18 Months! 1.5 Years! Not a Baby Anymore!

My friend Kim at work has been giving me a hard time for a couple months now because, as a mother, she sees through my pathetic attempts to prevent Meredith from aging past the baby stage. These attempts include surrounding oneself with pictures of child as infant and outfitting child in nothing but dresses (she looks younger that way).

But at 18 months, one has to face the music. The sad, sad, music. She's not a baby anymore.

Could we petition God for 2 of every year? I think it would be good for parents, and good for kids. Do a year once, figure it out, enjoy it more the second time around. Exclude years 13-17 and you might really have a plan that would benefit all parties. And think how much wiser we would all be...Ah, but I digress. People much smarter than I have asked these questions, and we've still only got one shot at things, as far as I can tell.



So. My TODDLER is one-and-a-half. She is taller and skinnier than last month, losing the belly that her adoring Uncle Matthew said reminded him of that of a catfish. Her adoring Auntie Beth thinks her language skills are impressive, but I'll leave that to Auntie Beth to decide and I will remain the ever neutral observer. Her gran (who is henceforth known by her nickname Keddie, since the hard 'G' in Gran would be difficult for even the most linguisticly advanced child :) thinks she should be able to do whatever she wants -- including getting paraded around in her stroller INSIDE the house.



Mostly her dad and I just think she's precious enough to make terrible days wonderful and wonderful days idyllic. Life with Mer is good. Here's a pic of Mer with her Daddy. We had lunch in Court Square downtown and then Mer pushed her stroller for miles and miles. It was great watching the faces of approaching pedestrians, who saw a moving stroller, but not the toddler who was moving it.



And finally, here's a pic of Meredith and Virginia. The moms really didn't want to be in the picture, but YOU try taking a picture of two toddlers in front of the dogwood and azaleas. No way. You might get a picture of them with the driveway in the backgroud. You might get a picture with the recycling bin in the background. But you'll never get a pic with the blooming trees and bushes in the background. We love you Virginia and Holly and Billy and Henry. We'll come visit you wherever the Navy takes you, even if it's not San Diego (please please please let it be San Diego!).



So happy 18 months, Meredith Jubilee Lareau. So far, so good.