18 months update!

Sprout had her 18 month appointment today!! She is doing amazingly well! She is now 19.4 lbs and 29.5 inches tall! I am sure by now she is smaller then her 4 (almost 5 month old) cousin Kurt who was 18 lbs at 4 months old.

The Dr. also confirmed what I already knew about Sprout. Sprout is ahead of kids her age. She is at the level of a 2.5- 3 year old! I knew she was smart when she started doing things her own way and pretty early as well! But to have it confirmed that she is at the level of a 2.5 year old is crazy to me! The Dr. also said to go ahead and work on some of the more basic principles of preschool! I am really excited to start doing more with her and I am also really happy to have an age range for her that is appropriate since what I always figure would be too hard she has no issues with.

Some new milestones now that she is 18 months:

I finally dropped her crib down as low as it will go.
She can climb over the babygate now. (Oh Joy!)
She is learning her colors and shapes right now.
She knows about 50 word (really I think it is more. I am sure I am missing some words)
Climbing rock walls mostly by herself
Swinging on the big kid swing!

This one is loud so turn your volume down!

We also got family pictures as well as Ginnys 18 month pictures done on Sunday!!! I am SO EXCITED to see them!!!! I have two sneak peeks!

How adorable is she?!?!?!  This picture kills me! 

Finally our first (pro) Family Pict

ure! Only took 18 months to get Cody to do it! 

And finally something I am SO excited for! Sprout is starting gymnastics tomorrow Aug 27th! I am so excited for her to explore and get all of her energy out. Also anyone who knows Sprout knows her love for flipping and flying in the air! I'm excited to see her grow and have so much fun! 

Vacation 2014!!

Since last Thursday we (Cody was technically on Friday. You know that whole working over night thing. :) we have been on vacation down at our (I say our but really my Dad's) camper in Howe, IN. Sprout's schedule has been pretty thrown off this week. Tonight is the first night she has really gone to sleep at her normal bedtime.... really she went to bed before her bedtime tonight. Also she is the one who told me she wanted to go to bed!

When we first came to this campground when I was a young teenager I really did not like this place. It was boring to me. We had come from Yogi Bear Jellystone Park. If you don't know what that place go look it up now! It is amazing! It had 2 pools, 7 lakes, and SO many activities for me and my friends to do! Not to mention I had made a group of friends that we all went for a week on the 4th of July. So I had to leave my friends to a campground that was TINY compared to Jellystone where I knew no one and they barely had anything for a teen to do! Pretty much I thought my life was over (Teenage drama queen here!)

Over the next few years I gained a few friends and this place became like a second home to me. It still is to this day. I love it here now. I feel calm and happy and it is so relaxing after the nonstop go, go, go!

So on this vacation we decided we were only going to do a few musts this year. Cody wanted to fish a lot and I know that with Sprout being a water bug we were going to be at the pool or lake at least daily. I wanted to go to Shipshewana and the Outlets in Fremont.

We went to Shipshewana yesterday (flee market) and today (Cody wanted to show Sprout and I the auctions for the animals). We went to a shop before making it to Joe-Joe's Pretzels! A must stop when you visit! Sprout got her first taste and she LOVED it! So much so that she stole Cody's pretzels.

Cody is going fishing for a good portion of the morning with papa tomorrow so I think I am going to go and take Sprout back and go do a bit of shopping since he doesn't really like the shops (Just the flee market and I hope by now Joe-Joe's)

A TODDLER?!?!

We have been on the go a lot lately! From going to the zoo and lake to going to a few graduation parties and a wedding! Not to mention all of the Fathers on Father's Day (4 to be exact) To 3 birthdays two of which were on the same day! It has been a really busy few weeks!

In that time Sprout has been learning and growing! Also perfecting the art of temper tantrums and I have video proof to show you! Her vocabulary was at 30 words last time I took the time to write them all out! She has since then learned more! She is still in love with books and of course her cat! She loves helping me put wet clothes into the dryer and "Helping" me do dishes. She has learned  most of her basic body parts and we are now moving on to colors and shapes. She is getting the colors more than the shapes... Unless it is that shape sorter toy! She is doing awesome with that lovely thing!

The tantrum.

My little butterfly

Early Shoe Practice

Out smarting the kitty!

She loves to color with anything and to paint as well!

A hand print frozen in time forever

And this is what she did to her hair!

So this year we have a few.. okay more than a few graduation parties to go to. The little neighbor kids I grew up with are graduating this year!!!! How is this possible?!?! I feel pretty old when I think about it just a bit too much! But yet when I am around them all again a funny thing happens.... I turn back into one of the kids. It doesn't matter that I normally have a wine in my hand at these type of gatherings. I am laughing and making jokes with them like when I lived on Redstock! While at one of the parties Sprout go to go on the trampoline for the first time! 

We also go a few pictures taken of Sprout! How is it she looks so grown up in these pictures?! I really want my baby back that I could squish! I now have a full blown toddler! Excuse me as I go cry for a while!

Zoo Days! Yes I said dayS! And hanging out with Grandmas!

We live pretty close to Binder Park Zoo. Which is pretty awesome if you ask me! Growing up I loved going to the zoo.... Who are we kidding, I STILL love going to the zoo! This is something I hope to share with all of my children and I am trying to make sure they have a love of animals and adventure!

This year we got a zoo membership and I can tell you we have already been there about 5 times this year! It is so much fun and Sprout seems to pick up more and more every time we go! This last time she got the courage to actually feed the giraffe! After the Giraffe ate the lettuce she looked up at me with so much pride and happiness that it pretty much melted my heart!

A few weekends ago we went out to see Mom and Renea and had a grill out day with them! They had the back yard decked out for Sprout! They had a pool, sandbox, swing, ride on toys and a jumping zebra! Needless to say Sprout had a blast! And she gobbled up the yummy food as well! Bonus point was Sprout was so exhausted that she slept for the WHOLE  NIGHT!!!!!!

So much fun!

She really wanted to help!

Sprout is now for the most part sleeping through the night! It only took us 15 months but I am SO excited to actually get to FINALLY sleep!!! So of course you know I now feel really sad that my baby is growing up which then leads me to be ready for a new squish! It is still a while away but I will be happy anytime we get to have our second child!

Also new with Sprout is the talking!!! HOLY COW can she talk! I think we are up to 15 words now (that i can understand at least!) She loves to "help" me when I am cleaning and actually puts the wet clothes in to the dryer for me! She is a total water bug,  She is loving her new toys that we got her! Especially the Fruit and Veggie color sorter!

We are still loving books! She is over there right now reading away! She LOVES going buh- bye. And She is going on the potty a lot more lately! Which is pretty awesome since that means less diapers for me to change in a day! 

In other news I have a few new headbands going up in my shop here really soon! I think they are so cute and will make a great addition! 

I also made this tutu for her and was trying it on for size and she would NOT let me take it off of her!