21

Twenty-one months ago, this beautiful girl came into our lives.

5/25/2006 - Already giving me the "what for"

2/25/2008 - 21 months old

She celebrated her 21-month Eve by waking up twice last night. Yawn.

We should have known from that first picture that she'd give us a run for our money. Here's what she did when I first pulled out the camera today and asked her to smile....

Can you say STINK-EYE???

I shouldn't be surprised--every day she does something that I'm SURE I did to my mom at that age.

Lately, her newest indignations revolve around me cutting or tearing her food--get this--WITHOUT HER PERMISSION! And you know you can't put it back together once it's cut. Oy, the screaming and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Little Miss "I Am Big, thank you very much" wants to use her own fork and knife for all meals, even cereal, by herself, sit at the table kneeling in a big chair, not her highchair, drink out of an open cup, DEMAND everything, and spend lots of time attached to Mommy's legs and hips.

But she also loves to play hide-and-seek (she is a frighteningly good, quiet hider), bursts into a huge smile when one of us comes home, gives huge hugs and gentle kisses, serves up elaborate tea parties, lovingly feeds her baby dolls, and....... drumroll please....... has gone on the potty several times!

When I was 21 months old, I got a baby sister. I cannot even imagine how my mom (or anyone, for that matter) handled that. Some things would be easier than the 3 1/2 year gap that we have between the kids, but she's still such a baby in so many ways.

A baby, that is, with a 12-year old stink-eye.