18 Months

Dear Sweet, Baby Girl,

18 months ago today we were cuddled up in a twin-sized bed with Daddy.  You were in my arms, snoozing away, and Daddy and I were watching an episode of The X-Files on my cell phone.  Full from my Wendy's fried chicken sandwich combo with a real Coke, I fell asleep and snoozed on Daddy's shoulder.  It was a lovely rainy afternoon, just the three of us.  

Since then, you have grown into such an independent, intelligent, CURIOUS, sensitive, charming, impish, sweet, whirlwind of activity punctuated by naps.  You have figured out how to open the back door, but fortunately you can't do it if the deadbolt is locked.  This is very frustrating for you.  Though you don't actually speak much, you have your own language that only I can understand.  "Da!" is either Daddy or goodbye, and you blow kisses like an American Indian gives a war cry.  You wave goodbye to everybody, but your favorite time of day is when Daddy comes home.  You grab my index finger and lead me, running, to the front door.  I have to hold you and Dante back until he has the vehicle parked.  Then you run out to greet him, and he gives you his coffee thermos to carry inside for him, which you do with glee.

 We have bought an annual membership to the MS Children's Museum, and right now your favorite exhibit is the Storytime one, in which you can explore some of your favorite books like Peter Rabbit and Clifford.  We still go to the pool, but lately you like playing around the concrete apron more than jumping in.  That might be because it's so hot lately the pool feels more like bathwater.  We took you on your first boat outing up the Pearl River a couple of months ago, and though you adored the wind in your hair, you weren't so fond of the life jacket or the sand.  You have never met a shoe you didn't like, and now you're actually walking around in Mommy's high heels.

 You have become a big helper, putting toys away, organizing and straightening, and generally trying to keep things tidy.  Yesterday we opened the mail in the living room floor.  You dumped your blocks out and put the empty envelopes & junk mail into the block box, which was lovely - I just dumped that into the recycle bin.  You like to lead and be led places, and it charms my heart when you grab my index finger to take me where you want to go.  The other day you wanted me to play with you on my cell phone, so you took my finger and touched it to the screen.  Several times a day you come to me with a book in hand, and we usually stop whatever we're doing to take time for a story.

 You still adore electronics, and you regularly find yourself in hot water for messing with things you know you shouldn't, like cell phones, remote controls, cable boxes, and most recently the noise machine in your bedroom.  I've tried to fulfill that urge of yours with electronic toys that you can't mess up, and you generally seem to enjoy that.  Your favorite foods are still corn on the cob, raisins, English peas, broccoli, cauliflower, and anything cheese - cheese nips, cheezy poofs, macaroni & cheese, string cheese.  If you see the cheezy poofs bag, you simply MUST have some, reaching out endearingly toward it and saying "ees?"

Dante delights in playing tug-o-war with you with his favorite toy Foxer.  He'll bring Foxer to you, and you'll pull and pull, and sometimes he'll let you go, resulting in your falling on your well-diaper-padded booty.  This makes you howl with glee and giggles.  You are most ticklish behind your thighs (which aren't so chunky at all anymore and have lost their rolls, only to gain a tan), and sometimes you tickle Mommy back. You make every day bright and happy, and though it's hard to believe, we love you more and more.