Mary Cate, a year-and-a-half

Mary Cate doing her favorite thing!

Mary, Mary, quite contrary has graduated from a blood-curdling scream when "strangers" approach her to just giving them the stink-eye. She'll also nudge me and say, "There's Mommy," to ward them off. Because I'm so tough. When I'm around, she won't let me put her down or follows me around crying, but as soon as I leave I hear she's pretty happy! 

At 18-19 months, Mary Cate still has quite the personality. What's new is that she talks, and talks, and talks--more and with a greater vocabulary than any of the other kids at this age. She talks in full sentences (some we understand, some we don't) and sings all the lyrics to her favorite songs. I couldn't possibly list the words she knows--she says everything I can think of. Her favorite word is "no," which she uses to mean both no and yes. Not confusing at all. 

She also loves:

• Sesame Street
• Playing outside no matter the weather
• READING - it's pretty much what she does all day. She likes to read books to herself (loudly and with expression) as much as she likes being read to.
• Raisins, fruit snacks
• Coloring
• Climbing up and down stairs on her feet without help
• Trains
• Putting tops on things, especially sippy cups and water bottles
• Her blue blankie 
• When Kevin spoon feeds her because he's just so great

And we love her, and her dimples, and the cute way she says, "I love you!" and sings the "How many cookies today?" song from Sesame Street, and a bunch of other stuff about her! The following video is great for modeling Mary Cate's "I love you" and the general level of crazy in this place.