Valentine Fun!

The kids!

Delaney making her picture frame.
Olivia and Addy

Gavin

Maya and Luke

mmm sticky red heart sucker!

Delaney giving Alaina hugs and kisses.

Good thing Alaina didn't mind!

Making her heart picture.

Daddy's little sweetheart!

Daddy and Mommy with their little Valentine.

Jack and the Bean Stalk slide. She could have done this 100 times!

Delaney ran right up the D and said "D".. good girl!

Taking care of Presidential buisness is hard work!

Whee!

Water Fun!

Hanging from the bar.. just like at Little Gym

Touching the ball and making our hair stand up!

This ball loop was one of her favorite things!

Grocery shopping at the Magic House.

Yum!

Alex and Delaney decorating/eating cookies.

Delaney with her cookies.

Papa helped Delaney get mommy's coat on.

The General reading to Delaney.

We had a lot of fun with our little Valentine this year. Friday night we went to a party with our friends. The kids ate pizza and grapes, jello giggler hearts and some candy too! They played with Maya and Gavin's toys and did some art projects. They had a blast! I think the adults had a good time too.. I certainly did! Thanks Devon for having us at your house again! Saturday morning we drug oursleves out of bed and went up to my school's Sweetheart Pancake breakfast. Delaney enjoyed her pancakes and getting a heart balloon to run around with. She liked making a heart picture with stickers... and she had quite a few helpers handing her stickers! My present and past students LOVE Delaney! After the breakfast we headed off to The Magic House. I was excited to see what the new part had to offer but knew Delaney would love the sand and water as always! She really enjoyed herself the whole time! We took her to bread co for lunch as we know she LOVES grilled cheese and that squeezeable yogurt! Next up was a nap and Alex had asked if Delaney could come help him decorate some cookies. Delaney did more eating of the cookies than decorating! We enjoyed a yummy dinner and some time spent with Mimi, The General, Granny and PaPa and Alex of course! Alex played legos with Delaney forever! Thanks Alex! Thanks Mom for dinner! Thanks Jer for a great day spent with Delaney! I hope everyone enjoyed a special day with their loved ones!

Little Cupid

Delaney wants to wish everyone a very HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Reading

Here is some footage of Delaney reading.... not the best as she was getting tried and it was right before bed! ...but you'll get the idea! In the first video you'll hear her point out the fish, the baby, the baby crying, the kiss and hug pictures....then the baby in the bed, duck, bear...apple, cheese and milk. in the second one you'll hear her start with the monkey sound, roaring like a tiger, a flower, she'll moo like a cow and say moon (even though she points the the clouds). Enjoy!

Monkeyin' Around at the Zoo!

Hi Monkeys!"Look"

Riding a Gorilla
Climbing.. what she does best!
Delaney wasn't too sure about the bird seed at first!
She sure liked pouring it... just not so good at keeping it in the table.

Peek a boo!"Hi Mimi"

Making an animal picture.

Moon sand

Not too sure about the moon sand at first either!

Playing dress up.... adorable little lady bug!

Fierce tiger!

Surfing like a penguin.
Hugging her new friend Baby Dangles.

We had a blast at the zoo today. Mimi came with us and we got to see a lot of animals and play in the zoomagination station! Delaney was a bit frightened of the monkeys at first because she didn't understand the concept of the glass wall! She warmed up quickly though and liked saying hi to the Monkeys. She loved seeing all the animals and was very good at trying to repeat their names. She got to ride on the carousel and we played in this cool little room called the zoomagination station... it was perfect for young children and Delaney had a blast. She really enjoyed the little playhouse, opening and closing the shutters and door! She wasn't sure what to think about the bird seed and moon sand at first but she quickly caught on! Delaney also got an early Valentine's Day present... a oink monkey named Baby Dangles. She's been dragging him around all afternoon and hugged her monkey tightly when it was time for bed tonight. We were thankful for some decent weather for a wonderful winter zoo day!

18 Months Old

Dear Delaney-

You are now 18 months old! You really enjoyed me singing "Happy HALF Birthday to you" on your half birthday! You squealed excitedly and shouted and signed... "MORE!" You are getting so very big and indepent these days. You want to do everything on your own and you have finally learned the toddler word "NO!" You love to use it too.. even when it really is something you want... you'll answer no when we ask if you want it. Silly girl! You've been testing your boundering and limits lately and so therefore have landed yourself in time out.. which you don't exactly care for. You are becoming more loving every day and you hug and snuggle your dolls, stuffed animals, friends and family (and of course mommy and daddy). My favorite saying you have right now is "LOVE YOU". I laughed out loud in the car this week when the song on your Elmo video was singing "I love you" and you started singing along... "love you... love you"! So cute! You are starting to string two and three words together when you talk, most often because you are repeating what we say.. like "I see fish." However we have also heard "Alex go bye bye" (and lots of other people including "Laney go bye bye") and "Baby go there" or "Baby go up". It's so much fun that you can communicate with us now... and now mommy gets to use the phrase "use your words" when you are whining! You love to make animals sounds and you have this book with all kinds of pictures in it... you like to make the monkey sound on each page and then say "no" and shake your head... you repeat this on every page until you get to the monkey page where you make your monkey noise loudly and laugh at yourself! It's hilarious. There is also a page in that same book where a baby is crying. You also like to find that page and say "baby cryin" "baby cryin". This is one of your favorite books to "read" these days and it is adorable! You still love to play with your shoes, but you now also love to play with everyone else's shoes! You can get your own shoes off and on now and you love trying to put on mommy's and daddy's shoes. You beam with pride after you have accomplished getting some shoes on as you stomp around the house in them! You also really enjoy "dress up" not so much when mommy wants to try clothes on you as when you try on mommy's clothes! I have a feeling princess dresses are in our near future... but for now you're happy with my pajama pants, my shirts, jeans... you don't care.... as long as you can drape it on your shoulders (after giving up on getting it on the right way) you are a happy camper! You went to see your doctor on Friday and she says you are doing great! You have more words than an average kiddo your age and your motor development is ahead too! Not that I need you to be ahead ... just good to know you are learning and doing what you should! (we all know you are advanced... right?) You are 31 1/2 inches tall and 23 lbs 13 oz. According to the percentiles you are a little thing.. but we've all seen that frog belly of yours. Don't worry mommy had one of those too when she was little! You've started to protest some food but the doctor says that is normal and to just try to sneak them into your diet! That's a fun challenge for mommy isn't it! I hope this phase ends soon! You are at a very fun age and we are enjoying every minute! We love you so much Delaney Grace! Keep shining!

Love, Mommy and Daddy