To My 18 month Big Girl

Hi Sweetie

I never could have imagined how one so small could completely dominate our every day haha! Ohhhh but you are spunky! Sassy and sweet and just full of life and curiosity. Lately you have been extremely into drawing. You want to draw all the time and so far, you have only drawn on paper. If I put the pen in your right hand, however, you immediately switch it to your left. Same with your eating utensils or the hair brush. We'll see if this trend continues but for right now you have stopped switching back and forth and are 100% left-handed!

You are still like many other children your age and are into music. You are like your Daddy, though, and totally take it to another level. Like last night when he started beatboxing and you started dancing and making similar sounds, dancing to the rhythm. It was adorable, absolutely so so adorable. A few days ago we were getting ready to walk out the door to go to Jennifer's house for day care so I could go to work when suddenly we hear music. Well, Daddy was back in the bedroom and had started watching a music video. You were drawn to it like I've never seen. I kept saying, sweetie, we really need to go or we will be late and I would pick you up to go. Then I'd put you down for a second to grab my bag or put on my shoes and you'd slip away, run back to Dad and the music, completely glued. This happened 3 times before I had to say, okay, let's watch that when we get home but right now we really need to go! You couldn't stay away from that beat I love it :)

Today was Sunday and I was very excited for you since you are old enough to go to nursery now. But you had a cold and were kind of being unreasonable so we had to stay home while Daddy went alone. How were you unreasonable? Well, for example, you brought me the lotion bottle and stuck it in your mouth. Not taking it away or anything I said, oh Mia, that's lotion. It's not food. That's all it took haha! You were on the floor, sobbing at my feet, with me baffled as can be. These actions and reactions are really not the norm but I thought it was kinda funny. Poor sweet baby you just don't feel well today. I'm looking forward to next week though when you are feeling better and get to go to nursery and play. You are ready and have been for awhile now. I don't think you'll have any trouble transitioning and I'm excited for this change for you. Next week!

I would definitely say one of the things that have been most fun about this stage is when we come home from day care/work and we play in the evenings. You are starting to catch onto games really fast. We are teaching you hide and go seek and I don't think either of us have every laughed so hard in our lives. It's a hoot. I'll chase you to one side of the house then run back to the opposite side, making sure around each corner you see exactly where I'm going. Then I'll hide behind a door and wait for you to find me. Haha oh Mia. So I'm in the bathroom, behind the door. I can see you in the reflection of the mirror when you walk in, and you know I'm in there because I let you see me walk in. You have this huge grin because you've caught me! But wait, where am I? You don't see me and get a confused look. Maybe 5 seconds go by and you get this wicked huge grin, giggle- actually laugh out loud!- screech, and run back to where we started, so sure I must have slipped past you and returned! Hahaha ohhhhhh I love it! Sometimes you remember I have hid behind the door in the past, and sometimes you forget. But I always hide where I can see you and watch your expression...your thoughts eloquently play across your sweet face. One time you got frightened and then I was able to pop out and show you right where I was but other than that one time you always know it's a game and think it's terrific fun. I can't wait to introduce more games as you get older!

For all the times you show us your...ahem, energetic... side, you have been showing us your sweetness just as much. It's incredibly tender when I'll be cooking or doing whatever and you'll just come up to me and give me a huge hug. Or do your "mmmmmm" sound which means, I want to give you a kiss! When Daddy puts you up on his shoulders you will rub his head softly and are really soft- especially when you stick your wet fingers in his ears (lol that was last night at Costco)! You are maturing emotionally and have been in-tune with what's going on with Dad and I a lot more. If I stub my toe or hit my elbow I have to be careful not to overreact because you get nervous and want to be held and reassured everything's okay. Which is kind of hard to do when my knee-jerk reaction is to cry out in pain!

As far as eating goes, you are still a champ. You surprised us yesterday, though, and gobbled up Daddy's spicy ginger candy we brought back from Maui. Maybe you couldn't taste it well due to your cold? I'm not sure but you are a good eater. You have especially been into broccoli lately but pretty much whatever we are eating is what you want. You are wanting to use utensils and have picked it up faster than I had anticipated. It's fascinating to me, watching you learn. You rarely get frustrated, so that's a huge blessing.

But I can remember one instance recently where you did kinda lose it. It still makes me laugh...so I was in the kitchen cooking and you had been playing with your baby stroller. It has a buckle and before long you were able to snap the two pieces together. (To date, you haven't gotten it undone but I think you're really close.) Anyway, you were in the living room and had been asking me every couple of minutes to come undo the buckle for you as soon as you had it together. Over and over I was going back and forth until finally I had too many pots on the stove and I needed to give the food five minutes of attention or we were going to be going out for pizza due to burnt food. Well I hear you asking for me and I say, bring the stroller here hunny and I'll undo the buckle for you. Then I hear you start to fuss and I'm like, it's okay, I'm right here around the corner, just come in here and I'll help you. More whining and now some kind of dragging sound? I keep encouraging you to come to me and I keep hearing you cry, frustrated, and a weird sound. Finally I can break away for a second and turn the corner to find you.... oh sweetie. You had buckled yourself to the stroller and were dragging it trying to get to me haha. It was so sad and so funny at the same time. We had a mini lesson on the fact that it is a baby stroller and not for big girls and that was the last time you've done that!

I feel like you're starting to go through the first steps towards gaining a testimony of Christ all on your own. You fold your arms at prayer and remind us it's time for prayer as we are prepping a meal or getting ready for bedtime. It's so sweet. When I say, sit down, it's time for scriptures, you are immediately obedient and sit right down. Sometimes it's hard for you to make it through the verse and I realize it must be kind of boring in a way so I have to wonder, what makes you sit down each time? Are you just following directions? I think it's something more. I believe you are feeling the spirit and enjoy that time we have to sit and read and pray together as a family. As we teach you more about Jesus Christ and the atonement and the gospel I am eager to watch you soak it all up, building that essential testimony.

Sweet girl, you astound us with your smarts and your humor and your love. We are better people and our lives are bright because of you. I love you so much.

oxoxox
Mommy