Love Letter, Month 16

I can't believe how big you've gotten, how beautiful you are or how smart you've become! It seems that every month you get more personality exponentially, and I'm completely pleased with the sweet, sensitive girl you're becoming. You also definatly have an attitude. Of course I wouldn't have it any other way.There is quite a long list of words you say that I can understand. Possibly your most recently acquired word is actually a name, "Isaac," which when you say it sounds more like "Isee." You love your cousin so much you call out for him sometimes when you first wake up, and you've changed Mr. Quackers name to Isaac as well. You say his name so sweetly, in a high pitched, excited voice when he's actually around, and while we were in Veags you entertained all of us by kissing him over and over, holding both sides of his face so that you could kiss him right on the mouth. Other words you proudly say are the substitutes for "Grandma," "Butterfly," "Keys!" - which you always call for anytime we're walking out the door - and a recent favorite, "Thank you" which is actually more "Dank Doo." Even when you don't know how to say it, you are a master at getting your point across with different sounds and facial expressions. One night in Vegas we went to a Japanese restaurant that was a lot like Tapenyaki, and as the chef did our show you would coo, squeal and clap. For me, it was as entertaining to watch you as it was to watch him.At 16 months you've decided that you're a big girl and would like to be treated that way. You will scream and kick if we put you in a highchair in a restaruant, but then are easilly appeased if we put you in a chair with a booster seat. The one thing that you haven't moved on from is your bottle, which you still love and call for. We've tried to switch you to a sippy cup but haven't yet, mostly because your will is stronger than ours. I think we'll need to get our resolve up soon, but you're enjoying it in the meantime.

One of my favorite ways to pass time is to watch you dance. You LOVE to dance and you've definatly got some signature Kami dance moves. One is the "No Handed Headstand," in which you keep your legs straight, put your head on the ground and lift your hands up. This move is saved for only the most elite of occasions. Also, a move I think only you can really pull off, the squat. Essentially, you squat down and hold it. You don't move to the music at all, you let the squat do the talking. That's a favorite among your fans. You do a lot of arm work, sometimes spinnging your hands around each other, and you really get into hip movements, sometimes popping a hip an holding it, just waiting for the music to start. (This picture doesn't quite do it justice, but this is during some of your hip-shaking dancing.)

Isaac still has double the teeth you have. You've spent the last month growing your other top tooth so you're mouth is more even again. You love to bite on things and sometimes us, without the intention of actually hurting us. You're still working on mastering the art of eating, you swallow a much bigger percentage of your food with one catch: If we're giving you something you think tastes really good, you keep asking for more, holding it all in your mouth until your mouth is too full and you spit everything out. Your favorite foods right now are still pasta and you love funeral potatoes, but since you're a big girl you prefer to have your own food with your own utensils to eat in, and when you're done if there's any left over you're a big fan of dumping said food all over the table or highchair and smearing it around with your hands. That old trick never gets old. You love cats. Also, to my despair, you love dogs and will make a barking sound anytime you see or hear one. At Grandma's house you love to be close to the cats, sometimes touching them but mostly just following them around saying "Hi Kitty!" You squeal anytime you see one, and upon hearing the squeal all of the other cats run outside or under the bed. Nothing deters you're love for animals, though, and I bet that will stay with you as you get older.

You're such a sweet girl. You love your family and you're always giving kisses, sometimes going around a group several times before wanting to stop. You hum the "M" sound, that's the cue that you want a kiss, and sometimes when I bring you into bed with me you wake me up by kissing me and stoking my hair and face. I hope someday you know just how incredible it is to be woken up that way by your son or daughter, because words can't even describe how amazing it feels. You light everything up for me. You're still constantly teaching me, but as I watch you get older and learn more, I can't help but just be more proud of you.