19 Months!

Miss Amelia,

Hi Darling. My goodness you have changed a lot in the past 4 weeks. It never ceases to amaze me at how much can happen in-between these letters. You are in a huge growth spurt right now as well. Suddenly your pants are a little shorter and we had to go up a shoe size. You got several pairs of new shoes, to your great delight! We are going to the doctor in a week for your check up and I'm interested to see where you are on the charts. I think you are getting so tall!

A week ago I went to get you up in the morning after I heard you talking to yourself. I was walking towards your door and realized your white noise sound machine was absolutely blaring- much louder than I had set it at the night before. Confused, I open the door to find you out of your bed and sifting through your books in the pitch black. Out of your bed?! Your rocking chair was close to your bed because I had sat in it that night stroking your hair, singing to you, trying to help you fall asleep. I said a silent prayer of thanks that you didn't hit the chair and get hurt as you hurled yourself over the side. You haven't escaped again since that time but it really has us thinking about what we need to do about your bed. You are growing out of your pack and play (you're tall and since you love to stretch out, it's beginning to be a problem) but I feel strongly you aren't quite ready for a toddler bed. So we're still trying to decide on that and in the meantime I say an extra prayer at night that you'll be safe and stay in bed!!!

It was easy for us to tell you were in a growth spurt once you started eating double the amount for dinner and wanting triple the snacks haha. I don't know where it goes! Seriously! You are always hungry these days, it seems. The other night you were so cute though. I had given you some peas (still an all-time favorite!) and you had one and were rolling it between your thumb and finger looking at it really close...rolling rolling rolling it. I'm watching you, curious what you're thinking about, when suddenly you look up and exclaim, Ball! Ball, Mama!!! Haha oh sweet girl. So smart! You've been doing a lot of things like that lately. Your understanding of what is going on around you is increasing tremendously. Dad and I try to speak in code but you still usually can figure out what's going on. Your communication has always been excellent and lately it is even more so. If I am not understanding what you want, you will literally take my hand and put my hand on what you want. Or you'll point and make your cute little sounds indicating yes or no or give me that chocolate now! Haha. You have especially been enjoying soup lately- you LOVE to drink the broth. We've had a few catastrophe's but well I guess that's why we have floors that wipe up easily!

Separation anxiety has never been a huge part of our lives, thank goodness. Lately, however, you have gotten much more aware of where Dad and I are and you want to be with us. Once you get comfortable, you will play and have a blast, but until then, if we are someplace new, you want nothing more than to be in my arms, face buried into my neck. You are like that now...maybe it's a toddler thing I don't really know...but sometimes you want to be held, and there's nothing else you want, and other times, all you want is down and if I even ask if you want me to hold you, it's a drama. So, we're working on telling Mama if you want up or down :)

Your Spanish is improving. It's been fun to hear you answer, si (yes), to our questions. "Yes" is not a word you have been able, or decided to, say yet but si is much easier apparently. You also say "abuela" since your babysitter, Jennifer, has her Mom Marta living with her so all the kids call her abuela, or Grandma. We think it's really cute! You still say agua (water) and I think they are working on some other words. You understand a TON it's just a matter of getting you to sound out the letters.

Mia, you are such a joy right now. I have loved every single one of your stages. At each point I have thought, oh this one is my favorite! and it's true of right now as well. You love to laugh, be tickled, play games, dance, babble baby talk (our personal favorite probably because we know it won't last forever), wash your hands, climb all day long, read books, draw, play hide and go seek, run, and play with shoes. You are 100% a lefty- that's not going to change we don't think. The other day I gave you some scrambled eggs and you refused to eat them. I knew you were hungry so I couldn't figure out the issue. Well, you wanted a spoon to eat them with- not your hands. As soon as I gave it to you, you were happy as can be and merrily gobbled them up. You're so funny like that...so much opinion out of one so small. We wouldn't have you any other way, though, not one bit different.

I think I am feeling how I always feel with these letters. I can't believe another month has come and gone. I wish I could bottle you up and keep you just as you are forever and yet I see your potential and I can hardly contain my excitement. You are going to do amazing things and be an incredible woman, Amelia, sweetheart. I know it's true because you already are just that! Remember to trust in Heavenly Father and talk with Him often. He loves you and so do we.

Oxoxoxoxoxox
Forever and Ever,
Mommy