Opal at 21 Months

Opal's love for Elmo remains strong.  In clockwise order from top left below: Opal trying on a tutu that friends dropped off for her when she wasn't feeling well, Opal reading Elmo books, Opal finding a stuffed Elmo and Cookie Monster on the store shelves while I try to figure out how we are going to leave the store without them, and Opal finding a way to bring Elmo outside with her in the snow.

She also loves playing with her sisters, and demands nothing less.  Sometimes her sisters play with her willingly, and sometimes Opal coerces them with screams and persistence.  In the photos below in clockwise order from top left: Emma rocking Opal while Opal says "gain", "gain", "gain" anytime Emma tries to stop, Violet posing for a photo with Opal on our back door steps, and all four girls playing with Opal.

If I had only one word to describe Opal, it would be "intense".  She doesn't compromise, and feels every emotion under the sun as intensely as possible.  She knows what she wants, and she doesn't settle for less.  Here she is below, feeding Elmo his breakfast along with hers, and in the right hand photo below, we found Opal half dressed and into the Halloween candy.

Opal still doesn't like baths, but Lucy has enticed her into a shower by blowing bubbles for her while Will or I wash a reluctant Opal.  Opal also prefers to only wear Elmo pajamas, day and night and so we have to get creative to put daytime clothes on her.  In the right hand picture below, I had just bought Opal pants with real pockets - a definite selling point in getting Opal dressed, and can you believe that she's never worn pants with pockets before?  The entire first day of wearing pockets, she utilized them to the fullest and casually walked around the house with her hands in her pockets.

 Opal seems to get sick at least once a month.  This past month she had a stomach bug.  It was short lived, fortunately, but at 21 months old, it finally clicked for Opal to puke in a bucket and not all over the bed, her mom, her dad or the carpet.  Now, anytime she has the smallest cough she yells, "BUCKET!"  That's not to say that she got her throw up in the bucket - she just knows that's where it's SUPPOSED to go.  Baby steps.

It's so hard to see my baby sick.  I feel like her memory is so short, that when she is sick, she doesn't remember what it feels like to not be sick.  Of course her sisters spoil her and take great care of her, despite the fact that Opal only wants Will (and if he's not available, me) when she is sick.  She will even push a sister away by her face if her "no" isn't listened to.  In the above picture, Opal's sisters made her a blanket and pillow nest in a basket for her to rest in when she wasn't feeling good.  Opal may feel a tad smothered by love in our house, but don't for a second feel sorry for her, as she takes full advantage!  Opal, we love to spoil you!