Melting Hearts

Mina is the most charming, funniest, cutest baby I know. I know I'm biased okay, but she's really hilarious. I used to read that nothing can prepare you as a parent for the love and joy that your children can bring into your lives. All I can say is they were right.

For every innocent joyful laughter, every request for a "kish" complete with both hands on my cheeks. For every request for a hug complete with a pat on the back. For every smile, for every new expression, new word learned, new developmental milestone crossed...for everything there is an exponential burst of just amazing feeling. She is joy encapsulated. She is wonderful, and loving. I am glad of all of it because it means I must be doing something right, right?

She is developing at warp speed and surprises me everyday with the phrases she can complete. She can express herself so well and according to the books she is months ahead of schedule. Most toddlers start with 2-word phrases at age 2 years of age. She can speak in 3 and sometimes 4 word sentences at 18 months.

She loves dancing, she loves singing, and watching videos of herself. I need to take her outdoors more often as we don't always go on our morning walk anymore. I used to take her 3-4 times a week but I'm sure we'll get back to that as the weather progresses. She goes to two toddler classes which end next week. Meaning I have to sign her up for something else soon.

She eats like crazy. I see no evidence of a stop-i'm-full signal. If she sees something new she will eat it. I have to really firmly tell her no a lot. And hide food. Oh boy, that is no joke. I'm trying not to worry. A parent can always find something to worry about. She's in the 50th percentile for weight actually so there is no reason to worry. Her favorite food group is carbs but I'm glas she likes healthy stuff too like cheerios, apple, and carrots. Broccoli has to be cooked exactly right to be accepted, not too hard, not too mushy. Same goes for zucchini and squash.

I'm kinda stagnant in introducing new and healthy foods to her like, I don't know, legumes and such. I tell myself I have no time but I know I can find the time if only I organize myself better. But her diet is at least pretty good most of the time. She gets her portion of fish, and meats, and fruits and veggies. She eats a bit too much rice still in my taste but I've decided not to worry about that. Once we are living on our own, we'll have much more control of what goes into her tummy, and rice will be curbed to no more than one serving a day. She does like noodles though.

Well, if you've stayed here this long, I should reward you with a video of the charming one.

Here she is in her dance class for toddlers.