My Faye-girl.

This little girl is officially no longer a baby. She hit 18 months last week, wears ponytails, beats up her brothers, says any word you tell her to, and swims under water for a second by herself.

At 18 months, kids start to attend a nursery class at church. Yesterday I took Faye in, expecting to stay with her for a while or leave her crying. She walked in, found a chair and climbed in to start playing with a puzzle. I hurried and left while she was happy, and she stayed that way the whole time! I heard she yelled "NO!" a lot at other kids, but that is typical. After I left and found myself alone int he hallways at church, I felt so odd... I wanted to go in the bathroom and cry! I missed my baby girl tagging along with me.

Faye has never been one to sit still for a book, but out of the blue a couple of days ago, she wanted to read books over and over again! I love snuggling my kids to read books, so I'm happy she finally has the attention span to do that with me.

But watch out if you don't comply with her demand to read you the book right away. She gets angry and will probably throw the book at you.

Faye says new words every day, and her brothers get so excited when she does. They also think it's hilarious to teach her to yell things like "poo!" She calls Carson "Kah-kee," and won't try to say Everett. (That shows her preference.) Her most frequently said words are "shoes," "book," and "drink." This girl is ALWAYS thirsty.

I have been waiting my whole life to have a little girl who will let me do fun things with her hair! Faye makes a complete mess of my bathroom vanity while I do her hair, but she's pretty cooperative.

When I'm holding Faye, (which is kind of a lot these days. I think it makes her a little clingy when she doesn't see her dad all week.) she often rubs my back until I tell her she's a sweet girl. Faye loves to climb up on the craft table and draw all over herself with markers or throw them around the room. She only stays in her high chair for about 5 minutes at a time, which drives me a little bit crazy. Faye loves to swim at the pool. I put her on the ledge and stand a couple of feet out into the water, and she will go under and swim for a second to me. Faye requires a bit more time and energy for me to take care of her than her brothers did at this age, but oh how I love her spunk and personality!

I took these pictures before church yesterday. (Fifth Sunday in a row with Rick at work and not being able to come to church with us! Sad!) I get up early and get everything ready, and somehow we are always outside with several minutes to spare, so we play for a while before heading to church.

What? Everett, usually the biggest stinker about having a picture taken, suddenly poses for the camera? Sometimes I think I will never understand this child's motives.

Carson, in the middle of telling me a story about something. Caught his little lisp on camera!