22 months

Stats: 
Weight: 23 lbs 11 oz
Length: 32 inches (holy growth spurt)
Head Circumference: 47 cm 
Diaper size: size 4
Clothing size: 18 months & 18-24 months

She went through a huge growth spurt + I feel like she is getting ready to go through another.

Teeth:
6 on top, 8 on bottom.   

Appearance:  
Her hair is getting longer and wavier by the minute. It's shoulder length + her bangs can be pulled back into a ponytail or bun without falling out. She still LOVES hair her hair done but prefers a bow over a headband these days. Her new thing is flipping her hair + brushing it out of her face like a little diva. I feel like her eyes get bluer and bluer by the minute. I can't tell you how many times I get stopped in stores by random strangers to tell me how pretty her eyes are. I don't think she's ever going to lose those round cheeks…I love em'. 

Personality:

OMG- I swear she is the sweetest, most loving little kid I've ever seen. Hugs, kisses, hand-holding, snuggling, all day, all the time. I can't get enough of it. I pray everyday she keeps her sweet disposition. She is still silly + loves to entertain- she obviously loves attention. She loves kids + plays so well. She still is an excellent sharer, although, I did hear my first "mine" not too long ago. 

Feeding: 
Not much has changed when it comes to eating- she loves to eat + she isn't picky. Beverages are still mostly water, unsweetened milk, coconut milk + the occasional watered down 100% organic apple juice concentrate. She likes to steal a sip of Philip's "cof-cof" (coffee) when he isn't looking.  Silly girl hasn't realized that saying "mmmmmmm-good" gives it away every time. She mostly drinks from cups with straws but really enjoys drinking from a cup without a lid. She feels so proud when she does it. She eats mostly with her fork without help.  She still signs "more" + "eat" but says them as well.  She is obsessed with ketchup (probably because of the sugar in it). Still eats anything we give her + things we don't give her, lol.  

Sleep:  
Bedtime is still around 7:30-8:00pm & she wakes up around 7:00am. She is still taking an hour morning nap most days & takes about an hour afternoon nap. Sometimes she takes a 2 hour morning nap + doesn't take an afternoon nap at all. Sleep is definitely not an issue. 

Talking: 
I love listening to her talk. While she still talks in "Addison", she has actual conversations with us. She is putting multiple words together + I can actually understand her! It's crazy, she actually makes sense!  "hold-you" (hold me), "apple juice so good", "oopsy daisy", "pretty please"…I could write an entire blog on things she says. 

Stuff she is doing: 
She loves to skip + jump. She knows she gets a ton of attention by doing so, so she squats + does burpess all the time. She is super imitative, I was doing pistol squats the other day + looked over- she was doing them. She LOOOOVES to color, this happens multiple times during the day. She is learning her colors and can recognize, blue/green/yellow/orange/purple/brown/pink (she says them all clear as day too). If she could spend all day outside, she would. She loves digging in her sandbox, playing in the pool + coloring with sidewalk chalk.  We try to make it to the park a few times per week but lately it's either been too hot or raining. She is completely obsessed with her rain boots…the girl loves shoes.  She mimics you if you say the alphabet- she will repeat the letters back to you.  She loves puzzles and will play endlessly with her little people.  She is constantly singing, especially if it's along to a DVD or one of her favorite shows.  She isn't fully potty trained but she is almost there (or vacation threw a little wrench in that)! 

Likes: 
Kids…she loves to play!  Her favorite toys: iPad, blocks, coloring books/crayons, bear stuffed animal, blankie, any board book, puzzles, blocks, pottery barn chair, rocking horse, toy jeep, books & her piano.  Her favorite TV show is still Sesame Street but she also loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse + Daniel the tiger. She asks to brush her teeth first thing when she wakes up every morning…she loves brushing her teeth.  . She is a very happy kid. 

Dislikes:
Having her face/hands wiped after eating. Being told no or stop it. She now sticks her hand out and says "nop-it" back to you when you tell her.  She really doesn't like being punished.  

My Life the Last 15 days

It's been a whirlwind the last 15 days. 12 of them were spent divided between the CrossFit MidAtlantic Regionals in MD, MA, ME + NH with family.  We had a fabulous time + it would take me forever to write a blog post about all the things we did/saw while we were gone.  These pictures pretty much sum it up.

Addison Says...

Addison says...

"Mumma sit" "sit Mumma". 

