what a big girl

Every day lately, I look at Bridget and can't believe how much she's grown. And growing up. Bridget really is beyond baby stage, but sometimes I don't want to believe it.

Bridget's over 30 pounds and about 33 inches tall—at least, she was a month ago when she went in for her fifteen month appointment. I'm betting she's taller (and weighs more) now, because suddenly the 24 month/2T clothing I was getting away with are too short/tight and I'm forced to contemplate whether I can get away with what we've got for the rest of the summer (or go shopping for 3Ts, only to turn around and need to buy fall clothing). She's in size 6 diapers and when she protests while I'm changing her diaper ("No, no, no, no, no" accompanied by kicking and wiggling) I tell her that she'll need to learn to use the toilet soon (size 6 = largest size). All four of her molars popped through her gums last Saturday (July 3) and her size 5 shoes are getting snug (one pair no longer fits). And on top of all that, she's acting older every day.

Of course, her arsenal of words is growing by leaps and bounds. "Get down," "all done," and "all gone" are all uttered several times a day, and she asks to go in the car or go outside. (I'm sure there's more in there that makes sense, but it isn't easily understood—she doesn't enunciate clearly like cousin Lily does!) And she's started doing things like clasping both hands over her mouth and muttering or squealing in fake surprise or amazement (that is CUTE!). She carries on complete "conversations" now on the phone, having expanded from holding it up to her ear and saying, "Hello? Hi!" to "Hello? Hi! Uh huh" and giggling, then saying, "Bye-bye, dada" (it's always bye-bye dada, because I call Al, put it on speakerphone, and then tell her to say goodbye to daddy). She makes faces at Beth, changing her expression when Beth changes her own (often imitating her expression). And she's very studious in many of her actions: she will spend hours playing with water, but needs one or two cups to scoop up the water and then pour it out (or into); she will spend equal amounts of time gathering her blocks and putting them in various containers, only to take them out again, or playing with my wallet, sunglasses, phone, and keys and taking them off the table, into her lap, and putting them back again. She loves to put my sunglasses on (even more than her own) and definitely knows what she wants. She can feed herself with a spoon or fork (but it's a little harder to get food to stay on a spoon!). She's climbing a lot, and I'm convinced that I'll find her outside of her crib someday soon (she was studying how a little boy did it on one of her/our favorite shows, America's Funniest Home Videos, yesterday evening). She cheers when it's appropriate, throws her arms up in the air and yells "ta da!" and will probably be sorely disappointed when she grows up and realizes she won't have a cheering section for every small accomplishment she makes (her cheering section often includes strangers still, who indulge her and tell her/me how cute she is). She's at the fun, fun, fun stage, and I'm loving every minute of it.