Houston, we have a toddler.

Where, oh where, has my sweet little baby girl gone? The one who liked to pose for photos, was easily appeased, loved cuddles from anyone and everyone, quick to be entertained?

I now have a wild one on the run who refuses to wear a hairbow...



Will not stand still long enough for a photo if I dangled chocolate covered chocolate in front of her face...



And quickly dissolves into a total meltdown. This shot, in which you can see just how pitiful her slumped shoulders and loose arms are (you can't see the tears and sobs on her hanging head, but trust me, they're there) resulted from the fact that although she had her shoes on, we weren't going "bye bye" to church for just a couple more minutes. Clearly, this called for a crying fit, because her life was over.



We had a pretty good weekend regardless. As I watched her play with her big cousin Mac over the weekend, who was in town visiting with Nathan's sister from Atlanta, I felt a bittersweet wrench in my heart as I realized she is a true little kid now. She plays pretend, acts silly, imitates, follows simple directions and has a funny/odd opinion about just about everything.



She wants to sit by herself and climb. She wants to run and play. She wants to put the food in her mouth by herself, not on a spoon or fork from YOU, thankyouverymuch – but doesn't want to touch it, either. She wants to wear shoes - hers, or Daddy's are fun to put on, too. And my God, her shoes and feet are so stinky. So. Stinky.



She loves to color and is learning that crayons go on paper only, and Mommy and Daddy really do mean it when they say "NO." She wants to explore by herself, but becomes terrified if she realizes she's gone just a bit too far.



She wants baby's things though, too - I've caught her trying to put her pacifier in her mouth, but she also loves to give it to him and "help." This week, she's really into sitting in his Bumbo chair. (Yes, she is wearing a pajama top and diaper only with her shoes on. This was about 7:30 a.m. Oh, and no, I'm not getting rid of the freaking baby Bumbo chair because of the new recall. What. Ever. Watch your kids - amiright?)



Besides, Baby wasn't using the Bumbo anyway...



But my goodness, she loves Baby. Loves on him, loves to see what he is doing, asks for Baby when she wakes up and comes home. Carries toys to him and puts them on him while he's sitting in his bouncy seat. "Reads" to him. And she has started to really love her own baby doll - and is killing me with cuteness as she tries to feed it and diaper it. She even patted it on the back after giving it a bottle the other day. I die.



But she still has a little baby in her. I refuse to believe that she is 100% toddler quite yet, though her silliness and tantrums lead us to think otherwise. 17 months old this week. What age is she no longer a babe? I don't know; to each his own. Not this week, though.



My angel girl.