Maya - 18 months and counting...

Maya has grown so much in the last 6 months or so. The first thing that comes to mind when I think about her is personality. She is a firecracker! Her independence is almost alarming. She gets very upset if you correct her or discipline her, but unfortunately these are things that must be done. She’s stubborn, affectionate, fussy, and happy, all at the same time. Sometimes, she grabs my leg and says “Awww!” So darn cute! But she is a total daddy’s girl. It’s crazy! And actually, I don’t know who she loves more. Daddy or Jayden?

She follows Jayden all over the house and imitates all his little tricks. They love to play together, fight together, and laugh together. And at night they giggle behind closed doors. Jayden brings all the toys to her crib and I can’t understand how she can sleep. I always have to creep in to remove the books, blocks, plushes and anything else Jayden has tossed in there.

Maya loves to color and is very fond of the ‘handy dandy notebook’, as Jayden is. They spend a lot of time fighting over it. She also loves shoes. She is always finding a pair to put on. Usually mine or Jayden’s. I think my shoes are her favorite, but she can maneuver better in Jayden’s so she tends to gravitates towards his. I got her first pair of crocs and she was so adorable. Her eyes actually twinkled. She just stared at her feet and tip toed around the house with them. At bed time, she cried when I took them off.

And her words are much more advanced than Jayden’s were at that age. It’s great to communicate with her, but sometimes I think she’s growing up too fast. Here’s her list of words:

Ma-Ma
Da-Da
Thanks (13 months)
U-oh! (15 months)
No (16 months)
Close (16 months)
Ni-Ni (16 months)
Hello (16 months)
Ok (17 months)
There it is (18 months)
Wow (18 months)
Hi (18 months)
Choo-Choo (18 months)
A-choo (18 months)
Bye (18 months)
Ca (short for ca-ca) (18 months)
Awww! (18 months)
Amen (18 months)
Yellow (18 months)
All done. (18 months)
Hola (18 months)
Cheese (18 months)
Jay-den (18 months)
Mine (18 months)

Maya is not a picky eater by any means. She loves her fruit and vegetables. She’ll eat anything you give her. I have yet to find something she doesn’t care for. Thank God because I have my hands full with Jayden’s shenanigans. Maya is pretty good with a fork, but needs work with the spoon. For now, we continue to feed her, unless it’s a finger food in which case she feeds herself. I can tell she’s going to be like her mommy in the sense that she’s got a sweet tooth.

Not only does Maya complement our family, but she completes it. I am thankful to God everyday for her smiling face and the joy she puts in our hearts.