The year in review

It has been a great 2009 with the Nugget. She has grown up so much and developed quite a personality.

It was a year of firsts - first teeth, first plane trip (Utah), first sickness (RSV), first steps, first birthday, first international trip and first baseball game (both in Toronto), and first trip to the doctor for a boo-boo (cut over her eye in December).

Here are some of the fun things I have learned about her this year. There is so much more but here is what comes off the top of my head:

We have seen her love the water - the beach, her baby pool, swimming at the Y and taking baths.

She has been in love with the snow - eating it and playing in it.

Liana loves to color - with crayons, pens, markers or with her new crayons that go in the tubby with her.

The Nugget is a laugher and a runner - she does not stay by our side if given the chance. When we go to the mall or to someone's house she just runs and smiles and laughs and it is adorable - exhausting, but adorable.

Similarly, she loves to chase or be chased around the kitchen - mama will get her and they will chase daddy or daddy will chase them.

Her smile brightens my day and even when I get tired and want her to go to sleep she can say or do the littlest thing that cause me to crack up. Sometimes she just runs full throttle and opens up her arms as wide as an eagle in flight and as I kneel down she just jumps into my arms. Nothing is better.

I know her tickly spots on her chest, under her chin and in the little bit of pudge that she has left on her inner thighs.

Liana loves owls - she has owls on her socks, on her shirts, on a blanky, in books ... she has a stuffed owl in her crib, a stuffed owl pillow and she loves the owls in her books. She proclaimed "hoo-hoo" many times this year.

Sesame Street is her favorite TV show and her love for Elmo is unrivaled among 18 month olds! She has several elmo dolls and SS books featuring Elmo as the star. She has favorite episodes and segments within those episodes. She is certainly a girl who knows what she wants!

Talking on telephone ("hullo") is one of her favorite things - actually pretending to talk on the phone is one of her favorite things.

She loves to see our neighbor Shane - he is 5 years old and Liana says his name over and over again and makes a bee-line for his house when she gets outside.

Liana likes blueberries, pickles (pip-pip), beans, rice, and soup (anything in a bowl is possibly soup so she picks it up and tries to drink it)

Liana seems to really like music - she has a cute little spin move, some great hopping, and good clapping to the beat when the radio or her cd's are on. She has spent some time recently "playing" the piano at Auntie Jenn's and was proud of herself when she got up on the bench, positioned her feet forward and pounded away on the keys.

The moon is one of Liana's favorite things to spot during the day or at night. She loves to point it out and doesn't care if it is crescent or full, in a book or in the sky - the moon is pretty cool.

Liana loves her papa - she sees him a couple times of week through Skype and I am pretty sure he is one of her favorite people.

And of course, I know she loves her mama so much and it is amazing to see the bond they have together. Shelly is a great caretaker and always makes sure food is prepared, clothes are bought, washed, dried, and folded, toys are handy and that learning is being achieved regularly.

It is going to be great to see the Nugget grow even more in 2010 - she has a big year of assuming leadership responsbilities as a big sister.

Latest words and phrases:
"I see it", "I see you", "I did it", "up pease" - said when she wants to see what mama is cooking, when she wants to get in a cabinet to choose a cup, or just after she gets out of her chair at dinner so she can sit on mama's lap and feed her the rest of her dinner.

"mon" - means "c'mon" and is accompanied by a wave of the hand
"nose, tissue" - the combo means she needs a tissue and help blowing her nose - which by the way she does like a seasoned professional at 18 months!

Uncle Joe is no longer 'blah, bloh, blah, blip' - he is officially "Joe"