19 Months

Clarita has also grown even more stubborn (I didn't think that was possible) and can throw quite the tantrum when she doesn't get her way! She is super independent and wants to do EVERYTHING by herself. This includes walking everywhere (she doesn't want to be carried or pushed in the stroller), choosing what she eats and when she eats it (and don't even try to help feed her), sitting in adult chairs without booster seats, crossing the street without holding an adult's hand, etc. If she is unable to do what she wants she throws a tantrum. They are usually short lived, but have been known to last for ten minutes on occasion.

But I don't want to take a picture without my chuponcito!

That being said, Clara is generally happy. She loves most things and really loves to learn. It amazes me how much of a sponge she is. She can now identify and say the letters in her name as well as a few others including "M" "D" and "O". Every time she sees a "D" she says, "D Dada!" Not quite sure how she made that connection. One day Clara was playing with her letters with Abuelita and ran through the house shouting "Clara" holding all of the letters in her name. Aba and Dada thought she was a genius, but I pointed out that they had been on the dishwasher and she had probably just taken them off. Dada was disappointed to find out that she wasn't quite up to genius status yet.

Clara is also learning her colors. She can point to the correct color for most of the basic ones if you ask her in English or Spanish. However, when you ask her what color something is she almost always says blue. I guess it's her favorite!

Watching Dada's Triathlon

Yay Dada!

Clara and Aba started going to story time at the library and Clara absolutely loves it! There are lots of kids for her to play with which she loves, as well as singing, stories, and arts and crafts. The first week she had a melt down because she did not want to relinquish her glue stick. I think she likes arts and crafts, she must take after Tia Laurie!

Getting things ready for Frijolita. Of course
she insists they are all "Cawa's"

The little Snugglepuff is still constantly on the go. She is only still when she is asleep, and even then she rolls all over her crib. I don't think she will ever be able to sleep in a bed without rails! Clara loves running and often goes for runs around the block. She also likes to walk to the park and run through the yard.

Dance party line!

This month Clara has really started putting words together. She repeats everything she hears (including "oh shit" which I said in front of her) and says three to four word sentences. One of my favorite things she says is "Hair, eyes, out!" when she wakes up and her hair is in her eyes (she then promptly requests a clip or bow). She also seems to understand that English and Spanish are different languages. She can switch back and forth with ease, but generally directs conversations to Dada and I in Spanish and to Aba in English. If she is talking to someone she doesn't know well she will say things in Spanish and when that doesn't get a response switch to English. Clarita has also started using plurals and posession correctly. Instead of saying "Dada chair" she says "Dada's chair". She talks nonstop, even if she is by herself. Half the time I have no idea what she is saying. It doesn't help that I am not ever sure what language she is talking in. Since I talk to her in Spanish I listen for her to speak back to me in Spanish. There have been times she has talked to me in English and I didn't even realize what she was saying because I was not expecting English. Clara is also pretty polite and often says please and thank you spontaneously. Since we often say thank you to her when we give her something so she will repeat it, she has started saying thank you when she gives something to someone. It's pretty funny! 

Cupcake!

Dancing with the puppet lady at Ryland's birthday party

She has finally started calling the people she sees often by their names. Tia Laurie and Tio Chino are just "Tia" and "Tio" or "Tios" if she is talking about them both. Tia Erika is "Eika" and she often refers to Tio Robert as "Eika" also or sometimes "Wober". Abuela Sheri is "Sewee", Sophie is "Feefee", she says Kate perfectly, Tristan is "Tistan", and Teagan is "Teegee". Abuelita is still "Aba" and Fafa "Fafa." Clara seems to think that two people cannot have the same name (although this apparently doesn't apply to other things since she named her stuffed cat "Bafa" after our cat) and she generally will not call anyone except Tia Laurie and Tio Chino "Tia/o" and will not refer to Abuela Sheri as Abuela or Grandma. I assume this is because she has already decided that Abuelita and Tia Laurie and Tio Chino have these prefixes and nobody else can have them.

Feeding Teegee

Loves her Dada!

Clarita's Stats

Weight: 21.1 pounds (she finally grew!)

Height: 32 inches (she refused to stand still so who knows how accurate this is!)

Head Circumference: 18.5 inches

What Clara Wears

Clarita still fits into most of her 12 months clothes but the pants are getting a little short. Since it's been getting cooler I have been putting her into her 18 month warm clothes. They are big, but the cloth diapers help to keep the pants up! She is still in size four shoes but they are getting a little snug.

Things Clara Loves

Mama and Dada, going for walks, naked baby time, pacifiers (especially her monito), reading books, people, playing with her toys, animals (especially her cats), eating, playing peek a boo, running, phones, remote controls, Baby Signing Time DVDs, stuffed animals (especially monito and "Bafa"),  being swung through the air, swinging, sliding, being outside, water, swimming, blowing bubbles with Abuelita, dancing, shoes, esnugles, baths, letters, coloring

Things Clara Does Not Love

She has not been a big fan of having her hair combed and still hates doing anything she does not want to do at that exact time. Otherwise she is pretty easy going and happy.

How Clarita Sleeps

Clara takes one nap usually somewhere between 1:00 and 2:00 and sleeps for 2.5 to 3 hours. She's been getting better at sleeping at los Abuelos but still doesn't nap quite as long there. She goes to bed between 8:30 and 9:00 and has been waking up between 6:15 and 6:30. She sleeps in her sleep sack with monito, "Bafa", dos pinguinos, and her chuponcito. This month she has woken up a couple of times at night and Dada even had to go up twice to give her a hug or pacifier.

Nicknames

Clarita, Snugglepuff, Snuggles, Wiggle, Baby/Bebe, Sapita, Munchkin, Birthday Twin, Monkey Butt, Loquita, Midget, Pipsqueak, Wigs, Loqs  

Talking

As I said above, this little girl talks nonstop! Her vocabulary is huge and she now says words in both English and Spanish. Before she would chose a language for each word and only say it in that language. Now she can switch back and forth.

Teeth

Seven and a half! She almost doubled her amount of teeth this month! She now has four on the top, two on the bottom (with one more just popping out) and a molar on the bottom left! Apparently her hippy teething necklace works because she grew the molar without us even noticing!

Monthly Exciting Events

October 14, 2014: Starts going to library story time with Aba

October 9, 2014: First molar appears out of nowhere!

October 4, 2014: First time blowing a bubble by herself

Monthly Pictures

It's important to brush your teeth (and support Texas)!

La Loquita

ET!