15 Months and Videopalooza

Spring is here--daffodils are blooming, and our Japanese Magnolia is in full glory:



Which means we're getting to spend lots more time outside with Stella.


This is the Chief Sealth Trail, that's soon to be extended really near our house. It's along some powerlines, which isn't always fantastic, but it's a great urban walk, and on a clear day you get some magnificent views of Rainier.

It's great to get to go to playgrounds and for walks now that she can do some walking too!


Stella's pretty good on even ground, but she still needs to learn more about steps, edges and exercising some caution for the sake of self preservation....


Tyler talked a lot about Stella's verbal development in the previous post. On top of the sounds and signs, our tall (89th percentile) thin (50th percentile) daugher's got lots going on. Probably my favorite thing right now is that she's into hugs and kisses. She'll come up, wrap her arms around my neck and squeeze tight. I have to admit, the hugs are still a little more pleasurable than the kisses, which involve her planting her enthusaistic mouth wide-open onto any body part--cheek, chin, neck, shoulder. Sometimes with a little tongue. She'll also blow kisses goodbye, which involves a lot less saliva.

On top of finding out her stats, we were reminded at her last doctor's appointment that she can now have toothpaste when we brush her teeth at night. Teethbrushing had been our biggest power struggle, but the novelty of a minty-fresh mouth has helped. Stella still wants to do it herself, but I'm trying to teach her that I go first, then she can brush and then drop her toothbrush into the sink.


First minty moments!

Other current favorites include raisins, roasted red bell peppers, swinging (and not much else at the playground) and getting chased:


This happens at least twice a day. Someday we'll be in a hurry and it will be less cute, but it's pretty fun for now.

As demonstrated in the video above, Stella's pretty thrilled to have a chance to run around in her skivvies--or nothing at all--another benefit of a balmier house in the spring:


Organizing the cabinet...


Insisting on sitting in her rocker....

On top of running around, she's kept her interest in books. It's been fascinating to realize she's learning about the directionality of pictures and print. She has some books where the image looks upside down (ducks ducking their heads under water, a boy doing a flip into a pool, the monkey who's fallen on their head) and she'll turn the book around to see it "right side up".


Apparently, this is the "right" direction for the images.

And her interest in keys hasn't waned. I've learned to try to keep mine in a coat pocket and out of sight, because once she sees them, she must have them.


Holding the keys on the way out of the house.

Here's one of the reasons she's obsessed:


Listen carefully--that "beep" is the sound of the doors being locked and the car alarm setting. Over, and over, and over again.

Can't wait to see what's in store as her 16th month begins....