15 Months

Okay, I realize that month-day posts are really lame... and since I post about twice a month, that means it's super-lame over here... but I'm evidently too stubborn to give up the ghost.  And honestly, I really like being able to easily click around and see what these sweet babies were doing every month for their first two years of life.  So there.

Ruthie is, remarkably, fifteen months old.  And not a big sister.  It's very strange to me that I'm not big as a house with a baby brother or sister for her.  I'm so thankful that the Lord has given us a little margin between babies this go around.  For that reason, I think that she's really seeming like a baby still to me... and I love it.  Ruthie, stay small!

At fifteen months, Ruthie is...

• still a great sleeper.  Honestly, her sleep habits have been a blessing lately.  Sleeps twelve hours or so at night (I often have to wake her in the morning) and is taking a morning nap that lasts about forty-five minutes (I almost always have to wake her up from this one) and an afternoon nap that generally lasts anywhere between one-and-a-half and two-and-a-half hours.  I think she's wearing herself out in this heat!  [Okay, so I started this post this morning... and she proceeded to throw herself a good old fashioned hissy fit at her afternoon nap...]
• still holding strong at six teeth.  Seriously.  She's crabby and sort of on a hunger strike, so I keep thinking that we'll see three or four pop through... but nothing yet.
• a scrappy little girl who totally keeps up with her big sisters.  She now joins in the dancing in the kitchen, and will occasionally twirl on command.  She also loves to climb up on the sisters' bench at the table, and generally believes there's absolutely nothing that they can do that she can't do.  She's mastered climbing up our little playset and sliding down by herself.
• a lover of books, but they still have to be board books for her to enjoy them.  Unless it's a Carl book, and in that case, she'll read those over and over again.  Recently she's started saying "hush" when we read Goodnight Moon.  Precious!
• responding to yes or no questions and stating her opinion with great success.  She's going through a pretty frustrating period of wanting to communicate more... I have to keep reminding myself that she will grow out of this.  She's saying a few more words, though I can't think of them now.  She doesn't really love to play the repeating game yet, but she babbles a lot.  She also makes animal noises for cows, dogs, cats, and birds.
• starting to experience some separation anxiety, especially with Mama.  
• sort of not into eating right now.  I'm not sure if it's because she has bigger and better things to do or if she's just slowing down her appetite.  Perennial favorites are strawberries (the bigger the better), yogurt, cheese, veggie straws, raisins, hot dogs, and noodles.
• seems to be particularly interested in cars (loves this transportation book we have), and she loves to push this little scoot car around the house and yard.
• loves to play in her Mouse House (the pack and play) and will often say "yes" when we ask her if she wants to go... score!  Because she's done so awesome with this, I've neglected to blanket train her... but I'm pretty sure that's right around the corner.
• loves to wear hats and glasses, and to carry around purses. 
• loves to pretend play with her Mousie and baby dolls -- she'll give her dolls bottles, or she'll let Mousie taste food.  LOVE the adorable little eating noise she'll make!

...and that's about all my brain can handle right now.  Does anyone else feel that the heat is sucking the life out of you?  Or at least your brain cells?  At any rate, happy fifteen months, Roo!