22 months old

"I love you, Pearl Pearl."

"Clap your feet!"

Andi is a little talker! She impresses me daily with words she knows and phrases she can say. She talks in only complete sentences and the things she says are so sweet. "Thank you mommy for changing my diapie." A couple of other cute things she has said this past month: "Daddy is a big boy. Mommy, you're a big girl." "I'm a big girl. I don't need my paci." (Although she is still using her pacifier. We thought we might need it on the drive through the mountains on our way to Colorado, so now we might seriously consider having her give them up.) "Nana, your name's you and my name is me." "Shhh..Nana. Let's surprise Papa." "I'm cold. I need to put my jacket on." When we ask, "How old are you?" Andi will respond with, "I turn two in March." When I go to check her diaper, she will say, "I don't like to smell poo-poo." What makes my heart really melt is when she says, "I want to hold you, Mommy. Hold you all the time."

Andi still loves to sing. Her new accomplishment is being able to sing her Months of the Year. That's right! January through December! She has been singing all the verses to "Wheels on the Bus" a lot lately. She also likes to sing Dumbo's "I've seen an elephant flyyyyyy" She is sure to hold out the word "fly" as long and as loud as she can. Pretty cute. She also likes "Ring Around the Rosie" as she walks in circles and "Row, Row, Row your Boat" and "Oh, Mister Sun." She loves to sing, "Old MacDonald" and also enjoys "Jesus loves the little Children" and "Jesus loves Me." If Dave or I are singing or humming, Andi will ask, "What are you singing, Mommy/Daddy?" Andi has started singing in church. She sings what ever song she feels like singing while the congregation is singing. Cute!

She did something funny in church (01/15/12). We were all bowing our heads to pray. Andi looked at me and yelled, "Wake-up, Mommy!" Ha! So now I explain to her that we are going to pray before we bow our heads. She also called me "Shara" (01/12/12). She now knows that my name is Shara and Daddy's name is Dave.

Andi has become even more observant lately. She is very into her colors and knows green, blue, yellow, red, black, white, pink, and orange. She wants to know, "What color is it, Mommy?" as she points to an object or picture. I know she has always been a good listener and watches everything going on around her, but now she clearly verbalizes everything she is doing and seeing. Now that her carseat is facing forward, she loves to look out the window. She will tell me what she sees: "Mommy, look at the horses!" "Do you see all those birds?" "I see a big ole hawk." (She has been saying "big ole" to describe things-funny!) "Now we're going faster!" She will also point out the stop signs, and guess what!, she can spell stop. When asked to spell stop, she will say, "S-T-O-P, stop." She can also spell her name: A-N-D-I, Andi. So proud of my intelligent little girl!

Andi has continued on with her pretend play. She loves to have Nana or Mommy and Daddy sit with her at her play table (thanks, Gram) and serve us play food. She also likes to give her baby a bath and a bottle. She will use soap and a wash rag and bathe her baby then brush its teeth and hair. She has a Fisher-price zoo and she loves playing with her "zoo animals" and has to weigh, feed, and wash them. Andi also wants to pretend to be different animals from time to time. "Look, Mommy! I'm walking like a penguin!" "Daddy, fly like a parrot." She is now trying to jump. Pretty funny to watch. She will tippie toe on one leg and say, "jump!" She will pretend to sleep and even fake "snores" when laying down. Another funny thing she says is "How does Papa sneeze?" And will then yell, "Ahhh, Ahhh, Ahhh-CHOOOOOO!" "How does Andi sneeze?" In a tiny voice, "Ah Choo." Silly girl. She will often say, "That's silly!" or "Silly Goose!" She likes the Mommy/Baby relationship. She will see an animal and say, "Look! A Mommy horse. Where's its baby?" Or better yet, "Oh look at the teeny, tiny puppy dog. It needs its mommy." Adorable!!!

Still loves to read. Her favorite books include: The Big Red Tub, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, "Lucy" (My New School), The Going to Bed Book, Row Your Boat; all of which she can now easily read/recite to me. Genius baby!

Andi still sleeps in her crib and is an excellent sleeper. Andi usually tells us when she is ready for bed “Ready for bed.” “I want to go to bed. I want to go night-night.” ...although sometimes we have to let her know it is bedtime. She usually does not put up a fight. Yay! In her crib she wants a couple pacifiers, blanket, stuffed animal, and pillow. Bedtime is usually 8:30 and wakes by about 6:45.

Andi eats well. Lately she asks for "macaroni" or "chicken nuggets." She will usually eat most of what is on her plate. Loves "mash-ups."

Andi is pretty petite and able to wear most 12-24 months clothes (although the 24 month size pants usually fall off of her and we have to roll them up). Size 6 shoes. She is in a size 4 diaper.

I wish that I could capture every moment and every cute thing she says and does so I can relive these precious moments later in life!