13 Going on 30...

13 months going on 30 months that is! 

It got quiet in the house, and when I found Bug she was self potty training!  Notice the empty toilet paper roll. 

Olivia has always been alert and quite ahead of her time. She's definitely an ambitious girl - and seems to know that she has much to contribute and accomplish during her life here on earth. This month seems like a blur - with the move to LA, the endless unpacking and organizing, Adam and Amber's wedding/trip to Livermore, and of course the day to day goodness - we've been busy. Thankfully, I'm committed to keeping up on this blog when it comes to updates about Livi; it's the perfect opportunity to sit back and reflect on the craziness and blessing that is Olivia.

• Teething. Oh yes, the teething process continues. This month? Molars. What's funny is that I didn't even realize she was getting her molars until they had already come through. She had been a little fussier than usual, but I attibuted it to the trip and full house in Livermore. And although I brush her teeth twice a day, I don't stick my finger in there to check out her teeth (her bites - however unintentional they may be - hurt!). I discovered her molars when I was tickling her while she was laying on the floor - I thought she had some leftover string cheese in her mouth. Nope! They're called teeth! And let's not fail to mention that her bicuspids are on their way in too! She now has 10 teeth with 3 on the way.
• Praying. During the day, Livi has been my little shadow this month. She follows me around while I do chores, unpacking, organizing, painting, etc. I knew that she was picking up on how to sweep, dust, and pick up, but what I didn't realize was that she was picking up on saying prayers as well. I have been praying with Olivia in the morning, before each meal, and right before I lay her down at night. Just last week I sat down in the kitchen with her to eat breakfast and I noticed that she was sitting quite content with her hands clasped, fingers interlocked and eyes patiently watching me. It took me a moment to realize she was ready for me to pray! I hadn't realized that I clasp my hands more often than fold my arms. After I said "amen", Livi added her two cents (some cute but energetic babble)! We then enjoyed our meal. She has been quite the angel, reminding Aaron and me about morning and evening prayers, and about several gratitude prayers during the day! (Thankfully we never run out of things to be grateful for). I am truly grateful for her spiritual presence in our home.
• Talking on the phone. The video captures just a glimpse of our little talker. It doesn't matter what phone it is (although sadly she has now discovered the difference between the tv remote and our cell phones), or whose it is (she will even point and ask for strangers' phones in the grocery store) - once she gets her cute chubby fingers on a phone, she holds it up to her ear and starts talking away. She'll wander around the room and talk for even 5 minutes at a time (literally, 5 minutes). Liv even "pretends" to talk on the phone, it's darling to see her imagination at work.