Great Reminder

Hampton was our "child" before Addison.  Naturally, as Addison came along, my affections have shifted dramatically towards her.  Not that I don't still love Hampton dearly but suddenly his drooling, snoring, the incessant sweeping of hair became more annoying than "just something you do for your kid".  I am so thankful for moments like these that remind me that our family wouldn't be complete without him.  While my focus + attention is mostly on Addison, hers is no doubt towards "Hampy" as she affectionately calls him.  From the moment she wakes up she looks for him + calls out his name.  If he is still in in his crate when she wakes up, she immediately runs over + lets him out.  Her snack time is his snack time. Before naps she gives him kisses + won't go to bed unless she can tell him "night-night". She runs through the backyard with nervous excitement with squealing with giggles as Hampton chases her around.   I adore the two of these kiddos + love how much they love each other. 

{Fitness Friday}: Mobility

Have you ever bent over + been unable to touch your toes or been unable to squat below parallel? Enter decreased mobility my friends, we all have issues with decreased mobility. Whether your issues are caused from tight hip flexors from a job that requires you to sit at desk all day or shortened/tight hamstrings from running. Any form of tightness decreases mobility. Mobility, not to be confused with flexibility, is the range of motion or the ability to move with full range of motion under specific circumstances while flexibility is the range of motion of a  joint. Steve Maxwell, a strength + conditioning coach writes, "It is better to be inflexible with good mobility than flexible with poor mobility." Mobility work is important for EVERYONE as it reduces imbalances inherent in our athletic and recreational pursuits. It is the foundation to better movement patterns. When you move better, your body rewards you with stronger and fitter faster. According to Kelly Starrett, "98% of orthopedic injuries are preventable". They are due to a lack of understanding of simple mechanics + lack the tools to improve these mechanics. Overlooking mobility leads to greater risks for injury. Improving your mobility + understanding how to move correctly in all situations will help dissolve physical restrictions. Kelly refers to this as being a "supple leopard, poised and always ready for action." Have you ever seen a child squat? It is perfect, effortless! They are a great example of supple leopards! Kelly Starrett is a CrossFit coach, physical therapist, author + speaker. He has an amazing blog with videos + instruction to help improve your mobility. 

www.mobilitywod.com

Why should you set aside time for working on your mobility? 

1) It helps to create more flexible and stable joints. 

2) It develops resilient ligaments which decrease your chance of serious injury

3) It allows us to perform better whilst training and performing everyday tasks

4) It facilitates better posture

You can use mobility exercises as a warm up, an active recovery during other activities, or as a stand-alone workout. A little bit of stretching every day will go a long way! Rogue Fitness has TONS of products that can be incorporated into improving your mobility. 

Sweet Potato Salad

If your weekends look anything like mine, they are packed with BBQ's, enjoying dinner on the patio + trips to the beach.  If you are looking to change up a summer side dish, this is a great twist on potato salad.

WHAT YOU NEED:

-2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

-1 tsp coconut oil

-1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

-kosher salt & freshly grated black pepper to taste

-2 tbsp finely diced sweet onion

-2 tbsp chopped, toasted pecans

-2 tbsp dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

-1 tbsp minced fresh parsley

for the dressing-

-2 tbsp olive oil

-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

-2 tbsp honey

-1/4 tsp salt

-1/8 tsp black pepper

-1/8 tsp ground chipotle pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Place diced sweet potatoes in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat. Roast for 25-30 minutes, just until fork tender. Allow to cool slightly.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl and stir in onions, pecans, cranberries, and parsley. Drizzle with dressing and gently stir to coat. Can be served warm, room temperature, or cold. 

I left Philip in charge of steaming the sweet potatoes before roasting & they got a little too soft/mushy for my liking; however, the dish was still amazing! I had it warm + cold (straight from the fridge)…equally delicious each time! 

Growing Up

The other day while Addison was running around in the backyard I couldn't get over how grown up she is looking.  I am not sure if it's how long her hair is getting or that she has taken independence to a whole new level.  My in-laws gave Addison a sweet playhouse equipped with 2 stories, a rock wall, a slide, sandbox, ladder & picnic bench.  I couldn't capture it on the camera (for obvious safety reasons) but she took off climbing up the slide…no fear. When she got to the top she stood their with excitement, clapping her hands. Man, she is growing up!

We have been trying to soak up as much outside time as possible lately. We've had SO much rain this spring, it's actually been quite difficult.