5 and 15

I've been thinking a lot about these two numbers recently.  We have been home with Mikayla for just over 5 months!  Where has the time gone?  Also, we recently had Mikayla's 15 month check-up (although now she is almost 16 months old).  As we spend each new day with her, I am continually amazed at how much she is changing and growing.  One of my favorite things about being a parent is the joy of getting to know her better as time passes.  Here are 15 tidbits that share just a glimpse of this special little girl:

1.  She is growing like crazy.  She weighs almost 26 lbs and is 31 inches tall.

2.  She has been walking well for about a month and a half and is starting to use this cute almost-run to get around.

3.  She still loves to swing.  She giggles, and giggles, and giggles when we put her in the swing on our porch.

4.  Mikayla is a water baby.  She loves to splash and it is hard to pull her out of the water.

5.  She is a climber.  Coffee table, music table, cooler...are you getting the picture?

6.  She likes books.  When she gets tired, she will find a book and bring it to us to read.

7.  She points to several body parts when asked.  One of the first body parts she could identify was her hair.  Yeah...we talk about hair a lot :)

8.  She loves fruit (especially blueberries).  We have to give her fruit after she has started eating other things or that's all she will eat.

9.  She is really interested in baby dolls and has been since her first birthday.  She carries them, hugs them, and gives them kisses.

10. Sometimes when she laughs, she snorts.
11. She is super ticklish, especially on the back of her neck.
12.  She gets really excited about going to visit friends.  It doesn't matter if they are older or younger, Mikayla is supremely happy around other kiddos.
13. Over the last couple of weeks, she has started to dance.  Especially when Brian plays the guitar, Mikayla will find the music and show us her moves.
14.  Her language is developing.  She understands much of what we say to her and will follow directions. While she isn't really speaking any words yet, she has caught on to several signs that she uses to communicate her needs.
15.  I tell people this all the time, but Mikayla is a child with a big sense of humor.  She loves to be silly and get other people around her to laugh.