Things to remember

ZJ has exploded with development in this sixteenth month of life and I can barely write everything down fast enough - she's amazing!

• She likes to tuck her arms flat under her body when she nuzzles in to sleep. The apple doesn't fall far from the Papa Tree, I tell ya. 
• Her favorite things are shoes, bags/purses and babies. I have quite the girly girl on my hands somehow!
• Sometimes when I'm nursing her I cup my hand around her sweet little head and she'll often grab hold of me and just let me stay there. Its a cozy little embrace we share.
• The way she says shoe, cracker, and mole are adorable: shiew, cacker, miole
• She lights up when I ask "Do you want some milk?". She gets giddy, squirms around, nods her head with fury. Its amazing. Non-nursing moms are missing out. 
• If I'd let her, the girl would be content surviving on yogurt, berries, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, crackers and bread. Notice there's no protein in that list, she picks meat out of almost every meal I put before her. 
• She's still not walking, but she's so close. You can't make this girl do anything before she's ready. Stubborn!
• She loves our upstairs neighbor Tasha, and asks for her about a dozen times a day. 
• Z loves her papa. When he says a prayer before dinner and tries to take her take, she refuses, but almost every night she later wiggles her tiny hand into his mid-prayer and looks at him adoringly. He melts, I melt and its just precious. 
• When Miles starts barking at something outside Z often shots "Meeeeeeeeen!" or "Come in!". Its pretty cute. 
• When she asks for her papa during the day I tell her he's at work. Then she says "Tasha?" This week I figured out that those two are the only ones she knows of who go to work and maybe she thinks they work together? When I say one is at work, it triggers her asking for the other. Funny how little minds work.
• Many nights before bedtime she gets really lovey with me and gives me tons of open-mouth kisses or sucks on my face in an attempt to kiss me. She also hugs my neck and pats my back, its great. 
• These days we go on at least one walk a day, but its usually two. She crawls to the door, pulls herself up, and bangs on the door yelling "A wahhh, a wahhh". I have to spell out the word in front of both her and the dog if I'm not ready to walk out the door that second, otherwise they go nuts. 
• She loves Miles. Earlier today she spent about half an hour in the crate with him kissing him, tugging on his tail, poking at his ears, giggling about one thing or another. Its not the cleanest place for her to play, but I let her in there anyway. She can be bathed, her clothes can be washed. Its worth it to see those two together. And Miles is just so good with her. He sighs, turns over, and just lets her have her way with him. 
• Its time to move things up from the bottom of the kitchen cabinet because today I found her there with an opened bag of cheese curls (my treat for the month). Somehow she figured out how to get the clip off and a-snackin she was!
• Her vocabulary is expanding by the day - literally! I love having conversations with her. The language she's made up that's not quite English is fantastic. I've tried getting it recorded, but when I pull out the camera she's quiet. 
• She's so mellow and easy to take anywhere. Shopping? On a plane? Out past her bedtime? No nap? Running lots of errands in the summer heat? No problem! This girl goes with the flow and usually has a smile on her face. Thank the Lord she's got her papa's temperament. Though, I've been told more and more that she takes after both Blinn and me because we're both laid back, non-stressors, and easy to be around. I take that as a compliment, though in comparison to the husb, I don't at all feel laid back!
• She's becoming a little ham. She knows when someone's giving her their attention and when she's told she's cute, pretty, etc. she cocks her head to the side and gives a big grin. We're in trouble here.  
• She's still a really good sleeper. At least an hour and a half nap each day and sleeping twelve hours or more each night without waking up. Finally - there was a time I never thought we'd be in this place!

My days are full because of this little girl and my heart is overjoyed by her mere existence. I'm totally content with her and my boy and the life we're living. I'm so thankful today.