17 Months

17 months!  I figure it is only 216 months until she is 18 years old, and time is moving very quickly when you think in those terms.   

So what is my little spreaglet doing these days?  For one, she is talking up a storm.  She probably knows 100 words or more at this point, and I am always amazed at what she actually retains and understands, not just repeats.  She puts together 2-3 word sentences, which blows me away.  "I want xyz." Or, "Throw ball Caya." Or, "Thank you mama."  Or my favorite, "Share mama.  Share (whatever it is that she wants me to give her.)"  She loves to sing, too.  Her favorite is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and she knows quite a few of the words.  She also makes up words to songs too, which is really funny.  I have a song that I sing to her which goes, "Caya Papaya...Apple Pie-a."  And she sings it as "Caya Cabaya...Apple Caya!"  I know all of this is so boring to everyone that has watched their own kids learn to talk, but it is so exciting to me to be able to communicate to her.  Just the fact that I can tell her what I need her to do and watch her do it is incredible.

Isla spectated her first marathon this past weekend at the St Jude Marathon and absolutely loved it.  She is now constantly saying "go go runners!"  And she literally cried when we left the course, asking for "more runners." 

 Isla offering her bunny to passing runners. 

Spectating is hard work!

Training is really starting to pick up now for me.  I am not doing a ton of hours, but it is getting consistent.  And consistency is the key!!!  For the first time in 17 months, I completed a trainer session while she took a nap this weekend.  She now takes 1 nap, pretty routinely, for about 1 hour or so in the day, so I am able to try my luck at a little bike riding while she sleeps.  This is such as gift, because as a baby, she only slept in 20 minute increments, and I couldn't train while she napped. 

One day Isla even let me finish up a trainer ride when dad had to leave for work.  She entertained herself for the extra 10 minutes by stealing my water bottle. 

 Isla has also discovered my swim equipment.  She put my fins on the other day and walked around saying "quack quack."  It was so funny...and where did she learn that or make it up?  I love it! 

Ah sleep.  So, here is the new night situation.  For one, I am still breastfeeding.  I never thought I would be breastfeeding after 12 months, but I am.  It is worth it.  It is extra work, and no, I don't sleep a whole night.  There are times when I am very ready to wean and have my nights back.  But, I continue to take a big picture view of parenting and remember that this time will go by so quickly and I doubt I will regret any extra time I spent with my kid.  

The good news is that I get her down around 7:30-7:45 every night.  She does wake up sometime in the middle of the night, and I usually end up in bed with her.  If I am trying to swim the next morning, Dave and I play a game of musical beds to make it work. 

So, that is 17 months in a nut shell.  It is wild, fun, crazy, tiring, and amazing.  I am so grateful every day for my time with her, and I think she is an amazing person.