Caroline hit the 18 month mark in mid-September. In fact, the timing was perfect because it was one day before her very first ballet class (designed for ages 1.5 to 2.5). I feel like each month with her just gets better and better, as we get to see her personality shine. She doesn’t say a lot of words, but VERY clearly conveys her points. She is fun-loving, likes to be sneaky, has a great sense of humor, and notices who is and is not in the room. Oh, and she LOVES her pink ballet outfit!

Here is a snapshot of Caroline at 18 months:

• She is in full on “DaDa” mode around here. We went from “MommyMommyMommyMommy” to constant questions and confusion about Daddy’s whereabouts. She is also his little shadow, especially during super convenient times like when he is taking out the trash or picking up after Finny in the yard.
• She can tell you when she has gone potty. She will squat and grab her diaper and when you ask her if she has gone, she tells you yes…and hasn’t been wrong yet!
• She can remove her seatbelt strap from over her shoulder on the far side of her carseat. It is a little thing but makes her seem 1000 times more grown up, the way she just pushes it out of her way, as if she is saying, “I have places to go.”
• She started BALLET! That’s right; we have a tiny dancer on our hands! She is in a Saturday morning class called “Creative Movers” at a studio aptly named Perfect Pointe and the required costume is a leotard, skirt, tights, and ballet shoes. She LOVES it and participated fully in Week One. Highlights included getting to twirl with a sheer scarf (and gaze at herself in the wall of mirrors doing aforementioned twirling) and getting to roll (as in, like down a hill) across a gymnastics mat. Mommy also had to participate and came out totally exhausted.
• She will bust out into her “bend and snap” dance move of deep knee bends anytime someone sings the “Hello Caroline How Do You Do?” song that they sing in Music Class at her school. I use this when we need a mood changer and it works like a charm for now 😉
• She can very clearly tell you “yes” or “yeah” and “NO.”
• She cares more for the baby doll we got her and practices “gentle touch” by flopping it over onto its back and beating (patting?) it on the back. I think they practice putting babies to bed at daycare because I saw Ms. Eloisa doing something similar one day at drop off.
• She removes her bow at every opportunity, especially if she sees it in a mirror. Her bow is also the first thing she demands when she gets up each morning and after each nap.
• She loves to “help” feed Finny and also to “help” empty his water bowl all over the floor.
• She has fallen back in love with the book “Dear Zoo” and especially loves the part where we get to the scary snake page and I hiss in her ear–she knows it’s coming and starts giggling the minute she sees the snake basket on the page.
• favorite foods: This month, she fell in love with all things seafood (seafood risotto, clam chowder, lobster bisque, scallops), plus peanut butter sandwiches, mini marshmallows (thank you special treat on plane ride to Maine!), raisins (ew, I know, but she loves them), and lasagna.
• Her 18 month checkup went well–she is in the 75th percentile for height and 87th for weight…our little eater girl!!
• Favorite toys: her Maine souvenir of a puppy on a stick (named Grass Stain), Cornelius the esteemed monkey from the zoo, my labelmaker, and the extra party supplies bin (paper cups, plastic spoons) that she loves to drag out and make a mess with.
• Next up: taking her to the dentist before age 2! Eeek! #startemyoung and selecting family Halloween costumes! bring on All the Fall Things!

Here are a few more shots of our aspiring ballerina:

Yes, you guessed it…we all know what she is doing in that last picture. I went ahead and made a meme for it:

Happy 18 months, Sugar Bear!