23 Months!

We are having SO much fun with our funny, smart and slightly ornery 23-month-old! My coworkers with young babies were just lamenting how they're sad their babies are getting bigger, and I told them, just wait - it gets better! And it really, really does. To have a toddler run and meet you at the door with a big smile and, "Mommy!" is a pretty amazing feeling. :)

This time last year, Alivia was still battling her gagging issue, which was pretty trying. I'm so glad to have that behind us. I'm really looking forward to her birthday on Feb. 5. She was rather sick last year for her first, so I'm hoping this year's party makes up for it. It's a Minnie Mouse theme, and if you ask her what's on her cake, she'll tell you who! Her birthday also is Super Bowl Sunday, so all in all, it should be a fun day.

Stats...Not sure on specifics, but it's safe to say they are about the same as last month. Her next doctor visit is her 2-year checkup.

Milestones: Alivia's first airplane ride was on Dec. 18 - both kids did great on our little 30-minute flight home from Chicago. It was fun to surprise Tyler, and Alivia was very cute and well-behaved on our very small plane.

Let's see, what else... Alivia's doing great with potty training still. Yesterday we had to change 2 diapers the whole day. Now we just need to get her to tell us she has to go, and we're home free. :) She's also going to be going to "school" one morning a week with my mom, which is exciting. That starts in a couple of weeks. And now that she's nearly 2, she's acting the part - getting into things she shouldn't be, saying "No!" now and then, that kind of thing. The other day she took her stepstool to the back door, unlocked it, and let herself outside in her socks to go swing. Luckily I saw the whole thing. Clearly, she's an independent, no-fear kind of girl. I like that. :)

Likes: Her favorite thing right now is to be naked. She isn't a fan of getting dressed all too often, and if we do give her the chance to run around sans-pants, she runs around saying, "I naked!" Very cute, but Andrew isn't a fan of this habit considering it's January.

We had a wonderful Christmas, and I hope you all did too. Here are a few photos from the holidays since I've been so bad about keeping this blog timely!

My girl and me on Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning.

10 p.m. Christmas night. No nap. :) And yes, naked.