The Hoosier Homestead Family: Meghan @ 17 Months

Fine Motor:

She has been absolutely loving fine motor activities this month!
She mastered putting buttons through a baby wipes container and straws in an empty parmesan cheese container.
She loves working on her shape sorter. She still doesn't think to switch which hole she's putting shapes into when she switches shapes, but with a reminder to look at the shape, she will trace it's outline with her finger (as I would do while teaching her to look at the shape), and look for a matching shape. She is still only about 50% accurate at it.
She continues to enjoy pegging activities.
She has enjoyed stacking her graduated bowls, large foam blocks, and small wooden blocks.
She has built some impressive towers with her mega bloks.

Gross Motor:

She is walking very well now. She crosses thresholds, steps over small obstacles, and walks on non-level surfaces (like the lawn).
She walks while holding your hand.
On Sunday, she took off from the sanctuary and walked all the way to the car with us.
She still refuses to go down the stairs by herself - though she has learned how and will sometimes do it on the last two stairs.

Language:

Words (77): moon, oops, e-i-e-i, green, red, yellow, ham, walk, out (outside), hop, night-night, bubble, dog, bean (green bean), rock, chicken, fork, purple, downstairs, dance, butter (peanut butter), amen, orange, hello, Meghan, belly button, Kate, windmill, gate, bear, diaper, box

Previously: ah (all done), apple, baby, ball, balloon, barn, bird, bwoo (blueberry), boo, book, boots, bottle, bow (hairbow), bug, bye-bye, cheese, clap, cup, Dada, down, ear, eat, hat, help, hi, mom/mama, milk, more, mouth, nap, oatmeal, papa (popcorn), please, prune, room, shoe, spoon, sock, teeth, that, uh-oh, wow, yay, yum

Previously: pig, elephant, rooster, donkey, chicken, frog, bird, owl, dog, cow, rabbit, duck, sheep, horse, cat, "vmmm" for cars, "mmm" while eating

Previously: all done, more, milk, hat, no, yes, eat, diaper, wash, phone, please, thank you, hot, cold, help, water, shoes, socks, up, book, bird, sleep/nap, dog, train, apple, bracelet, cracker

Previously: hair, teeth, belly button, nose, mouth, feet, ears, toes, shirt, pants, socks, diaper

This is the last month that I will be keeping track of her spoken words - she has passed the minimum number of expected words for a 2 year old and is picking up words at such a rapid pace that I am not going to be able to keep up with her. Yay!

Eating:

She has been working on molars this month - eating is either wonderful or terrible. The past few days have been terrible :( This poor girl takes a long time to get teeth in and it makes eating very, very difficult.
She has discovered a love of peanut butter and hummus!

Sleeping:

She is being weaned off the morning nap. It's currently 30 minutes. But she asks for it every morning. It will *hopefully* be gone by the next monthly post!
She takes a 2-3.5 hour nap in the afternoon. She is READY for it when it comes. I ask if she wants a nap and she squeals, heads for the stairs, all the while repeating "nap" and signing sleep.
She goes to bed between 6:30-7:00.

Other Updates:

She loves labeling things. Everything in her world needs a label - if she knows it, she says it. If she doesn't know it, she will ask us to say it.
She has fallen head-over-heels in love with her stuffed monkey Margo. Margo is as big as she is but is her very best friend and goes with her almost everywhere.
She has started saying "amen" at the end of prayers.
We went to Costco without friend Kate and she pointed to the empty seat next to her and said "Kate?" She knows that seat belongs to her buddy!
She has started cleaning up her toys. After roomtime she will clean up a good amount of her toys without help!
She loves to be outside. That word alone sends her running to a door where she begins nearly climbing in an attempt to get out.
She also loves baths with the same intensity. Asking if she wants a bath will cause her to move as quickly as possible to the stairs and then to the bathroom where she will continue saying "bath" until you have removed her clothes and set her in.

The Hoosier Homestead Family