• Chasing/Hide and Seek. Hide and seek has long been one of our favorite games to play, although I've always been the one to hide, Livi the one to seek. However, while we were at my parents house Olivia actually hid and called for me to come find her! She laughed and laughed when I "couldn't" find her and then "finally" did. She loves to chase me and Aaron around the apartment, as well as whatever toy we're playing with. When chasing Aaron or me, she'll run after us and once she reaches us, she pushes us over so that we are laying on our backs. She loves to tackle us (all that Cougar football is paying off). It's the greatest cat and mouse game. My knees and my good jeans are wearing thin these days from all my time spent on the carpet with her and chasing her (more fun to be at her level), but I wouldn't change my play days with my daughter for anything.
• Hugs. Olivia has never been much of a snuggler. Every now and then, when she gets hurt or tired, she'll rest her head on my shoulder or want to be held, but this month she has started giving me real hugs. And not only hugs, but pats on my back as if to say, "it's okay, Mama". I melt every single time. There is something so divine about holding my little girl as she wraps her arms around my neck. I feel so at peace and overcome with love.
• Belly buttons. One morning while Liv and I were playing, I laid down on the carpet and happened to expose my belly button. Immediately, Olivia was touching it - trying to figure out what it was. I showed her mine again, and then showed her that she has one too! I wish I would have had a camera to capture her grabbing her belly and pulling it up to try to see her own belly button. She went back and forth, looking at our bellies. Every day, she tackles me and checks to make sure our belly buttons are still in tact. There's a book out that would be the perfect gift for Olivia: Where's Baby's Belly Button? If I don't pick it up for her first, grandparents/aunts/uncles - Christmas gift idea!
• Temper tantrums. I'll keep this one short, as her tantrums are rather short too. Despite my best efforts, Olivia has not picked up on the sign for "help", rather she screams for attention, comes to get me and cries louder, and then takes me to whatever she wants or needs help with. There are times when I take away a toy or put her down for a nap that she'll unleash her temper, but all in all - those times are few and far between. She is such a good natured toddler.
• Opening doors. Just before we left Livermore, Uncle Jordan taught Olivia how to open a door with the lever handle. Joy. Guess who has lever handles in their apartment? Oh yes. We do. With her new found skill, a whole new world has been opened up to her - bathrooms, Mommy and Daddy's room, and even the front door! I'm still working out child proof options, but in the mean time - the front door stays deadbolted during the day, I block the bathrooms with boxes (still have a few left to unpack), and keep harmful things off the floor and out of reach in our room. Jordan - not sure when I'll forgive you for that.
• Navigating the apartment complex. Olivia has taken to our new home quite quickly. I've mentioned before that I was concerned about the transition, but Livi acts quite at home here. When I put on her shoes she knows we're headed out the front door. Once out the front door, if I say, "Let's go push the button!" she knows that we're headed to the elevator. She pushes the down arrow (with a little boost from me), waits for the door to open, runs in, and pushes the parking garage button. There have been a few times where I've had to stop her from pushing the red emergency button (why do they make those so appealing for kids and right at their eye level!?).  Once downstairs in the garage, Olivia knows to wait at the door for me to open it, and then it's a race to get to our car. I open her door and she'll crawl over to her carseat, ready to head out! In our courtyard she knows where we take out the trash and where the hidden staircases are. 
• One nap. I dreaded going down to one nap...especially since Liv has done so well with 2....but as soon as her first birthday passed, Olivia was ready to jump to one nap. There have been some grumpy days as a result, but overall it's worked out great - more flexibility in my schedule and earlier bedtimes (assuming I'm on the ball with that one). 
• Shopaholic. Naturally, I take Livi with me wherever I go, and that includes on every shopping trip! Livi and I are now pros at shopping together. Her diaper bag is stocked and ready to go, her stroller by the door. She is such a great girl, lasting up to 1 1/2 hours in the cart/stroller wandering with me. She does have her breaking point, but it most often coincides with my own, so we get along great! 
• Favorite foods. With her recent cold, Liv has had no appetite. I've even struggled to get her to down a bottle or two throughout the day (still haven't weaned her off those yet). But on a good day...she LOVES string cheese. I don't even know if "LOVES" accurately portrays this girl's obsession with it. She also loves Gerbers "Pick me Up Raviolis". Bananas are a forever favorite, as are peaches. She loves anything and everything sweet. 
• Favorite toys: Her laptop from Grandpa Erickson (still), her Little Tikes car (she loves riding it around the courtyard), her lawnmower (a fantastic garage sale find), her mini kitchen I bought her for her birthday (she loves the ice maker, and seems to find new toys that fit through it daily), anything electronic (our phones, laptops, Aaron's mouse, XBox controllers), her wooden blocks (we build towers for her to knock down, except now she really does help to build!), Bear (her pink teddy bear), Panda (her new bear from Grandma Laurie), and Daddy's banana chair to name just a few! Olivia is so good to play with her toys, it makes it easy to buy her more because I know she'll enjoy them! 
• Favorite books: King Bidgood's in the Bathtub, Hiccupotamus, her mini Sesame Street book set, the Rainbow Fish, Little Fish, and those are in addition to her traditional favorites. :)
• Going down stairs! Olivia finally figured it out....although I'm convinced she's known how for quite sometime, she just loves to be carried down instead!

Happy 13 months Livi! Thank you for being my little best friend. I love sharing each day with you.