14 Month old Malia!

 Malia is 14 months old!  I am researching ways to get her to slow down on growing but so far, I've got nothing;)  Although I miss my "baby," very much, she is getting more and more fun every day!  Now that she is a complete walker (and runner) she is so much more independent and happier I think.  She is able to communicate with us on what she wants and where she wants to go.  She can walk to the fridge if she wants something to eat and then point to what she wants.  She will walk to her room and get her shoes when she is ready to go somewhere.  Or she will walk to my room and get some of my accessories when it is time for dress-up.  She runs around the house with Hobbs all day long and their energy feeds off of each other.  She is the HAPPIEST and most ANIMATED little girl I have ever known!  She is so verbal and talks and chatters all day long.  Most of it is only things a mother can understand, but she thinks she is pretty awesome how she is able to communicate.  She loves to laugh, squeal, joke, talk to others and is really becoming quite the fun little girl.  Here are some photos of our 14 month old Malia Joy.

Probably one of the best times of the day, reading with dad is so much fun!  We read all sorts of good books.  Her favorites this month are: "Feely Bugs,"  "I'm Reverent When..,"  "Book of Mormon Stories," "Good night Butterflies," and of course our other go-to books of "Piggies," "I Love you Through and Through," and "5 Green and Speckled Frogs."  After we read we like to sing.  Malia's favorite songs right now are "Itsy Bitsy Spider," "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," and the "Do-Re-Mi" song.  She will clap when we are done with big smile on her face and then sign "more" if she wants to sing them again. 

 Like most toddlers, Malia must touch EVERYTHING.  Touching things in the house is fine, but she loves to explore and touch all sorts of new things when we go out.  One of her favorite things to do is touch and grab clothes.  She LOVES holding up things and then putting them back after examining them.  This is fine most of the time until she finds something that she MUST have and when mom takes it away this leads to tantrums which have been perfected the last few months.

Our funny girl still doesn't know how to "smile" for the camera and sports this "serious" face quite a bit.  But her funny and animated faces get used all day long (and I usually don't capture them on film).

 Malia likes to color now!  This is nice when we go out to restaurants because she will sit and color for at least 7 minutes! ;)  She has gotten over eating the crayons now too so that's good:)  She loves coloring and having mom or dad color with her. 

 This look of awe and wonder is what leaves me in awe and wonder every day.  I know I am a doting mom, but the things Malia is learning every day and what she is capable of just impresses me!  She tackles things the other big kids are doing and is very bright.

She is listening better to me now.  This is right after I said, "Crayons only get used on paper" after she took one to the door.  She knows what I am saying.  She listens to me almost always.  Here are her other notable things this month:

• She can identify all the things on her face: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, head and can find her feet, toes, hands and belly button.
• She will try to "jump" when you ask her too.  It is quite funny since she is not able to do this yet;)
• She sits and stands down when I ask her too.
• She eats a lot but is still staying rather thin.  She is still tall tall tall!  
• She has 4 teeth on the bottom 2 (soon to be 4 teeth) and 2 molars on top.  She helps us brush her teeth every night but needs some help.
• She can say the normal words and has now added, "bobo" for bird, "doggie" "more" "no" "yes" "peas (please)" and "go" (like on the slide I'll say, ready, set.. and she'll say "go!"  And she will try her hardest to copy what you tell her too.  
• Size 4 diapers and 18mo-2T clothes
• 2 whole milk bottles a day and lots of sippys and snacks and 3 meals
• Favorite place: the park and will go up the BIG slides like the big kids.  She's getting over the baby swing.
• She will throw things away for me when I say, "go throw this in the trash"
• She'll walk to the bathroom when it's time for "bocha"
• She LOVES her babies and will take them over her shoulder and pat them and give them their "babas" when they need some milk.
• She enjoys playing instruments: piano, drums, xylophone and mariachis.
• She is becoming cautious and will not do things that she knows might hurt her.  Thank goodness for this!
• She helps get herself dressed and undressed and has a DEFINITE opinion when she wants to or doesn't want to wear something.  She HATES wearing jeans!  What am I going to do about this?!
• She DOES like wearing necklaces and bracelets and bows in her hair:)
• She is mostly down to 1 nap (10-1pm) and then is down around 8:30 and up around 7:30.  She needs these naps or is just a cranky mess.  We know from the hard way of missing them.
• She copies other kids her age and it's hilarious!

She is fun, fun, fun!  I love taking her with me places and seeing how she reacts to different things and people.  She is hilarious and I find myself laughing most of the day.  It's so fun to have a toddler!