18 Months

Over the busy weekend, Eliana turned 18 months old.  Unfortunately, the only gift she got was a fever and rash-inducing virus.  At least she already had a scheduled doctor's appointment and we were able to get her sick visit taken care of at the same time as her 18 month check-up.  Despite being under the weather, everything else looked great.
For some time now, we've jokingly referred to our littlest lady as a nightmare of a dream.  She is the most amazing singleton we could have asked for, yet incredibly difficult.  Eliana freely shares kisses, hugs and snuggles, but doesn't hesitate to use excessive, unfriendly force when unhappy.   I feel honored to be her source of comfort, but overwhelmed by her persistence when she wants my attention.  Have I mentioned that she still doesn't sleep through the night?!?!  We're way over that little gem of a trait, yet there is nothing better than the time I spend with her in the early morning. Thankfully, she's way more dream than nightmare and here are a few reasons why:


1. The way she nods her head and says "yeah"
2. How well she understands when we ask her to complete a task
3. Her impression of the sounds an elephant and monkey make
4. Watching her play duck, duck, goose and ring around the rosie with her sisters
5. The completeness her presence has brought to our family