Updates

My brother says Shirley has a "todlet." A toddler-mullet. I guess this photo doesn't argue. We're working on growing her hair out a little more before her second birthday! I can't believe it's just around the corner!

I've been feeling guilty lately because I haven't updated you on either my pregnancy or on Shirley Jean's life hardly at ALL in the last couple weeks (OK, months...).
I thought it might be fun to share some "ShirleySpeak" with my loyal readers. As with all toddlers, it takes a trained ear, but Shirley is really learning to communicate by leaps and bounds.
Richard has been working with her on her ABC's, and of course, she loves "Q-R-S" and "N-O-P" the best because in her mind, they go together! I love being in the kitchen or folding clothes and hearing her sing, "N-O-P! Q-R-S!"
Shirley also loves to count. She frequently counts, "One, two...SIX!" But if prompted, she can count all the way to ten! She then throws both arms in the air and says, "I dit!" (I did it!)
Some of Shirley's common phrases right now are:
I dit! = I did it!
I skuck. = I'm stuck. This is SJ's catchall phrase for frustration. Frequently, she is "skuck" on the ground, wanting to be picked up, "skuck" in her high chair or the shopping cart. I've tried explaining gravity and the purpose of seatbelts, but she doesn't care.
I hep. = I need help, or I can help. Shirley is very good at helping mama unload the dishwasher. Oy.
Teese = Cheese. According to Shirley, cheese goes in everything. EVERYTHING. We made coffee cake together yesterday and she thought cheese would be a great addition.
Gookies = Nookies, pacifier. She needs at least two.
Again? = Daddy, do that dangerous acrobatic move to me again!
Melmo = EITHER Nemo or Elmo. Take your pick.
BamBam = Bambi. A current favorite and a nice break from Nemo. (Mama likes the music in Bambi best..."Drip, drip, drop little April shower...")
Pease = Please give me that RIGHT NOW!
Thankoo = Thank you.
O'ecome = You're welcome
Doose?Doose?Doose? = Juice. Juice can be water, milk or actual juice. Not orange juice, please.
Galk = Milk.
She has started adding "Mama" to the end of some sentences, which is really fun. It's so sweet to hear, "Thankoo, Mama!"

Shirley's favorite foods right now are cheese (of course), apples and...that's it. She would eat apples and cheese for every meal if I let her. I guess there are worse things! She will eat whatever I put in front of her, but she would rather have apples and cheese.
Shirley also LOVES anything that buckles. She wants to buckle her own belt in a shopping cart and loves buckling and re-buckling her seatbelt in a high chair. If we get a high chair at a restaurant that has a broken seat belt, we have a real problem. She's my little mechanic.

Shirley has taken to spending time in her toybox/ottoman. She empties it out and sits in it. The only problem is that once she gets in it, she can't get out! "Hep! I skuck!"