Hadley Grace is 18 months old!

I want to start off by saying a big Happy 1st Birthday to Landon Clay, Hadley's future boyfriend. It doesn't seem like it's been a whole year, does it Tara?? I can't even believe I have a 1.5 year old, yup that's right in six months I will be the mom of a two year old!

Here are some highlights from this month:

• Hadley has been going to the next class up at the daycare a few times a week, in the fall she will be promoted to the Bumble Bee class which is 18 months to 3, I think. She will be with the big kids. I am really sad about leaving her teachers, they are all we have ever known, but really excited about all the new things she will be learning....especially potty training!
• She continues to expand her palate and seems to like to eat almost everything
• We attempted swimming lessons, they didn't go as well as expected, but wouldn't you know it, now that they are over her sudden fear of water seems to be gone. She is back to loving baths, in fact she wants to get in the bath ALL THE TIME!
• She is up to a size 6 shoe, size 18 month-2T clothes, and size 5 diapers
• She loves to drink through a straw, particularly of drinks that aren't hers!
• While I don't give her her own glass, anytime I drink it, which is pretty often this summer, she LOVES lemonade
• We went to several new places: The Splash Park, The Children's Museum, had a few play dates...we are really exploring this summer (last summer Hadley's highlight was sitting up on her own!)
• She really likes to play by herself. She will go to her room, look at books, play with her baby, or whatever all on her own
• She still loves books, but I can't trust her with anything other than board books, because while she loves books, she doesn't yet appreciate them!
• She is a pro at all animal sounds, her favorite seems to be moo or a roar (she roars a lot!)
• She is talking more and more everyday, she is excellent at repeating, and really seems to understand anything I say to her, which is good!
• She is such a big help these days. She loves to throw her diapers away, which is funny...
• We have entered the terrible two's it seems; we are no stranger to temper tantrums around here and oh man my child has a temper. She gets so worked up; biting it the biggest problem...that seems to be the only way she can express anger. It's a struggle, but I know it is all a learning process...this too shall pass (hopefully sooner than later)
• Hadley is definitely like me...for the most part, early to bed and early to rise, unfortunately, sometimes early to rise comes at 4:30...
• While she still loves Yo Gabba Gabba, Dora has sort of become a big deal around here!
• She loves dogs, that girl needs a dog soon...so do I
• WE went forward facing in the car seat this month. I know I might get flax for this since 2 is the recommended age. I did a lot of research and thought long and hard about it and for her size, I feel like I have made the best choice FOR US...

Overall, this month we are just enjoying our summer while trying not to die in the heat! She is still such a loving baby and is so good 90% of the time, but when she is mad or when she is determined to do something, you better watch out. Everyday I see more and more of a big girl and less of a baby. I was talking to some girlfriends and they said a good way to see how they have changed was to think of them in terms of last summer...well my, oh my...how she has grown. She is a walking, talking, self feeding, do it herself big girl. It is amazing to me how smart she is, which maybe I am a little biased. I just know a lot of changes lie ahead in the next six months, I remember reading blogs of 18-24 month year olds' mothers thinking that is so long away...but it is here and I know the next six months will be the end of the baby era and the start of my little girl growing up. I am not sad about it, though. I am excited to see who she will become!

Here are some pictures from Hadley's Nana from yesterday...