Little R Is Seventeen Months Old

My big girl

Seeing Pa again, just arrived from Singapore

Hanging out with my pregnant sister and Pixie

In the yard with Pixie: all very exotic compared to Singapore

R with the redwoods (and in such warm clothing, weird)

Climbing up a ladder

Back home, climbing onto the bike in our complex

At the park, giving another kid directions (she's not shy!)

Running! She's fast

Rocking out to Johnny Cash

At the zoo, watching the baboons

She looks so old now!

We spent more than half this month on a visit to the United States to see family and friends. We stayed with my parents (R's doting grandparents, meaning that all routine/rules were basically out the window). R had a wonderful time of course, and actually transitioned back to "real life" very well (it only took a few days).

I didn't realize before we visited them, but she has quite a busy schedule generally speaking (we go on at least one outing/playdate a day, and usually two). For instance, yesterday she visited the zoo (with another couple and their two children), went to swim class, and then hung out in the playground with some other babies (and then we went out to dinner). I need a calendar to keep track of her social life (which is ridiculous really, but honestly it makes things easier for me as then 1. I don't have to amuse her myself and 2. she is not destroying the house/getting into mischief at home).

R is happy, definitely extroverted, even-tempered (relatively of course, as she is a toddler), sleeps and eats well, and is very capable at most physical tasks (walking, running, throwing, kicking, climbing, etc.). She still isn't really talking, preferring to communicate mostly with babble and gestures, but I'm not worried right now as she obviously understands everything we say. She is generally obedient (she obeys my commands/requests two-thirds? of the time, though she's not at all reliable) and always affectionate and delighted with herself and the world.

Overall, she charms everyone who comes into contact with her, especially her doting parents (now she knows how to be charming on purpose, especially when she's committed some act of naughtiness).
Nicknames: Fur, Furble, Zizi, Wiggle Monkey
Temperament: Happy, curious, capable, willful, sociable
Things I Could Do Without: That you never stop. Your general energy level (=high), your constant limit testing (Is this still a rule? Let me check.), your inventiveness at discovering new ways to misbehave I haven't forbidden yet, your ability to get in to everything (opening drawers, supposed childproof locks, sealed bottles and containers), while not that bad individually, add up to a LOT of work. Anyone who invents an off switch for children will make a mint.
Item/Toy We Love the Most: All the new clothes I bought you in America (fancy thrift stores=totally awesome. So sad Singapore has none.) I like dressing you, though now I do have to give you two options to pick from to avoid conflict. It will be a sad day once you really get your own sense of style.
Item/Toy You Love the Most: Your Dora the Explorer song toy (press a button and it plays a Dora-themed song). You spend hours daily playing with this, cycling through the songs to find your favorites. When you find them, you dance and clap along.
Things I'm Loving Most Right Now: Watching you share and show affection to others (your little friends, your relatives, other adults): you are generally very loving and sociable; that you can tell me what you are thinking most of the time, and even ask for things; your energy and enthusiasm for life and enjoyment
Things You're Loving Most Right Now: Saying no; doing it yourself (whatever it is, doesn't matter); telling us what to do (when we play, you get to do this and you love it!!!); climbing on whatever you can; getting in to everything and then inspecting it carefully (including opening all containers)
Foods You Like: Cheerios, milk, rice, cookies, baked beans, udon noodles, bread, ice cream, french fries (seeing a junk food theme here?). You also go through phases where all you want to eat one day is mango yogurt or mushrooms or peas, and then you refuse to touch it the next. You really aren't that picky in general though, and will eat or at least try almost everything.
Sounds/words: Daddy, Mama, No, Wawa (water), why?, this, bye, deh (diaper? I think). You also use a lot of hand gestures to communicate: nodding (for yes), waving bye bye and hello, spreading your hands together under your chin (this means give me), waving one hand with the palm down (this means I hate it), outstretched hands (this means pick me up) and of course pointing. You understand basically everything and now you even respond to questions: "R, do you want some water?" "No." (It's usually no, since you enjoy your new power to reject).