. She is sweet, yes, very sweet. She loves to just give you kisses, making a Pop sound with her lips when doing so, sometimes for no reason at all. She refuses to kiss you on demand, as that is how she is – her own person.

Bringing me to tears is the fact that she still doesn’t say Momma. She says 4 words. She says “All Done” and “Uh-Oh”. Her main form of communication from 6mo old has been by screaming. She gets So Frustrated when she can’t communicate. We have taught her sign language, we do not give in to the screaming, and we always try to tell her the word when we are getting her things. Constantly I am trying to get her to talk. Does it bother me? Of course, why wouldn’t it. I know life would be easier if she did talk. But she doesn’t. And that’s that.

Brooke is the first of the three that is a ‘climber’. She is on top of EVERYTHING. She is very very smart. She has figured out on her own if she pulls out her dresser drawers she can scale the dresser to reach a pacifier (only for sleep-time). She climbs for toys, markers, food, drink, anything. And sometimes, for no reason at all.

Most moments she is happy, however, her battle for toys, space and attention is definitely showing more and more each day when she is around the big sisters.

And as far as her really cool traits she has here they are:

• Knows her eyes, ear, mouth, teeth, nose, hands, feet, hair.
• If you ask her what she is eating she will open her mouth and show you.
• If she sees spilled water or you’re washing your hands she gets a towel to help – without being asked.
• She throws things in the garbage if asked.
• She also throws things in the garbage she is done playing with sometimes..oye.
• She loves to sit in the fridge/freezer. Crazy.
• She tries to put on her socks/shoes.
• She goes to sleep at nap and nighttime without a fight ALWAYS. She is a saint in this area.
• She loves her daddy SO MUCH it is cute.

Brooke will hopefully be my sidekick someday with Morgan and Shelby are in school. But until then. She will remain our little Tasmanian Devil! Lol.