17 months

 Olivia shooting some quality video of the floor.

 oh how she loves a good hand or foot massage. she will lie there so content.

 still obsessed with the "bici" (she now says biCI instead of just bic). she begs to go on it no matter how cold it is.

 best friends forever!

 a few weeks before Christmas, but the ONLY shots I got of her in this dress (she had 3 dresses, the little princess). I got this one at the Pottery Barn outlet for $3!!! Silk dress! It was to die for on her with that huge bustle.

here she is just typing up a last minute document before church.

 "OH NO! mom please. My hair is wet and I have no make-up on!"

 mom. I said no. this is the face you are gonna get.

 poor girl with pink eye and an ear infection (TWICE!). I took a picture so you could see her squinty eyes, but she just looks tired instead. as you can see though, she is still a happy camper, even when sick!

 pink-eye day, playing in her laundry hamper.

 luckily, since she has a relatively small head, she has been able to wear the same hats she had last year. thank goodness, because this one was REALLY cute. thanks grandma:)

 Olivia LOVED the Christmas tree, especially taking off the ornaments. In this photo she was dancing to Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas" while wearing them.

 Trying on some of my favorite thrifted seventies sunglasses.

 I look like a deer in headlights, but Olivia was too cute, with her Trader Joe's bag on shoulder, ready to go! ("rea-ey ew go").

 look at that gorgeous face? and those cheeks? how could I resist kissing those cheeks all day? I can't. that's why I've caught every single cold she's had since I got pregnant.

 playing doctor with dad's stethoscope.  She kept trying to listen to the heartbeat in my arms and legs.

 waving her Chinese flag (Abuela got it at the Olympic closing ceremonies).

 This little daredevil and thrill-seeker had waay too much fun going down the hill in this radio-flyer with her friend Amelia. Olivia did NOT want to get out!

 another glamorous shot of her in her fancy dress and coat (from grandma).

 being extra super silly in the driveway at grandma and grandpa's in FL.

 more of her silly personality!

 and more... the video of this is too cute.

 this isn't olivia, but what we were doing on Christmas Eve Eve while she slept at home. The annual kids party at Andrew and Christina's! Jean Marie, Becca, Caroline.

 Matthew (being silly, he's not gangsta), Franc and I.

 All the Rosebrough (and Donald Kelly--honorary Rosebrough) kids and inlaws!

 Annual tradition of Christmas Eve at the Nutcracker. Olivia did REALLY well! (she only had to watch the second half, but actually was into it, clapping and everything!).

 Aunt Becca brought Olivia to the performance after her nap, and well... Becca thought I had her shoes with me... which I didn't. so I had to go to Cityplace at the last minute and run in and her her some shoes! (all they had left that matched were black boots, so that's what she wore to Morton's).

 with super cool Uncle Andrew.

 another great shot with Caroline and Matthew. yes, I got a whole lot of quality shots throughout Christmas. It was terrible. I was very sick and I just couldn't bring myself to carry the nice camera, and I kept forgetting to take photos anyway! yikes.

 From Christmas day on, the boys had airsoft wars in the backyard. Does something seem wrong with this photo?? Olivia is being held with a gun! ummm... I told Franc to please put her down.

 watching tv ("TEE!!") with Matthew in the mornings. Oh was she happy that he watched it every morning, that way she didn't have to beg her mom (who usually says no).

 whoops. We forgot to pay attention while she fed herself some yogurt... and this is what we found.

 my absolute favorite thing in the world. when olivia wants to cuddle with me (it doesn't usually last long, but I love every second of it).

 A glimpse of her Christmas spread from Grandma and Grandpa Rosebrough.

 Aiming for the sucker that was in Grandma's mouth seconds before. She was trying VERY hard to get her hands on one of these SEE'S suckers the entire morning.

If you are wondering why I always have a million details written in this section of Olivia's post, well here's the answer: This is olivia's journal (which will be printed). I keep a tab open at all times on my web browser and everytime I see olivia do something, or if I remember something she's done, I type it on her post. So... I apologize if it seems too extensive, braggy, or overdone. But I think Olivia will be grateful one day! And I know my family enjoys it:)

What Olivia has been up to in month 17:
-for awhile she would take one of our cell phones and walk all over the house, and she would talk and FAKE LAUGH to herself every few seconds. I guess she hears us laughing when we talk on the phone?? It was hilarious!

-of course she always says "bye!" and stuff, but I thought it was extra cute when her frog doll "Lily" was singing, etc and then at the end said "bye!" and Olivia kept saying BYE! back at her! Even from across the house, when she heard the doll say "bye," she would say "bye" back. It was so innocent.

