16 months

Earlier this week Mia turned 16 months! She is totally in the toddler phase now. Exerting her independence, her likes and dislikes, becoming more verbal, throwing more tantrums...it's so fun to watch her grow and develop into this little person with such a personality!

Sleeping is back to normal again! She did cut her bottom right molar, her top right molar and her front bottom tooth. Her left molars are just about through too! Naps are hit or miss (last Monday a 3 hour snooze, then Wednesday refused a nap all together until a stroller walk put her out). She is unloading and reloading things, sorting objects, answering "yeah" and "noooo" when asked questions. She is doing so much I can't think of it all right now but she is a smarty pants and we are having so much fun with this phase!

summer break week 1

Our first week of summer vacation was so fun! Mia and I joined the JCC tot swim (thanks for the tip Stef!) - she LOVES playing in the toddler pool and I met some great moms! I even found out that some of the moms started up a Mothers and More club so I don't need to start up my moms club! I am excited to join. We also started storytime at the library. Tuesday we took a special trip to the city to have lunch with Auntie Pam, Jenny, grammy and Brian. Mia had fun playing with her family and received some cute stickers, purses and book from Auntie Pam. The most fun was going downtown on Friday to visit the new kids wing at the Art Institute and then having a picnic with Daddy during his lunch hour! We went to visit Great Grandpa George too and am glad he is feeling better and finally out of the hospital for good (let's hope). It was so hot on Saturday, dad set up Mia's kiddie pool in the yard and she just sat there and didn't want to come out! She loved it!

Last night we took Mia to her ice cream social for the kids that her sitter Diane watches (or has watched in the past). She loved running around with the big kids. She is becoming so independent, she didn't want to hold mom or dad's hand at all. I felt like she was thinking "mom you are embarassing me in front of my friends!".

photos: Mia and dad in Millenium Park; Mia at the Art Institute; Mia saying HI to Uncle Brian

Outer Banks

What a refreshing vacation we had! Mia did excellent on our long road trip! We rented a beach house in the Outer Banks of North Carolina with our friends Dave and Brenda and Mia's little friend Ella. The set up was perfect, a nice roomy house with a short walk to the beach over the sand dunes and a hot tub for night star gazing. The town we stayed in, Avon, was about an hour south of Kitty Hawk and was very quiet, just a few shops, restaurants - it was a perfect get away! And the scenery was just beautiful. Dad and mom even got to have a date night at a restaurant right on the Pamlico Sound.

Mia was a little apprehensive with the ocean at first but quickly warmed up to it and then loved it! She liked finding shells in the sand, sitting in her beach chair, saying HI and smiling at everyone. On the way out to the house we slept over at Ella's house, then a town outside of D.C. On the way home we got caught in some traffic but just stayed one night in Breezewood, Pa and made it home late Sunday. It was nice to have a full week at the beach house and we enjoyed every minute of it!

hair cut and little Kindergartner for the day

Tuesday was mom's last day of school and Mia and grammy came with! Mia loved playing with all the toys, making all the kids clap their hands and visit all of mom's friends and students. She insisted on sitting at the kids tables and acted like a real kindergartner! She did really great and it was so fun to have her with me! While I was reading my students a story, she looked at me like mommy why are you reading to them! She proceeded to walk around the kids and touch them all and play with my chalk!

I finally decided that Mia really need a professional hair cut...I have given her trims here and there (even gave her some cute pixie bangs) but after Dad's permission decided to take her to my hairstylist Katie at the aveda salon (oh la la). Mia did great, she did squirm a bit but was distracted by a comb and some aveda oil (hehe). We decided to trim it a bit so that she will eventually have a bob - she has so much hair!!!! Katie said she has never seen a 15 month old with all that hair!

busy busy

It's a busy time of year. Mommy finishing up her school year and getting ready for vacation! Mia is doing just fine. We have switched up our bedtime routine a bit and it seems to be working for the most part. Another bottom tooth is cutting so maybe that is why she was up at midnight last night?

Mia is coming to mommy's school Tuesday to meet everyone! So excited. Then we'll be home for the entire summer! She will still go to Diane's once a week just to see her friends and give mommy some time to clean the house and do that boring stuff.

Here is Mia trying on some shades last weekend at the Toy Store in St. Joe's. We took a girls trip to our summer house. So cute, last weekend Mia started to call grammy "DAMA". When grammy left, Mia was looking all over the house saying "dama, dama". Dama is on her way to help us get ready for our vacation next week. Also pictured is mommy still trying to get Mia to color. She will do a few scribbles then just wants to put them her chair or any container she can find! or just lay down and roll around with them :)