Summer Fun! {And Ilah is 17 Months Old!}

This post will be two-fold....it will highlight the fun that Ilah and I had in the pool yesterday, and it will also note her 17 month milestones!

Earlier this month I prepped for the fun summer days ahead that would be spent at the pool and bought this pool/beach bag. It is the perfect size for everything that I need to put in it to make a trek on down to our subdivision's pool. It might be hard to see in this photo but there are pockets in front that make it super accessible to grab sunscreen, the cell phone, or Ilah's sippy cup, etc.
At the end of summer last year, I bought this floating canopy at Target....

And scored it for just $3.24!

So summer is here and it's time to live it up! So yesterday we ventured to the pool. It doesn't matter if we're getting ready to leave the house for hours, or just walking down to the pool in our neighborhood, the same amount of time and energy goes into both tasks. Ha! I got Ilah dressed in her bathingsuit - and then followed by about 99 other things {I know you mom's can relate}, we were finally out the door...

Ilah, you turned 17 months old last week! You are becoming such a big girl! You are up to a lot of things.....

You have started to purposely walk on your tippy-toes. It's so cute and makes us laugh!

When we ask you how old you are, you hold up your index finger to show us that you are ONE!

Mommy taught you how to fold your hands and pray...every time you hear the word "pray" you clasp your hands. Such sweetness.

Your Abuela taught you how to praise the Lord...when we ask you to show us, you raise up your hands! Melts my heart! You love bubble and now can blow them on your own!

You slide down the stairs on your bottom now.

You are eating more with a fork.

You have a big appetite - and are starting to become picky with what foods you will eat.

You "thumb through" your books with paper pages.

You now imitate all the actions that you see Dora the Explorer {and other cartoon characters} doing! Ha Ha! For several months now, you have known all your major body parts {hair, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, tummy, feet} and can point to them. We started teaching you additional things, and now you can tell us where your knees and teeth are and where your tongue is.

You have started to pronounce your words more clearly.

You have started sleeping with a pillow {which started last month when you had a cold and it was advised by your pediatrician to prop a pillow under your head to help with nasal drainage} - we kept it in your crib even after your cold passed; you love your pillow!

I thought that you had transitioned to just one nap a day but some days you still do two.

Mommy bought you a stool a few weeks ago that allows you to sit down and play with some of your bigger toys, rather than standing. You love it!

Speaking of stools...I also got you a step stool last week but it will be a little while before you will begin using it. I bought it for you because it was too cute to pass up!

You have started to cross your arms across your chest! What?!

You enjoy playing with your Melissa & Doug animal puzzle - you have started to know which animals go where and put them in their right place.

You are growing, growing, growing....into a size 7 shoe. You have started to put your fingers in your ears as if something is too loud. But you do it just to be goofy!

Recently you started lifting up your leg and reaching it to the very top of your crib rail. Mercy Ilah. Please keep yourself in that crib!

You try to climb up on to the couch but haven't mastered that just yet. As with everything....soon enough you will.

You have started to remove our clothing...and I'm not talking about socks. You started doing that when you were just months old. A few weeks ago you took off your pajama top while in your crib. Your daddy saw that you were shirtless on the monitor and told me, "look at this girl!"

You love to brush your teeth.

You help mommy pick up your toys and put them away.

This week mommy was cleaning up some water that spilled and you followed me to the kitchen, where I handed you a paper towel...and on your own you walked over to the spill and cleaned it ALL UP with the paper towel!

And yesterday.....you went inside of a pool for the first time!!!.......

And you looked SO cute in your little bathing suit!!!

Notice the "No Diving" sign and check out Ilah's pose! ....

We had so much fun at the pool yesterday. And surprisingly I discovered that relaxation can still be had even with a 17 month old at my side.
Daddy wished that he was with us but it was just you and me Ilah, as daddy had to work : ( But I sent him pictures of all the fun that you were having! Which only made him wish that he was with us all the more.


How cute is a baby's bathing suit hung up to dry over a shower curtain rod!?!....
Ilah, you make every day a fun one! I just LOVE being your mommy and I am so happy that YOU are MINE!!