17 months, elmo, and her abc's

• we started making fun of how lela says "no" (she sounds like an old southern woman that smokes a couple packs a day)... "neeeeeeeeeeeooow" and now she says it all the time and busts out laughing 
• sleeping so well - 12 hours at night and one 2-3 hour nap starting at about noon
• 10 teeth to include two sets of molars...  being that lela was a fire-breathing dragon in her newborn months, we were SURE that she'd be a disaster when teething... but after the first two that came out in the states, we haven't even known when the others came in!  can't believe it.... like they say in parenting,  "you'll pay the piper at some point".  we paid early on and she is just a sweet doll now - strong mind (i will go into hibernation during her teen years) but pure sweetness now.
• says "oh boy" all the time and now when she sees a boy, she says it too... it's really funny because i'll point out a girl to her and she'll say "girl", but then i point out a boy and she'll think for a minute and then say, "ooooooooh booooooooy".  hilarious.
• thrives off of all interaction.  reading, cooking, sorting blocks, legos, sorting cups and tops, displaying her dolls, and most recently repeating her abc's.  she has a new magnetic board with abc magnets and LOVES reciting them.  
• asks to go running.  (starting to feel guilty when she asks and i don't feel like it... "no, we're just going to walk to the playground today".)
• and i never thought i'd have to say this, but she loves elmo.  can find his face anywhere and just loves listening to him talk.  
• loves scarves on her head and waist, hats, belts, and her shooooooooes.
• says "hhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeee" in a high pitched voice like you'd say after reuniting with someone you haven't seen in ten years - she must have gotten it from brant and i, always excited to see her.
• brant got her saying please and thank you for things... which sounds more like "peeze" and "tank you".
• still obsessed with pirates.
• LOVES the moon and points it out day and night and can find it when you would least expect it - anywhere!!
• coloring, play dough, dancing, playing with other kids, swinging, animal hats and noises, pirate hats and noises, reading a lot, and laughing... an active age it is.  it is THE BEST EVER!