Lily @ 15 mos

Lily @ 15 months!

Hannah @ 3 years

From 12 months to 15 months, she is rapidly changing!

Playing at Port Discovery

She loves to color and doodle on her little books - thankful for the "magic" ink and book sets

Lily has a very fun and silly sense of humor

My fifteen month old has caused me to continually reflect on our ability to communicate without uttering an actual word.  She has become incredibly communicative, but has not increased her range of words - she nods and shakes her head, points, grunts, squeals, laughs, grins, sparkles her eyes, pouts her lips, throws herself to the ground in a true toddler kowtow, all to somehow manage to clearly explain to us what she wants.  It is amazing.  She also has eyes that have a dramatically breaktaking sparkle to them that is utterly captivating. Lily loves music and has an adorable body wiggle that she does when music comes on. In the car if she is fussy, music often helps.

From 12 to 15 months has also been the time when Lily has learned to walk! It has been magical to watch her evolve from toddling, cautious, deliberate steps to steadily picking up speed and coordination and becoming a confident, striding walker (who looks so pleased with herself and her new skills).  My favorite is when she walks quickly, practically running and stretches her arms behind her back as if she is trying to take off and fly.  It has been really amazing to have two walkers and it is steadily changing the dynamics of our little family!

Once again while I have written notes "in real time" - I have not actually posted in real time...at all.  Two mobile, inquisitive toddlers keep me busier than ever and my downtime is fairly non-existent.  But these are a few anecdotal stories/facts/reflections that I jotted down about the girls as Lily reached fifteen months in July 2017.

13 months old, not quite able to walk on her own, but Hannah was a great helper!

Some of Lily's first steps were in Austria and Germany - and it was so exciting to watch how much her walking skills changed in the two weeks we were traveling!

The girls walking into school together for the first time that Lily has been able to walk on her own.  Lily is decked out for her water play day.

The Dinosaur

During the summer session program at the girls preschool, there are different shows each Wednesday.  On the way home from school, I asked Hannah about the animal show she had seen that day and asked her which animal was her favorite.

Hannah: "I got to see a dinosaur, mommy! It was my faaaaavorite!"
Me (intrigued): "Umm, what kind of dinosaur was it, honey?  What did it look like?"

Hannah: "It was a dinosaur lizard!!!  And I got to pet it!"

Evidently when the shows happen, the children all meet together in the center room and Hannah immediately ditches her class to find her little sister, Lily.  Their teachers have shown us multiple pictures of Lily sitting in Hannah's lap to watch a show, the girls holding hands and dancing together, etc, and it is heart-warmingly amazing!  I really love that they are allowed to see each other and interact and that their teachers are so flexible with this!

girls sitting together during shows at schools.

Lily says "thank you" really actively now.  It wasn't just her fourth word, it is probably the word most frequently spoken in her vocabulary. 

Hannah and Lily play together frequently now, Hannah will say "Lily is a big girl now too!"

Hannah is really gracious and thanks me profusely for things in the sweetest way -

"oh, mommy thank you so much for brushing my hair and helping me, so it looks nice!" 

"oh Daddy thank you so much for going to the store toget chocolate chip clif bars for meeeeee!" 

Recent favorites - Lily loves Rock Dog and is starting to sit still long enough to watch part of a movie or show, Sesame Street is another hit, but Rock Dog was our blockbuster of the summer for Lily - she even carries around the guitar she got for her birthday and plays while Brody does. 

Hannah - likes playing with our old water camera and was watching a video of a Mickey mouse parade at Disney and when Mickey came on, she squealed "ooh, let me take a picture!!!" And dove for her camera.

While their dad is out of town (which he was for 9 straight days this month while I flew solo with the girls and pups):

Sunday morning Lily thanked me when I changed her really dirty diaper and then thanked me again when I put cream on her rash.  It was amazing!

Hannah woke up the day of Holden's Birthday party and said "I am so excited I can hardly believe it!!!" and "couldn't wait to see it with my own eyes!"  

In the car on the way there, I was talking to Hannah about the party we were heading to and explaining that I had special socks for her to use when we got to the trampoline park and she exclaimed "mommy you are so sweet!!! thank you!!!"  

On Saturday, I asked Hannah how she was doing and she responded and then Hannah asked me how I was doing and I replied "I'm good honey, but I do miss daddy" and Hannah said, beaming, "it's okay mommy!  Because I am here with you!"

And a recap -

From 12 months to 15 months, Lily has learned to walk, Hannah and Lily play together more and more interactively, welcomed Lily into the international traveler's club in Germany and Austria with the Hals family, celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary, enjoyed the 4th of July fireworks in Maple Lawn.

Lily spent the late spring/early summer obsessed with the ceramic bunny and chick in our garden

Enjoying the view from Zugspite - Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

Partnach Gorge, Germany

...there should be a gorgeous alpine valley behind us.  But the fog was cool too?  Hallstatt Five Fingers, Austria

Enjoying a gorgeous day of alpine coasting in Austria

The hills are alive with the Sound of our musical Hannah

These girls loved Mirabelle Gardens in Salzburg, Austria

enjoying the pool in the Harper's community 

A little tired... haha

Our 11th wedding anniversary, at a friend's housewarming party

these girls!  I had envisioned trying to take pictures in the spring green ferns since the previous spring - we were so excited about how these came out!

dual nap time for the win!  these girls were worn out after a trip to Port Discovery

Fourth of July fireworks - Hannah comforting a tired Lily

loved the fourth of July with these girls and dear friends!