I'm sure that I've recently won some kind of award for the 'worst blogger EVER!'
I swear it, there are times in my life when I feel like I sit around and do NOTHING, and there are other times when I just can't seem to catch my breath! With a growing 16-month old daughter, life is just passing us by!
So, honestly, do you remember her? Isn't she the best!!??
When you last heard from me, I was finishing up my Christmas vacation from school, enjoying extended periods of time with my daughter and husband, and marveling in how quickly Brooke was 'growing up!' Well, my friends, my teenie-tiny baby girl has taken a speedy leap in the life of a big girl! It's aboslutely amazing and so much fun to watch!
I mean, doesn't she look huge?? And so grown-up!
Over the last few weeks, her speech has really picked up! She attempts to say every single word that you encourage her with, and day by day, she adds new words to her vocabulary! She is using a few multiple-word phrases, too!
Some of my favorites?
"Where's Pap?" (Insert Nana, Dad, the ball, etc.)
"What did you DO??"
(When asked a question, she'll respond...) "Um..." (then answer!)
This pretty little one has never lacked in the personality department!
When Brooke was still very tiny, I'll never forget my sister saying that she was going to be "spunky" once she started talking. True genious, that Aunt Meg is!
She is so much like Zig! She tries to make everyone laugh!
Take last night for example...
We have a night-time tradition in our house.
Every single night since Brooke was born, Zig will get the bath ready while I get Brooke undressed and organize pajamas. When we're all ready, I send Brooke to her Daddy right across the hall! When she could crawl, she'd motor her her little knees to her Daddy where he'd scoop her up and wait for me to join them! When she started walking, she'd practically run across the hall to her Daddy's arms!
But last night...oh, last night, she threw a monkey wrench into our traditions!
Instead of watching her little butt cheeks race across the hall, she screeched on her brakes and just stopped! Right in the middle of the hall! As if she had something very important to say!
Except, she didn't say anything! She just got up and down, and giggled! A lot! And so did we! I grabbed my camera and snapped a dozen pictures of my naked beauty, but figured I shouldn't post them all on here! I'll save her a little bit of embarassment - of maybe we'll save it for her first boyfriend!
This funny-business went on for quite some time! Daddy eventually just had a seat, and waited for her to be ready to enter the bathroom, like any other usual evening in our house!
This was their final stand-off, right before he charged her, scooped her up, listened to her angelic giggle, and plopped her into the tub.
It's a shame that she doesn't have a lick of personality! Don't you think??
It's natural that I would dream of a little girl in pretty dresses and bows... 
It's perfectly natural for me to fall in love with my baby girl wearing white tights under her dress and black shoes...
...but it would be silly for me to think that her 'tom-boy' spunk could be disguised underneath black bows and diamond earrings.
...but my little girl has never been so precious to me!
Spikey and Sparky...
Sparky and Diamond...
They are leaders, these girls are...
...and while they've become a permanent fixture in my classroom (even as 8th graders!!)....jpg)
...they've also become a permanant fixture in my heart!
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