-She really has the best manners these days. Saying "please" (sometimes), "thank you" (always), and "your welcome" (occasionally).
-Every time Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" comes on she walks straight towards the ipod/speakers and starts dancing, twirling,  clapping, etc. There is no doubt that that is her favorite Christmas song.
-every day the tree was up she took off at least 3-5 ornaments. luckily I kept only soft ones near the bottom.
-She can be the happiest, sweetest, most fun little girl and then out of no where--well if she doesn't get something she REALLY wants-- throw herself on the floor with a tantrum. I sometimes have a hard time not laughing because its so ridiculous!
- when I ask her a question and the answer is affirmative, she says "yeah" "si" and sometimes "yes."
-she knows how to blow her own nose.

- she loves playing on our bed. loves loves loves. And to find treasures on our side tables (floss, pens, etc)
-sometimes she calls me "Katie."
-SPANISH: She says "que?" If you say "adios," she says "bye!" she always asks for "jugo"--(coogoe) (Spanish for juice), "toque" (touch)
--she can moooooo like a cow, and woof woof like a dog, and balk balk balk like a chicken.
-she tells me when she wants to color "cahhherrr."
-On pooping: she pooped once in the toilet, after telling us she has "caca (SP)." So we have cont. trying to put her there when she tells us she has caca. But ever since that day, all she does is grunt like she's pooing, and reach for toilet paper, then "wipes" and gets off to flush the toilet. no poop. We put the diaper back on and then she poops! grrr.
-on eating: The child eats a FULL ADULT SIZED bowl of heavy cereal, such as wheat chex in the morning, and then abt. 1.5 hrs. later is begging for a snack. and then she eats lunch an hour after that. Takes a nap and then has a SECOND lunch! Eats a snack a bit later, then eats dinner at 5:30. I am exhausted from all the feeding!!!
-she loves to play with her fake food and pretend she is eating it or feeding it to me. And when she"pours the milk" she even makes a sound to go with it!
-she L O V E S my dad. everytime he comes in the room (we were there for Christmas vaca) she starts giggling and smiling at him. And then usually begs him to hold her! She calls him "daddy" usually, but she is learning grandpa ("ampa") and grandma for my mom (ahma).
-she loves carrying around a purse.
-she thinks her uncle matthew is the funniest guy alive (along with grandpa)----hmmm she is flirty with the boys!
-she says so many words its is hard to keep track: juice, cheese, t.v. (wish she didn't know that one because she begs for it all the time),this, these,
-SENTENCES: "NO TOQUE!!!" when people are touching her and she doesn't want them to (like when my parents were tickling her one morning), "DONDE ESTA?" and "where it go??" when she can't find someone or something, DONDE VAS? when she wanted to know where my mom was going,
- is as obsessed with playing with FAKE food, and making us meals, as she is with eating REAL food!
-"here you go" handing me the remote so she can watch a movie.
-" sit down?!" and pats the chair she wants to sit on, or the spot next to her that she wants YOU to sit on.
-We bought some headrest dvd players for our 10 hr. trip to Florida (Christmas vaca) and olivia was a perfect angel the entire ride down and back. On the way there, she never even shut her eyes. She was GLUED to the tv the entire time (10 HOURS!!!!). She may have lost a few brain cells....

-she is really good at drinking from regular cups, and uses them mostly throughout the day.
-she has mastered (toddler mastered) the spoon and fork. she prefers the adult size, not the kid ones.
-because of her ability to use a spoon, she now eats her fruits and veggies in sauce form. As in... baby food. Yes, I give them to her in drinks and sauces because she still refuses to eat them. I found out from my mother in law that Francisco didn't eat them either until he was much older. fun.

 MOM at 17 months:
I can't even explain how I feel about Olivia at 17 months. I just want to squeeze her and love her all day long. She is a blast to hang out with and she constantly cracks me up with the things she does and says. I feel so proud with every new thing she learns and I understand everyday why being a mom is the greatest calling there is. I am incredibly grateful that I get to stay home with her each day (well somedays I'd like to get out all on my own) and see her every new move. She is becoming such a toddler and I love it.  I love that she and I can play "pretend" now, that we can do art together, that she can communicate her thoughts, her wants and her NEEDS!!!!!! (in all caps because that's how she expresses them) and I look forward to all the things we can do each month as she gets older. We laugh all day and I really enjoy playing with her and watching her play all by herself. Our friendship and love for one another grows everyday. I LOVE YOU OLIVIA!!!