15 month musings

Serene Joy turned 15 months at the beginning of the month. Alex and I have been remarking that she gets more fun as she gets older, and I feel as if she's picking up new tricks and quirks at warp speed. While this is not a letter to Serene, I wanted to quickly attempt to encompass what she is like at this age lest I forget.

The numbers:

At 15 months, Serene Joy weighs 20 lbs and is 30 inches long. She sleeps from 8:00pm-8:00am or 8:30pm-8:30am daily. She takes 2 naps a day most of the time, usually around 10:30am or 11am for an hour and a half, and then around 3:30pm or 4:00pm for an hour to an hour and a half, totaling 2 1/2 - 3 hours of naps a day. When we're out and about most of the day (like Sundays for church), she'll take just one nap. She dresses in 3-6 months, 6-12 months, and 12 month clothing. She wears size 3 shoes and size 3 diapers. In addition to the 2 bottom front teeth she acquired right before she turned 12 months, she has 2 top front teeth growing in, so she'll have a total of 4 teeth soon.
The personality:

Serene is generally jolly, good-natured, and full of life to this day. She babbles all day long, saying 13 distinct words now: "aye" (hi), "mama" (mama), "dah-dee" (daddy), "pah-pee" (puppy), "bah-bee" (baby), "bah-bo" (Bible), "mu-mu" (referring to her Mulan stuffie), "yesh" (yes), "ba" (bye), "sheuh" (shoes), "pea" (please), "boh" (ball), and "boe" (book). She also says "nana" seemingly nonstop when she desires something, whether it's her blanket, food, drink, a book, etc. "Nana" is synonymous with whining. She shakes and nods her head to communicate as well. She does not sit still, ever. She loves going out for walks or adventures. She is more likely to be compliant when getting dressed when she knows we're about to head out. She sticks out her arms and legs so that we can wash them and dress her more efficiently. She fetches her shoes when asked, and helps us put them on by sticking out her foot, one after the other. She never seems to tire from walking, roaming around, and touching everything, which is when she's most fascinated with the world. Therefore, she is quite a social babe, especially around other babies/kiddos. She takes a while to warm up to big crowds of adults. She is affectionate, prone to hugging others by embracing them, leaning her head on them, and smiling sweetly, whether she knows them or not. She hugs others per request, but kisses only her mama and daddy. She claps when others clap or when we say "Yay!" She also claps and grooves along to songs.


The preferences:

Eating is Serene's favorite pastime. She has a huge appetite and could probably compete as a speed eater. She is always down for food. She eats whatever we eat, and now knows to say "pea" (please) when asking for something tasty, which decreases her whining for (our) food. She's currently interested in and learning how to use utensils, but hasn't really succeeded yet. She drinks soy milk or water as beverages. She fancies accessorizing herself - putting on hats, scarves, and especially purses (or any bag with handles). She loves to flip through books or play, especially with others. She giggles infectiously throughout games of chase. Climbing on Daddy for horsey rides around the house is a favorite. She is getting better by the day at sorting shapes, stacking rings, scribbling with crayons, and stacking blocks on top of one another. Out of all her toys, she loves bouncy balls and her stuffies most. No toy can comfort her like her purple blanket, though. She lugs it around the house all day and can't sleep without it. She is our sweet, smiley, and silly little love.