McKenna is Seventeen Months Old

It's hard to believe McKenna's only been a part of our lives for 17 months. I can hardly remember life without her.

McKenna is so different from Christian in a million different ways, but the main one is how she tries to emulate me. Christian never really tried to do that. He didn't study my actions and try to copy them, but that's what McKenna does all day long. She has about 4 baby dolls that she carries around with her everywhere and she is constantly putting them in their beds or feeding them in their high chair or pushing them in their stroller. My favorite is when she rocks them in her little rocking chair and pats their backs and hums "twinkle twinkle" or "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep." That's exactly what I do every night at bed time. She is a constant reminder to me that little eyes are watching me and that I need to keep my heart and mind in check and in tune with the Lord so that my actions will be worthy of her imitation.


McKenna is blossoming into a little girl so fast. It seems like it's happening so much faster this time than it did with Christian. Maybe it's because she so verbal and Christian wasn't at all. She is hysterical and completely entertaining to all of us. She is affectionate every minute of the day and in the last several weeks has started to develop a very sweet relationship with her brother.

So here's the run down of what she's up to at 17 months:

1. McKenna says: mommy, dada, this, Chrish, tankyou, whee (when swinging), go, un-oo-tree (counting 1,2,3), dorda (Dora), up, bubu, air are oo (where are you?), air i is (there it is), uh oh. And she tries to say lots of other stuff and has words for other things that only a mommy would recognize. She amazes me with how verbal she is considering I was just glad to get a "mama" out of Christian at this age.

2. Favorite shows: Dora and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

3. Loves to sing and hums ALL THE TIME. And she hums real songs that you would be able to recognize.

4. Enjoys swinging and bike rides

5. Walks, runs, jumps, climbs stairs on knees, goes down the stairs on belly, just started going down the stairs on her bottom, will take small steps up stairs or down stairs while standing if they're small (like from the house onto the deck).

6. Loves to mess up Christian's train track.

7. Hates to ride in the car.

8. Loves her binky and wants it all the time.

9. Drinks from a sippy cup or cup with straw.

10. Waves bye, bye

11. Signs "more" and "please"

12. Thinks it's funny to disobey

13. Gives hugs and kisses to Mommy, Daddy and Chrish all the time. Is a great snuggler.

14. Goes to sleep on her own in her own bed (crib). And she sleeps through the night most of the time.

15. Loves bananas, yogurt, cheese, lunchmeat, milkshakes, scrambled eggs, pancakes and will try just about anything. Don't ever try to share a milkshake with her. She'll scream the whole time. She wants her own.

16. Will NOT keep anything in her hair for longer than one minute.

17. Folds her hands when we pray.

18. Loves to help put Christian to bed. She'll snuggle him, pat him and sing to him.

19. Thinks bubbles are the most fascinating thing ever.

20. Loves to lift up Christian's shirt and stick her finger in his belly button just to make him laugh.

21. Takes one afternoon nap for about 2 hours. Goes to bed late every night. The girl just doesn't need much sleep :(

22. Weighs 23 lbs. Wears 18 month pants and 24 month/2T shirts.

23. Thinks her Dora Crocs are the best thing that ever happened to her. I have got to get a picture of them.

24. Waves to everyone we see! Everyone we walk past in the store gets a wave and it makes me feel sad for her sometimes because most of the time other people are just too busy to notice.

25. McKenna lays in bed with me every morning for about 30 minutes and just snuggles. Daddy makes the kid's sippy cups of juice before he goes to work and leaves them on his bedside table and they both know right where to get them. McKenna gets her cup and cuddles up with me and pats me and hums. It's a great way to start every day of my life!