Dear Vivian {Month 18}

Oh, Baby Girl, really? Are you really 18 months old today?

And then you do the thing that any 18 month old wearing an earmold with an attached chunk of plastic would do, you pull out your hearing aid. You pull it out with intention. I love your spunk. But baby girl, you've got to keep your hearing aids in. OK?

Other highlights from this month: You are scooting like a madwoman - fast and with purpose! You've also been working on crawling, brave girl! Your record is about five feet - it has been amazing to watch you push outside your comfort zone. The past few days it has been hard to get you to crawl because you've figured out how to move from 4-point kneeling to sitting. So instead of moving forward, you prefer to just sit up! I have found you sitting up in your crib a few times because of this new skill. You are eating crackers and waffles and whole cheerios now! Our new favorite thing that you do is hug daddy and me, tapping our shoulder with your little hand in such a nurturing and lovely way. New ASL signs this month: pig, sheep,water, grapes, cereal, socks, bread, pear, cookie, thank you, ice cream, candy, music, help, horse. You point to your ear when you hear a sound, imitating the "I hear ____" that I am forever modeling. You also point to your nose, belly button, toes, hair and eyes. You are also saying "uh oh!" and "all done!" (which sounds like ah du) along with mama (often mamama) and dada. I adore your sweet little voice, Vivian.

9 minutes {February 9, 2009 5:23 PM}

You scoot to a pile of books. You read a couple, pointing to pictures, turning pages and babbling to yourself. You bring Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? over to where I sit, saying mamamama and then nananananana with increasing impatience, until I set down my notebook and start reading your favorite book (you're a little obsessed with it lately).

You scoot to the book pile and hold another book out to me. Nananananana (this seems to be what you say when you want something). I read Baby Animals to you, and you pause on each page to touch and feel the fuzzy duck or rough elephant. You read it to yourself now bububububumumumumu as you turn the pages, pointing to the animal on each page.

You scoot to your stacking cups, bang a couple together twice and then scoot back to a pile of books.

You pull out your hearing aid as you look at a book. I put it back in as you hold out the book to me and say nananananana. You sign book, and I read it to you. On the "kiss, kiss" page, you kiss the picture of the girl. You repeat baba after I read it on the baby page. You imitate me saying mmmmmm on that page.

The timer beeps, you point to your ear and look to where the sound comes from. I say "Do you hear the timer? It says beep beep beep. I hear it, too! Good listening, Vivian!"