Happy "Birth" Day

In all honesty, this post was supposed to come on December 6.  Instead, I've spent the week with the flu.  Not just a bad cold or a wacky virus...but the real deal, can't-get-out-of-bed, feel-like-I'm-gonna-die, watch-18-hours-of-consecutive-Food-Network flu.  I'm pretty sure this is first time I've ever had the actual flu...AND THIS IS ALSO THE FIRST YEAR I'VE EVER HAD A FLU SHOT.  Yes, I'm yelling.  I'm not a big fan of flu shots, but needed to get one this year so I can qualify for my doula volunteer work at the local hospital.  Needless to say, a week of my life down the toilet.  Annoying.

Anyway, December 6 was Lulu's 21st month and 27th day birthday.  This was the exact age MDB was when she was born.  For some reason, I remember MDB being older.  Perhaps it was wishful thinking at the time, bringing a newborn home or the fact that I'm not ready for my baby girl to turn 2.  I also don't really know how I did it.  As fun as 22 months is (and it truly is...oh, the things that come out of her mouth!)...it is NON-STOP (yelling again!).  She plays by herself for about 25 seconds at a time and is needing a lot of attention in the bedtime department.  Being the ever-so-calm person that I am, how I did this stage and a newborn is beyond me. 

The older and older they get, the happier I am that they're so close in age.  Just today, Lulu woke MDB from his nap with hugs and kisses and MDB wouldn't leave for school without a hug from his sister, just precious.  MDB tells people his "very best friend" is his sister and Lulu never gets a snack or a treat, without getting one for her big brother.  My heart literally melts when I see them interacting like this.  I had a friend, who also has kids 22 months a part, tell me "if you can get through the first year, life will be amazing."  She was SO right (and, annoyingly, usually is about this stuff). 

For some reason, I felt it very important to mark the milestone.  So, to commemorate, let me share some of my most precious memories of my beautiful daughter:

1.  She is the most verbal child I've ever met (which is scary, since my Mom said the same thing about me).  She tells you to "top it" when you are bothering her and said to her brother the other day, FIRST NAME, MIDDLE NAME...TIME OUT, when he was misbehaving.  She will repeat ANYTHING you say and speaks in full sentences, it's actaually shocking sometimes.
2.  Woa, does she have a sweet tooth.  Just tonight, when I put her to bed, she asked me for cookies, candy, cream (ice cream) and posicles (popsicles).  I also know this will be the first thing she wants when she gets up tomorrow.  She also NEVER forgets.
3.  She gives a mean dirty look (she may or may not have gotten this from me).
4.  Still bald as can be...I seriously cannot wait for pigtails. 
5.  She is such a snuggler, which I love, of course.
6.  The child is a bookworm.  She knows most of her books by heart and always wants to read.  She even sleeps with books in her bed and I find her hugging them in the middle of the night.
7.  She is starting to show interest in things...like her new obsession Abby Cadabby.  It's funny to me that she found Abby in some of the Elmo books we had.  MDB never noticed her, not once. 
8.  She flirts her way through the grocery store, batting her baby blues, capturing the hearts of pretty much anyone that passes her by.  And, to top it off, she gets visibly annoyed if someone ignores her.  She will literally start yelling "HI" and her name until they turn around and wave to her.  And, when they do, she will put her face in her hands, acting shy.  I know, we're in for it with this one!

My plan is to cling tight to the next two months while I still officially have a baby.  I can't bear the thought of her graduating out of her sleepsack, crib, footie PJs and yes, even the diapers!