We can hardly believe that Harper is halfway to 2! Where did our little baby go? It's been so long since I've posted an update that Harper is practically a different child! So by way of a catch-up, here is what Harper has been up since I last posted forever ago:


Walking
She started walking at 13 and 1/2 months and now she is an old pro. She pulled up and cruised on furniture starting at around 11 months and it took her awhile to work up the nerve to just let go. She teased us with steps a few times and then finally decided to do it for real THE VERY DAY we moved into our new house. Guess all that empty room inspired her. She was literally taking her first steps while the movers were walking around her trying to move in our furniture. Can we say a little inconvenient timing? She runs everywhere now, and we still get the biggest kick out of watching her little legs move so fast.

Sleeping
In August we began our transition to one nap. So far so good. Her awesome sleeping continues into toddlerhood and we are VERY blessed! She goes to bed around 8pm and wakes up at 8 or 8:30am, and her one nap is usually around 1 or 1:30 until 3:30 or 4. She is obsessed with her woobies, Elmo and her Dora doll (which she calls "DoDo"). We still use a binky, but its only allowed at night and nap time. She slept in a sleep sack forever-- we stopped using it in August (and I think she still kinda misses it)!

Eating
Harper is still an excellent eater. She started trying to feed herself around 10+ months and we were done with baby purees a few weeks before her birthday. She eats a wide variety of fruits, veggies, and meat and surprises us by the random things she's willing to try (and likes).
Current favorites= spinach, brussel sprouts (seriously!), blueberries, raspberries, mandarin oranges, fish (tilapia or cod are her favs).
She eats way more gourmet than we do!

Teeth
Harper finally has teeth! A toothless wonder no more. Her first 2 teeth arrived at the same time at 10 months (followed immediately by a 48-hour nursing strike) and a few more teeth showed up at 12 months. She just cut another one last week, for a whopping total of 5 teeth at 18 months. When she lets us, we can feel another one or two trying to break through.

Talking
She is a total Chatty Cathy. Her first real words (besides just Mama and Dadda) arrived around 10 and 1/2 months, and she has been non-stop since. It's hard for us to keep up with the new words she seems to learn everyday, but our current best guess at her vocabulary is 50+ words. She isn't shy and when we're out and about shopping or running errands, she loves to say "Hi" and "Byeeeee" to everyone she comes across in the store.
Funniest word lately= toot (telling me when she toots)
Sweetest word lately= nuggle (when she wants to be hugged or kissed)
Most annoying word lately= milk or Elmo (because she says them constantly)
Word we are working most on= share (for obvious reasons) :)

Other fun facts about Harper at 18 months:
- She wears size 18-month clothes, size 4 shoes, and size 4 diapers.
- She is a TOTAL Daddy's girl. She asks about him all day long, and once he gets home from work, she doesn't let him out of her sight! She snuggles with him all the time. Mommy is apparently chopped liver.
- She is a major hoarder. She riffles around in cabinets and the pantry and carries armfuls of random things around the house. Her favorite place to deposit her stash of stuff is our closet-- we have found all manner of food items, cups, Tupperware, napkins, you name it in our closet.
- Current favorite toys: anything with Elmo or Dora on it, puzzles, crayons and paper, her wooden slide, her playhouse outside, her swing outside, and her sand bucket.
- Favorite books: Goodnight Moon, Hippos Go Berserk, Goodnight Gorilla, and Lily's Potty
- LOVES Norman (or "Nah-Nah" as she calls him). She climbs all over him and makes a kissing noise when she sees him. So sweet!
