Leila: Months 17-18

Let me begin by saying that I have decided I am stopping her monthly updates after this post. I just want to write that down so that when I look back I won't think I just started slacking. I realized that with Christian I stopped doing the monthly updates at 12 months, so really, I am just being an over-achiever anyway!

Okay, with that out of the way, here's a look at Leila during October and November! I wish I could say that things are better! I feel like every month there is a glimmer of a happy kid and so I focus on that when I post, but the past few months have been hard. Really hard. The things she does like are:

-The movie Frozen
-String Cheese
-Sweets
-Christian's Blanket
-Goldfish (that's new!!)
-Running off down the street
-Animals and soft plush toys
-Screaming, flailing and flopping while she throws a fit over not being understood

The things she hates are:

-Brushing her teeth
-Not getting her way
-Having her diaper changed (think, "Screaming Banshee")
-Vegetables and most fruit...and meat...and milk...it's a problem!
-Bows, headbands, rubber bands, or anything that keeps her crazy hair out of her face

 Playing on the wooden train with Christian. I took probably 25 different shots and NEITHER of them would look at me. Punks.

 She LOOOOOOVED crawling through the tunnel part of the train. SO cute.

Riding the carousel was, by far, her favorite activity at Bishop's Pumpkin Farm this year!

 This month, one of our family activities was going to pick mandarin's from a friend's house in Penryn. The kids had a blast. Leila really just liked running into the street, but whatev's. Here she is practicing jumping!

She's not short, she is crouching down, ready to jump!

 After mandarin picking, Jared had a quick haircut to do, so I dropped him off and the kids and I ran down to the McDonald's by his work to get an ice cream cone. She is happily eating Christian's cone in these pictures. When I tried to give it back to him she melted down. I am talking 45 minutes of complete and utter chaos. And yes, I was the crazy mom holding two crying kids as I am dragging them out of McDonald's, and yes...I was in tears too. So much fun!

 Other big news is that I have officially weaned her! I was just...done. I needed some space. I took the plunge and cut her off. She was NOT happy, but she hasn't died yet, so I consider it a win. To celebrate, she and I went and shared a cookies and cream milkshake from Chick-fil-a. Haven't had one yet? Go get one and thank me later.

I know, I know. You look at these pictures and think, "She is so sweet! How can her Mom say things like that about her???"

Here's how. Enjoy a tantrum.