18 Months of Scarlet - She'll shoot your eye out.

Scarlet has rounded the corner on toddler-hood with this recent half birthday. In that short year and a half, Scarlet's personality has emerged, and then some. She is incredibly happy. When you catch her eye across the room, or in the rear-view mirror, she'll give you a smile that could light a room. Her independence astounds me. She is sassy and sweet. I joke that she's our sour patch kid (like the candy) because she'll have a moment of sass or resistance...and follow it up with such love and sugar, that you instantly forget the prior act. My best (and nicest) way of describing her behavior...is that she is a pistol. I feel a little granny-like when I use this term, but it's accurate. She's a pistol. And she'll shoot your eye out.

She has a vocabulary that won't quit. She talks non-stop. Jibber. Jabber. And the like. And when she's not speaking, she's singing or humming. Music moves her. Literally and figuratively. This little girl can get down, and doesn't miss a beat. One of her favorite things to do is turn on the record player, and get down to the Beatles on a nightly basis.

Aligned with her personality, physically, she's off the charts. Topping out at 32 lbs. at 18 months, Scarlet remains in the 97+ percentile. Height and head circumference are in this same, extreme category. Dainty, she is not.

She can eat blueberries by the pint and when we have corn as part of our dinner, she'll eat Emerson's, Jason's, her own, and mine. I blame this on my own pregnancy obsession with corn. She also has a penchant for sweets. She knows where the junk drawer is, and tries to regularly help herself. We occasionally give in to a sucker. And then usually regret it as we're cleaning up a sticky mess, or de-tangling it from her hair.

She has her own sense of style. Today, we left the house with three of my own head bands on her head. Yesterday, she wore snowman slippers to school. And for the past three days, the only time she's not wearing pink mittens is when I can find a good hiding place for them.

Determined.

She insists on carrying her school bag, despite the fact that it's bigger than her. It's even cuter when she carries it on her back.

She loves, loves, loves intensely. Even Parmesan cheese.

Our little crystal child has a penchant for animals. She loves them so hard, that it hurts them, sometimes (albeit never seriously).

More animals...more to love.

Adores this dog of ours.

Rarely a moment without a goofy face...

Or smile...

Or jokester grin.

She's as wild as her hair...

And interested in everything she shouldn't have access to.

 

She gobbles her food.

Makes messes in moments.

Gets a kick out of herself.

And has a weird side that won't quit. She insisted on wearing Emerson's monster truck headphones for 3 days...even during meals.

She's fearless.

And loves that big brother of hers.

Her creativity...and goofiness...and sweetness is all rolled into one.

Likely wearing sunglasses as she looks to her VERY bright future.

Gosh, we love her so.