Evelyn and Olivia: 17 Months

You girls are just so much fun and your personalities are coming out in so many fun (and sometimes challenging) ways. It was a tough month with you both contracting a pretty brutal case of hand, foot, and mouth either in Baku before our trip to Thailand or soon after we arrived in Thailand (there's a 3-6 day period before symptoms show so we aren't sure where you got it). You had a fun time in Thailand though and have been enjoying having Grandma here since the beginning of December!

- Both of you love spinning in circles. Evy also loves dancing, but appears to have inherited our lack of rythm as she just kind of waddles side to side and flaps her arms. It's still pretty adorable.
- We sing a few praise and worship and nursery rhyme songs every night before bedtime and Evy has started bobbing her head and mouthing sounds that I swear almost sound like the words while we are singing.
- Evy has started saying "Peas" for "Please" and Liv has a few times, but prefers to just softly grunt and make a give-me motion with her hands.
- Both girls are starting to say "bye bye" and Liv has even started to say "Hi Daddy", "Bye Daddy", and "Hi Momma"
- We've gotten a couple more teeth this month. Just a couple left and you'll be finished! I need to count, but I'm afraid of getting bit - ha!
- Both of you are mastering the stairs and don't like to crawl up them anymore and prefer to just hold our hands or go solo and use the handrail. This has greatly increased trying to get from the third floor (bedrooms) down to the first floor (kitchen and living) and vice versa. Thankfully your dad has the patience to walk with you. ;-)
- You both love to give kisses and hugs to Daddy, Mommy, and especially big sister. You also have loved giving them to Grandma since she's been here.

Dear Evy,
You are so friendly and don't typically mind when strangers pick you up. You also will walk up to people and raise your arms to be picked up. You are still showing your kindness by helping bring toys to your sisters and seem to be the mediator. Except for when you grab a toy and run off. ;-) You love stuffed animals so much and snatched a Mickey Mouse one that Grandma brought and haven't let him go since. You also really love doing the hot dog dance at the end of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. You are quick to give kisses and hugs and have shown us you have a bit of a sweet tooth. When you don't get your way you are very vocal about it and we are starting to see sassy toddler behavior in both you and Liv. You and Madi love to laugh together and you love to be chased. We typically run circles around the living room every evening chasing you. You are such a blessing and wonderful part of our family!
Love,
Mommy

Dear Liv,
You are still our snuggle bug, but you've started showing your sassy side as well. You know what you want and like to say "no" but shaking your head and making an "unh" sound indicating you don't want it (whether it's food, toy, drink, etc.) You also love to be chased, but instead of running away you start to run and then turn and run towards us and sit down to be tickled and laugh. You still have eyes only for your panda bear and have all three sleeping with you nightly. You still call both cats "ZoZa" or "ZoZo" and love to say "meow" whenever you see a cat in books, movies, etc. You are a bit more calm than your sisters usually and will play peacefully solo for a decent bit of time. You don't like it when I leave the house and you've started calling me Daddy, but then quickly switch to Mommy after I tickle you and say "I am your Mommy!". We love having you in our family and you make us laugh with your sass.
Love,
Mommy