Tate is 22 months

You're a big girl. You now have a big girl bed. You refuse to sit in a high chair. You want a big girl fork and spoon. You talk like a big girl. But, for your information, you're NOT a big girl. You're my little peanut and you're growing too big too fast for my liking. It is a fun time with you, though. Your personality is hilarious and although you wear me out on a daily basis, I love your spunk and you make me laugh on a daily basis.

It seems like it was overnight when you started putting more and more words together. Now it's not uncommon for me to hear, 'Read Book, Please', or 'Milk Milk, Please'. You're adding more words to your vocabulary each day and your brother has made a game of it. I have to remind him from time to time to only teach you REAL words because he thinks it's fun to teach you made up words. It's hard enough to understand what you want some of the time - made up words will not help.

In the last couple of weeks, you're really into baby dolls. I was wondering when that would happen because all of the other little girls I've seen were into their babies much earlier than you. (Maybe you didn't have time for that nonsense because you were too busy with Bubba's trains and dinosaurs). You like to put baby 'nigh nigh' and on more than one occasion, you've put baby in your bed, covered her up, turned out the light and pushed me out the door saying 'shhh - baby nigh nigh'. Ah, if only you'd stay in your bed and go to sleep like baby. You think it's funny to tell me 'stinky feet' and put baby on the changing table for a diaper change. Your diapers are pretty big for baby but it cracks you up and you wouldn't have it any other way. Baby goes to time out a lot, too, and the other day I found you giving your baby a spanking. Wow - did I feel bad! And I started to doubt my discipline strategies. For the record, spankings are reserved in our household for true spanking deserved instances. Ex: Putting fingers near light sockets, touching mommy's computer, etc. and then it's mostly a swat on the hand or a light swat on the diaper to get your attention'. While we're on the topic of discipline, you're in time out A LOT. And it doesn't seem to phase you. Time out works like a charm for your brother but for you, not so much. This will continue to be an interesting ride.

It's hard to believe in 2 short months you'll be 2. I don't think the reality has really set in yet but check back in a month and I may be hyperventilating. Until then, I have a feeling this month will be lots of fun - and very busy - but I look forward to each day we have together.

All my love,
Mommy