Oh where oh where has my little girl gone?

I measured Ebony today and got a huge shock. She's now grown 13cm since she was placed in our arms and she's put on 2.4kg. Wow! Unbelievably she still fits into some 1's, but she's mostly in 2's. Boy does she like her food! Especially, grapes (balls- she's very cute when she tries to say grape), cheese, yoghurt (wawa!!), apples - any pasta - anything sweet! Doesn't like strawberries, watermelon or any furry fruit and is off banana's at the moment. Still loves things like olives/unusual cheeses/just about any dip you can put in her mouth!

She now has ALL her baby teeth (not sure when the molars happened - but they're there!)

So much is changing and I would love to be able to put the brakes on....but I simply can't.

I went in to check her last night before I went to bed (which I always do) and she woke very upset (but still a long way from the sleep terrors she was experiencing) and we both commented on how 'long' she is and how she just doesn't fit in my arms the way she did once. Goodbye baby girl.

She loves doing up the seatbelt in her highchair. I have to (patiently) wait before I put her bib on while she does it up herself and I can leave her in the high chair after she's finished eating so she can just 'play' do up and undo the the seat belt! She loves doing it.

She is singing along beautifully to her playschool CD in the car (thanks so much to the wonderful Vicki and Camille) - it's so cute to listen to. She finishes most sentences and any of the louder or dominant words too. She gets excited when playschool comes on and if the wiggles come on - but she really doesn't watch very much TV at this stage.

She's become a very funny little parrot - copying many things we say. She also follows what I say as we pray before each meal. That also is the cutest! Words - words - words they are coming hard and fast and it's gorgeous to listen to.

She still calls herself Ebby - but she's moved (or is moving) from Mama to Mummy and from Dada to Daddy. I'm very sad about that one. I'm just not ready - I love Mama - it has a gentle ring to my ears. I must say though that she will be watching TV or playing and I'll be out of sight and all of a sudden I'll start hearing "Mummy, Mummy, Mummy" as she makes her way around the house looking for me. Oh how my heart melts - words I've physically longed for all these years.

I'm having to watch her 'getting her own way' now - she knows how to turn on the tears or throw a bit of a wobbly if she doesn't get her own way. Daddy doesn't help because he lets her do things I simply don't let her...then Mama becomes the ogre! We've had a few discussions about that one let me tell you :)

In the 13 months we've had her I've barely been apart from her - she's like part of me. Now I hear many saying it's not healthy - but up here I haven't had a lot of choice. I don't have family or friends I've known for years I can call on easily. So, we just spend lots of time 'hanging out' together and luckily we seem to enjoy each others company :)

When someone walks away she now says 'see ya' - sounds so cute but reminds me that I'm probably not teaching her the best English!

Eb is still having her morning bottle (first thing) and has even been asking for a bottle after her afternoon sleep more often than not - tried a cup but she wouldn't have a bar of it. Seems to be more since we had family visit over Christmas. Maybe just a little unsettled (personally I don't mind at all - it's great attaching to be snuggling in while she's drinking).

She loves going out in the car and is very social! - and as soon as she sees the baby bag or hears keys she runs for the door to the garage!

She spends literally hours in her cot just singing or making sounds. She doesn't seem to go to sleep for almost an hour after we put her there (7.30 - 8pm) but she's not unhappy at least. When she wakes she often does the same thing - how blessed am I???? She's awake around 7.30am but depends on what time she actually falls asleep. She's still sleeping a minimum of 2 hours and recently has gone back to 3 probably because it's cooler. I think she sleeps much better when she's rugged up a bit. 3 hours probably explains why she's awake so long in her cot before she goes to sleep at night!

Says "uh oh' when something happens....and 'homa' when we're heading home. She's also come to recognize that Dada going to work is exactly that...work (but sounds more like wok).

Absolutely loves the word 'two' and will hold up her thumb and forefinger - usually at the right time. She's just learning to say the other numbers now.
Her comprehension blows me away. Recently I said something about 'push' and all of a sudden she's there pushing against the wall - I couldn't believe it....it could only be playschool teaching her that one!

Eb is doing really well in water - especially now she's been given a 'ring' that goes around her tummy. She absolutely loves it and is even more confident. Still won't jump from the side into my arms - but she's getting close.
She loves music and will stop as soon as there is any around anywhere - tv, car, shopping centre - anywhere. She's calls it 'mumic'. She also wants it on as soon as we get in the car! My how life has changed :)
She plays so well on her own but also loves to pull either of us in to play. Either way she's happy although probably still prefers us to be involved.

Will mimic reading a book by saying a whole lot of gobbly gook as she turns the pages.

She's still not really keen on books although I think the problem is that she doesn't want us to have our hands on the pages and that makes it hard to read! So I'm persisting and she's starting to enjoy them. However her favorite would the the Fisher Price flap book of all the farm animals which teaches numbers, animals, colours, shapes etc and it doesn't have words. Really at this stage she loves very, very basic books. She keeps bringing me 'Harry the dirty dog' (pressie from her Suixi buddy Camille) and we do read it and she absolutely loves it, but she keeps pushing through the pages before the story is over. I have to become more creative with my storytelling and I'm fast learning!

She loves the Happy Birthday song 'happa birday' - very cute. She definitely doesn't like me being on the computer! She LOVES going to the park...including the BIG slide (which freaks me out). She loves having her bath out on the deck in her 'clam shell'.

This is becoming an epic post...but I just remembered that she's now at the stage where if I ask her to put her washing in the laundry...she does it and puts it in the right place AND if I ask her to put something in the rubbish bin - she does! Once again I was shocked the first time it happened and thought it was just luck until the second time she did it - although I must admit the first time I asked her to put her night nappy in the bin and didn't watch it didn't end up there and took me ages to find (in the draw above!).

She does still wear cloth nappies (yes...I know!) except for night time and when we go out for longer periods.

Well, I know there is SO much more - but wanted to do an update - as much for a record as anything.