Violet at 18months

Our Violet girl.
She sure is something.  She had her 18month birthday last week and it's hard to believe that girl is growing into a real life kid already.  I'm so grateful to still give kisses on those sweet baby cheeks, and admire those thick baby wrists, and giggle at that always full belly pushing out her tshirts. There's still a lot of baby left in our toddler, but we can sadly already see it slipping away day by day.



She is an easy going little thing as she's been hauled about to all of our family activities and events without any choice since she was born, especially since it was just a few months before the mayhem of basketball season.  She likes waving and saying 'hi' to strangers and has her little signature move with her shoulders up, wrinkled nose, and cheesy grin.  She is pretty cuddly, but only when she wants to be.  She'll climb up in our arms, or reach up saying "old you" and lay completely boneless with her chin over our shoulder and her limbs draped around us; dead weight.

Now that she can walk, run, jump, and climb - she loves being outside.  It gives her the kind of freedom and independence that she craves and she plays happily alone for incredible amounts of time.  She loves to play rough and tease her siblings because they generally let her get away with everything.



She's talking up a storm these days and although we are the only ones who can really understand what she's saying consistently, her vocabulary bank and the clarity of her words is improving daily. My favorites of hers right now are: poush (push), hoise (horse), buddies (birdies), and chicky (our dog Trixie).  She isn't interested in television yet, and will sit for only one youtube video of an arctic wolf howling.  She still loves drinking a bubba before she sleeps (!) and likes taking baths, brushing her teeth, playing chase with Grey, Gemma, or Lulu our cat, and giving the dogs bones and her food from her plate.



Her little rebel streak is gaining momentum and I watch with both trepidation and pride as she purposefully acts out in sneaky, little naughty ways.  As the third born, her older siblings are always encouraging her to do the things that they won't do for fear of consequences.

Their little interactions play out in such a familiar way to me, as my sister and I encouraged our third born sister in just the same way.  We tried to get her to do things out of our own curiosity to see how it would play out, but also because we knew (or assumed), as the two older, physically stronger, and more experienced sisters - we'd be able to fix it or get her out of whatever might come - whether it have been a punishment from our parents or her imminent physical danger.

I can already see how this is contributing to Violet's personality in little hints as she marches fearlessly through toddlerhood.  She is brave and confident but also knows that with the slightest squeak or pouted lip, someone will arrive at her rescue.  She has a confidence that is backed by the laughter and cheers of her siblings. All of these things remind me in a lot of ways of my baby sis, and if our Violet grows up to be like her, that won't be such bad thing at all.



There's something about her that can't be quantified into words, or caught in a photo.  Sure, she fits all the adjectives people have said about her, 'beautiful, smart, brave, fearless, strong,' but with a drop of something odd and unique added into the definition.  She's all of those things, but not any one of them bluntly. She's something else, something I don't quite have the words for.  Something 'other' that maybe will reveal and name itself as she grows, but for now - she's simply our Violet.  She brings joy, and silliness, and brightness into our life every single day.

we love you, our Violet Mary girl.
even when you get so big.
forever. and ever.
mumma.