Babies to the Max: 17 Months

Dear Sarah,

Once again you shared your monthly birthday with your Mimi on her actual birthday! An excellent reason to go out for lunch and do some shopping for Baby! Despite the fact that you are 17 months old, we continue to call you "Bay-bay" more often than "Sarah". Max has a special voice he only uses when crooning "Sister" and often repeats statements like "You're just the cutest little thing." Well, it's true, but sounds a little strange coming from a 4 year-old's mouth.

"Uh-oh!" Here comes Sarah, uh-ohing all the way. Your cheerful "Uh-oh" is usually accompanied by a Gallic shrug of the shoulders and upturned palms. I imagine "C'est la vie!" will be the next phrase.You are also the busiest little girl. There are so many drawers to be emptied and cabinets to be open and closed. Honestly, who would do these things if a baby wasn't around? There is a mad dash across the kitchen to push the trash drawer completely shut or to give the door of the dishwasher a final shove. Our house would be a wreck without you! Or maybe that is backwards....

Our little chatterbox loves to talk on the phone! You attempt to place calls by pushing buttons and jabbering into the phone, and have managed to actually call Daddy's office and Mimi's house on more than one occasion. You have also already located my credit cards and love to hand it to the cashier at the store. Or pull them out of my purse and play with them on the floor. Beware of this girl as a teenager!

Baby loves to stretch her legs! In the chair and the bathtub you will stretch them straight out with a big sigh, which makes us giggle because they are so very short even when fully extended! While sitting you place the soles of your tiny feet together like a little butterfly. You started walking backwards during the summer, but now you deliberately do it to make Max laugh. We are very impressed with your fine motor skills as well. What other baby can already play Connect Four and hold a crayon properly? Smarty pants!