So, Thank You...2015

Tonight, as I was putting Amelia to bed, she insistently declared “big girl” until I acknowledged that, yes, she is a big girl.  This is not an uncommon occurrence; “big girl” is one of many favorite phrases at my house right now.  But, tonight, I realized she’s right.  2015 has been the year of going from babyhood to toddlerhood for Amelia.  She’s running, climbing, yelling, using sentences, playing with toys, having simple conversations, and the list could go on.  I know that it’s completely cliché to say it, but on this New Year’s Eve, I’m reminded how quickly moments pass.  2015 has been full of all kinds of celebrations for our family;  a 4^th anniversary, a 31^st birthday, a 34^th birthday, a 7^th anniversabirthary and a first birthday.  We’ve travelled to Williamsburg, Gatlinburg, and Nashville to visit with family.  Adam spent time in Liberia; somehow, the only thing I did by myself was have thyroid surgery.  We’ve laughed, cried, fought, played, experienced good days, bad days and average days.  It’s been another year in this crazy life, a life that we are so lucky to share.

So, here I am, blanketed with nostalgia, joining everyone else out there thinking about the past year and the one to come while watching college football through confetti.  It’s the end of one year and the beginning of another.  We’re on the precipice of a new beginning.  Join me in the cheesiness of this wistfulness…jump on in, the water’s fine.

Since it’s the end of 2015 and not quite the beginning of 2016…yet, I’m going to look back for a moment.  2015, overall, you’ve been a good one.  I’m not saying you haven’t had your moments or tested my patience or even introduced me to situations that made me wish you away, but in this moment, I can honestly and confidently say, thank you, 2015.  That’s right, thank you.  I know it isn’t Friday night, but I’m going to thank you, a la Jimmy Fallon.

Thank you, 2015…for turning Amelia into a toddler, and all that entails.

Thank you, 2015…for giving us another giant monthly bill disguised as a house.

Thank you, 2015…for reminding me of the joys of anesthesia.

Thank you, 2015…for bringing Nike back to Tennessee and forcing some people to accept Smokey Grey.

Thank you, 2015…for talk shows and sketch comedy during election season, especially this one.

Thank you, 2015…for Amelia’s friends…and their names, that she recites at all hours of the night.

Thank you, 2015…for providing so many inanimate objects for Scout to save us from and bark at.

Thank you, 2015…for awakening the force.

Tomorrow, I’ll be ready to say, welcome, 2016 and bring it.  However, for tonight, I’ll leave it with thank you, 2015.

The Post is Brought to You by the Number 18

On Saturday, Amelia celebrated her half-birthday by picking out a Christmas tree, watching a Christmas parade and discovering the wonder that is every single Christmas ornament we own.  Since we’ve decorated for Christmas, Amelia’s vocabulary has expanded in a new direction; Santa, reindeer, Rudolph, Charlie Brown, ornament, Baby Jesus, the list goes on.  But, as usual, I’m sidetracked.  I started out trying to explain that my not-so-little baby is not a baby anymore.  Honestly, she hasn’t been a baby for a while; she is a big girl and she will make sure you know it.  Eighteen months just brought it all home.  She is now officially closer to her second birthday than her first. 

Since her first birthday, she has changed so much.  I know it isn’t just Amelia, but all babies change so much nearly every day.  So, in commemoration of her milestone eighteen months, I’m going to give you another classic list…as always, these are in no particular order, and take them as you will.

18 Things About My 18-Month-Old

1. She is officially a toddler.  She loves to say things like “my turn,” “big girl,” and “no.

2. She absolutely loves names; she can name all of the kids in her class, she knows some last names, she loves to know what people and things are called.  It amazes me how many names she knows.

3. Amelia has always loved to talk.  Ever since she discovered that she could make noise, she has barely stopped.  It’s awesome. 

4. Because she loves to talk, she has some hilarious attempts at some words that are not quite in her wheelhouse yet; those include blueberry (bubebelly), Charlie Brown (tummy down), and penguin (pengle).

5. Amelia loves high fives, fist bumps, and hugs, but she’ll ask for kisses.

6. She loves clothes; we’re in trouble there.  She likes to look at them and pick out her own clothes.  She also likes to go in my closet, just to look.

7. Her favorite characters are Elmo, Abby, Daniel Tiger, Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse and Snoopy.

8. She knows that wrapping up baby dolls is so exciting that you can do it for hours.

9. Amelia is her mother’s daughter; she is completely into putting things where they go and things that open and close.

10. She loves music, especially Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift and anything else that is easy to dance to.

11. Her favorite things to play with are books; any and all of them.  She can pick specific books off of a crowded shelf.  Right now, her favorites are “Moo, Baa, Lalala,” “Llama Llama Nighty Night,” “Pat the Bunny,” “Where’s Spot?,” “Pete the Cat,” “Animals,” “Daniel Tiger and Snowflake Day,” and all of the Christmas books that we recently unpacked.

12. Amelia hates to be cold.

13. Amelia’s favorite foods right now are avocado, chicken, cheese, and grapes.

14. At the playground, Amelia loves the swing and the slide, but her favorite thing is still just going up and down the steps.

15. When we pick her up at daycare, Amelia smiles and happily comes running for a hug every day.  I’m not going to say that she’s ready to go each time, but I always know that she’s happy to see me.  I’m always happy to see her.

16. She has always, and continues to, love people.  She rarely meets a stranger and while it sometimes takes her a minute, she loves to show off her vocabulary and “tricks” to anyone who will listen.

17. Amelia has a love/hate relationship with Scout.  Sometimes she wants to pet her and play with her, while sometimes she just repeats “like that” (which in Amelia-speak means “I don’t like that”) four hundred times until Scout walks away.

18. Amelia has recently learned to say, “I love you.”  It’s one of the harder to understand parts of her recently acquired language, but it’s also one of the most heart melting.

Reader, if you made it through all eighteen things, you are wonderfully patient.  I may be somewhat biased, but there are so many more than eighteen unbelievably interesting things about my daughter that I could have shared.  Of course, you obviously already know how awesome she is.  See above. 

As we head into the eye of the Christmas season, it’s the people that I want to keep in mind.  There is so much going on in our world and I have my opinions about it all, many of which will rear their sometimes ugly heads sooner than later, but today, I wanted to keep it much closer to home.  This can’t get any closer to home.  I realize that it’s mundane to some, silly to most and hopefully at least brought one chuckle to all.   There’s no real message today; no serious point.  Just eighteen things.