I could be unoriginal and say, "Where has the time gone?" because, boy, is that true. Our little peanut has become a person practically overnight, as her personality reveals itself to us bit by bit.
Laine is a little shy; slow to warm up to new people. As much as we'd like her to be outgoing, I appreciate her uncertainty about strangers. She avoids strange men in particular by hiding her face in my shoulder (if you have a beard it's even worse!) And don't even THINK about touching her (as a tickle or cheek pinch) because if she doesn't know you, you might just set her off. But then there are times she'll say "hi" to someone as we're walking down the grocery aisle--in her quiet little voice. (It breaks my heart if the person doesn't hear her and respond.) She gives hugs and kisses to other babies we meet. And when she does warm up to you, it makes it worth the wait.
I think Laine will be a perfectionist. If she doesn't master something on the first try, she gets intensely frustrated. We've had our moments with shape sorters and blocks, but I talk her through things to let her know that you just have to keep trying, that it's okay if it's not perfect. She doesn't always agree! A perfectionist? Perhaps.
Laine is always aware of and thinking of others. She continues to share with other babies, has become much more of a cuddler with her mommy and daddy, and is a very good mommy to her baby dolls and animals. She sweetly gives bites of her snack to her dolls, holds their faces up and towards the window when we're in the car so that they can "see" outside, and likes to carry on conversations with other children, getting up close and personal when she talks to them. It's darling to look over and see your child crouching and leaning in to another baby, intently saying, "Wawa? Ba dala mow." A mother at our Little Gym session commented on how maternal Laine seems towards her son. (He was 15 months to her 18.) I can't always understand what Laine's trying to tell other kids, but they sometimes seem to!
Laine is a singer. For a period of a few weeks, we would wake each day to a song from Laine in her crib. I taught her to clap along with her song and she likes it when I do the same. She sings some of the sweetest songs I've ever heard.
Laine suddenly has an astounding number of words. I think if I counted them it would be around 60+. (And I only count them if she isn't just repeating, she has to actually use and understand the words.) New ones since my last "speech update" are: Out (although sometimes she uses "out" as "off," such as 'off the changing table',) roll (bread,) book, swing, elbow (sounds a bit like apple,) egg (ee,) fan, turtle (very distinct,) hi and bye, toe, milk (muk,) moon, mow, car, walk, bee and buzz (which sounds more like a growl), bus, poo poo and pee pee, more, peas, and (ahem)
bra, shoe, money, ostrich, purple (meaning every color,) Laine, bowl, rain, stinky and orange (osh). She doesn't have proper pronounciation of most words, so if you aren't me--you might not understand her!
Laine doesn't understand counting yet, but tries to imitate. She points to different things (like the baby toes we count in her book) and says, "see, see." (Three, I think.) She knows arm and chin and cheek and neck now (we're running out of body parts to teach her!) She is starting to enjoy coloring and loves drawing in my notebook with a pen, and we recently introduced Play-Doh. She only licked it once and hasn't tried eating it since. She basically smashes it in her fingers, pokes it with an unsharpened pencil I gave her, and asks me to make birds and balls with it.
Her favorite food as of last week was BROCCOLI. Suddenly, after she got over her stomach bug, she was crazy about it! She loves being outside and pushing her lawnmower, inspecting rocks, and listening for planes. She is more of a climber than ever, and can practically fly into our leather chair in one hop. We've got to watch her even more closely now! (I'm already a HoverMother.)
Post-nap reading session.
Laine LOVES her crib. We've never had any toys, books, or sippy cups in with her during any sleeping times. She doesn't always like me to take her out immediately after her nap. From the moment I hear her talking, I give her about 5 minutes of wakeup time before I even go in. Then once I do, she likes to play a bit before she comes out. I let her read books or play with her Raggedy Ann doll (her "ya ya") for about 10 minutes while I put her clothes away and straighten her room, and she tells me when she wants "oww" (out).
She still loves her sleepsack (her "nigh nigh" as she calls it,) and runs from one end of her crib to the other in it with ease. Pretty soon I'm going to have to cut it up and turn it into blankets because it's getting short on her and I just can't make myself buy the next size up (I'd have to order online since they don't carry them that big in the stores!) She has very recently become a bit of a Linus, carrying her sleepsack around the house with her, and I'm always stressing that she'll trip on it.
Laine's doctor stats for 18 months: 33 inches- which I think is a slight underestimation, and 25 pounds 5 ounces.
Always up for a "wing!" Wheeee! 
With our neighbor girl Amy. 
Laine was obsessed with the Easter Bunny. I was shocked, as he was a little creepy--his face was sort of smashed in. Who would have thought, when she was so freaked out over Santa?! I think she would have followed this bunny anywhere; in fact, she did. I think we said "hello" to him four or five times!
Hair blowing in the breeze.
Following Daddy's directions: "Hunt fast and hard, Laine!"
"Whew! Stickers! I don't like chocolate!"
