Grammy and Auntie's Visit

Deric's Mom and sister, Kamiren, were amazing and came out the week that we moved into our new house!  They helped us unpack boxes, set up the kitchen, clean, unpack more, etc.  We would still be unpacking boxes if it weren't for them.  Here are a few pics that we took when they came! 

 

McKenna's 16 Month Update

16 months old!

 

Our sweet McKenna turned 16 months a week ago!  It's amazing how she seems to learn something new every day.  Her language skills are flourishing and I can hardly keep up with all of her new words.  She's learned some new signs as well and is constantly signing "help" around the house when she can't lift something or get what she wants.  She's also signing "eat" and saying the word when she wants a snack or when we tell her it's time to eat.  She's learned new animal sounds and she amazes me when we're reading a book and she just says an animal sound that I didn't even know that she knew.  She continues to love to read and will say "please" or "book" or even sign "help" to read a book when she's in the mood, which is quite often. 

McKenna has always loved being outside but lately she's learned to say "outside" and is always telling me that she wants to go out and play and throws tantrums if we don't go out and play.  We've gotten into a good routine of walking to the park, just up the street from our house, after dinner each night so I think that's helping her love of the outdoors.  There's a sweet family that has a daughter that was born two days after McKenna that comes to the park almost every night as well so it's been a mini play date in the evenings which McKenna just loves.  She's also gotten better at riding on a little tykes ride on toy.  She just loves it but sometimes prefers to push it to the park.  She's getting better at actually moving it with her legs though. 

McKenna newest physical skill is to climb into and out of chairs.  We have a set of four chairs and a table in the playroom and she has to climb in and out of all four chairs multiple times.  The chairs are still pretty tall for her but that doesn't stop her.  She is becoming quite the adventurous toddler.  She also loves climbing up the slide at the park and can do it all by herself now if we let her.  It's so frustrating when bigger kids are playing though because McKenna doesn't understand how to get out of the way and she's constantly trying to climb up the slide when bigger kids are sliding down.  Can't wait to see what next month has in store for us!

McKenna's 14 and 15 month update

 

 

14 Months Old

 

 

 

15 months and 1 day!

 

 

Well I'm a little behind posting McKenna's monthly updates.  Her 14th month birthday came in the midst of getting ready to move into our new house and now she's turning 15 months so it's a combined update this time.

McKenna is continuing to grow and amaze us with what and how quickly she's learning new things.  She now attempts to say her ABC's when she sees letters on things such as a t shirt, sign, etc.  She will even attempt to sing them with me at times.  She is continuing to learn and understand new words.  Added to her list of words is up and down, yay, making grunting sounds when she sees a picture of a pig, a bow wow sounds for dogs, she's said read a few times, and a ta sound for touch.  She's starting to blow kisses and even sign thank you which look very similar to each other although she seems to understand the difference. 

McKenna has really taken to feeling the beat of music and will start dancing when she hears a song that she likes.  She has quite a few funny dance moves and her favorite is stomping her foot, while moving in a circle! 

She now has eight teeth total although they all aren't 100% in yet but moving up.  We think there must be another tooth coming in that we just can't see yet because McKenna has woken up the last few nights when she's normally a great sleeper. 

McKenna seemed like she was down to one nap a day but is back to a quick morning nap on days we are home and will fall asleep in the car if she hasn't gotten a morning nap in.  I'm hoping we are officially moving to one nap a day soon because she likes to nap right in the middle of many toddler morning activities.

McKenna seems to really enjoy the new house.  She has lots of space to run and play and loves her big play room.  It's full of all my kindermusik/music therapy instruments which she loves.  Her favorite seems to be a big gathering drum.  She loves her new bedroom and loves having all of her books back and out of storage.  McKenna just loves reading and now hands us books when she wants to hear a story (which happens all day long).  We got a library card last week and McKenna has already listened to her new library books multiple times.  She especially loves the "Hello Texas" book we found.

McKenna is starting to understand the concept of cleaning up and will help put things back into a box/container if I ask her or even when I sing the clean up song.  Sometimes she gets distracted though and takes things out again!  We're still working on this skill!