No, thank you, I don't need you to pick my nose: a mother's tale.

If I ever write a book, I think that will be my title.

Nora accepted her eighteen month "birthday" as a challenge to run at life full speed. Or just to run full speed, period.  Two weeks ago, I would've said she was still part-baby, part-toddler.  Now she is ALL toddler, embracing her independence by insisting on doing things by herself - going up and down the stairs without holding hands, going down the slide, eating oatmeal, picking tomatoes from the garden, walking the dog, and pouring in the laundry soap.  Just today she carried a plastic watch pitcher into the bathroom (I've accepted I no longer get to go to the bathroom in peace), flipped it over, and insisted I hold her hands while she attempt to stand on it.  After she finished dinner, she put her bowl on her head and waited for "the audience" to laugh.  Often she walks to the dog bowl to play in the water (oy.), but if she sees me watching, she runs to the other room. She has learned that running from the living room to the kitchen, around the island, and back will make Mommy and Daddy laugh no matter what kind of day it's been. She asks to sit on the potty several times a day, and often has success.  While watching Sesame Street in the morning, she gets excited when Big Bird jumps out of his little car. (She used to just play while I showered, but then one day I found the toilet filled to the top with toilet paper, and the next day Ryan found a golf ball in it...so, it was either Sesame Street on Mommy's Kindle or one very stinky mommy.)  She jumps on the bed and throws herself into the pillows (thanks, GG and Papa Ray for teaching her this!), and responds "no" to each page of Where's Spot and the question "has someone napped in your winter hat?" in There's a Mouse in the House. In fact, she responds "no" or even "nonononono"a lot, and says "woooooow" at anything that looks like fun. 

And so much more.  Our little ball of energy keeps us on our toes, and we're having lots of fun along the way.

Helping feed cousin Catelyn

Stacking blocks with Papa Ray

She had to do whatever the big girls were doing.

Walking the dog - which she insists on doing by herself - no help from anyone else!

She helped us wash the cars for a little while, but then discovered
how fun it is to take an outdoor bubble bath.

This one's from today: She learned to be a farmer at the state fair.
(PS to other parents with young kids: this exhibit was really fun! They follow a path that includes picking up packets of seed, "picking" apples and green peppers, milking a pretend cow, etc, and then selling their produce at the end in exchange for a dollar they can spend in the grocery store - she spent her dollar on string cheese. The only thing we had to skip with her was riding the little tractor bikes, but she could do everything else! Plus it's free...well, after you pay to get into the fair. It's called Little Hands on the Farm.)

Her "chore" (because it's about time she started pulling her weight around here...geez) is
feeding the dog. She loves it; Zadie is undecided but plays along since she gets food
out of the deal.