JEB: 18 Months Old!

June Bug is officially a year and a half (and halfway to 3)! This seems like a big milestone for our goofy little girl. June continues to amaze us with all of the new things she learns and does each day. Here's what J.B. has been up to as of late:

• Talking up a storm. We're at the point where we can no longer keep track of the words/phrases she knows because there are so many. She understands absolutely everything and says most things. My current favorites are "teacher" (because it sounds so sweet when she says "tee-cha" in her little voice), "bath" (which comes out as "baff" at the top of her lungs, usually while running buck-naked down the hallway toward the tub) and "here you go" whenever she hands us something.
• Reading lots. Like Ellen, June absolutely loves books. She enjoys being read to as well as "reading" on her own for long periods of time. It's especially fun now because June can request specific books either by saying a word or two from the title or referencing something in the book so we know exactly which book she's talking about. Junie's favorites these days are: "Where's Spot?," "Jamberry," "I Love You Because You're You" and "My World."
• Singing. At times, June sings better than she can speak ... She can sing a good portion of "Twinkle, Twinkle," "Five Little Monkeys Swinging from a Tree," "Row, Row, Row You're Boat," "The Hotdog Song," "Pat a Cake," "Baby Bunting," "The ABCs" and the theme songs from "Elmo's World" and "Doc McStuffins."
• No longer using a high chair. At home, June now joins the three of us at the table by sitting in her booster seat.
• Getting more efficient with using utensils.
• Wearing "big girl" clothes. In other words, wearing clothes intended for someone her age. (I decided that enough was enough and packed away the last of the 3-6-month clothes even though some of the shorts/pants still fit.) June still is sans hips, but she seems to be filling out everywhere else. :)
• Teething, of course. June is ALWAYS working on new teeth, but I think the poor thing still has just eight (four on top and four on the bottom) even though I was sure her molars had come in a few weeks ago ...
• Continuing to make progress in the "can't-stand-to-have-mom-out-of-my-sight" department.

We have June's 18-month well visit in early October ... can't wait to see how she's measuring up!

Ellen's First Day of Preschool

Miss Ellen is officially a preschooler! We can't believe she's big enough to go to school, even if it is only two mornings a week. EVB's first day at St. Ambrose went great. She was very excited and had no problem whatsoever during drop-off time. She's a brave little girl! She's been a little tight-lipped about everything she did her first day, but I've managed to gather the following details about her activities in the Caterpillar room:

• At "circle time," Ellen sat on the "O"/octopus and "F"/flamingo squares and her teachers sang the same "days of the week song" that mommy sings.
• She had an English muffin with jelly and milk for snack.
• A few friends were sad and cried because they missed their moms and dads.
• Ellen played on the playground where she steered one of two steering wheels while playing "captain."
• She used the bathrooms/sinks that are "just her size."
• She did a schoolhouse art project using cut-up shapes.
• She took a drink from the drinking fountain.

Best of all, Ellen keeps saying that she can't wait to go to school again. Woohoo!