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!