16-Months-Old!

Hey Princess,

You have once again grown when I wasn't looking. I have a feeling you won't stop doing that. 

While at the doctor, Aaron fell and hurt his lip so you both got otter-pops :)

Today you are 16-months-old! At the beginning of this month we went in for your 15 month appointment. A little late, but we still got there :) Boy did you grow! You are now 30" tall and 21 lbs, 3 oz! I think you are all leg though ... your dresses are short on you but everything upper body is 6-9 month size still! You've managed to get to the 40th percentile for height and 20th for weight. Tall and thin and gorgeous! 

Your eyes show hints of green now, you're developing a full head of blond hair, and you neeeeeeeeever stop talking! You looooove to imitate us and try to communicate. The "words" you say are

• Mama
• Dada
• Ah-n (Aaron)
• Nana (banana - your FAVORITE food!)
• I-la-ooo (this usually follows you planting a kiss on one of us)
• I did it! (this is very mashed together and always in a high squeaky voice)
• Nuh-nye
• Kisses
• Lalalalala (you love to sing while banging a drum or dancing and clapping!)
• Ball
• Book
• Shhhhhh
• Ghen-go (Again, Go!)
• Shoe
• Lellow, Boo (Yellow, Blue - not that you know what these are but you repeat them very well!)
• Down
• Doggy (and you say woof woof)
• This
• Dendle (Gentle)
• No
• Mine
• Uh-oh (you love to say this one so much you often drop my phone on purpose to say it)
• Tank-oo (Thank you - adorable)
• Pease (Please ... though you're not fond of saying this one)
• More (the reason, we think, you don't say please ... you've already said one word, why need 2?)
• Cheese
• Yeah
• Oh Yeah
• Hi There
• Hey You

You are adorable in every way and show affection how you think it should be shown. You insist on following me into the bathroom and when I sit down on the toilet, you make a point to come around to my right side (always) and plant a kiss on my hip. Thanks, I think. Lucky for me, when you kiss Mama and Aaron you do it with your lips together - when you kiss Daddy, your mouth is usually open and your tongue plants a wet mark on his face. Haha, please keep doing this. I love it! Also in the bathroom, you love when there are baskets of clean laundry. You entertain me while I do my business by digging through the clothes and handing me all of your brother's underwear. That's the only thing you ever hand me. I throw it back in the basket and you dig for it again.

Another way you show affection is by blowing kisses at every one every chance you get! Doesn't matter who they are. I'm sure you have made the day of many people who were blessed to meet you!

You will literally do anything for a smile. You'll pretend to tickle us, you'll fake laugh until we laugh, you'll grab our faces and give us a cheesy grin till we grin back. It's so fun how big of a priority it is for you to make those around you happy!

You love to roar and growl. You do this when you are excited, if you are being chased, or if you are chasing your brother. It's astounding how loud you can get! You also can squeal, very high and very loud... I often worry for our glassware. 

Stuffed animals and blankets are your favorite - you snuggle them, hug them, and carry them around all day. The softer the better! You love to build with blocks though mostly you prefer Mama or Aaron build and you knock down - which we are totally fine with. You know where your nose, ears, hands and toes/feet are and you love finding them on yourself and on Mama, accompanied by silly noises that I make.

You're obsessed with my phone. You love to put it to your ear and walk around babbling into it. I often wonder who you're pretending to talk to, what you're saying, and what they are saying back! You also love to sing into the phone. You have such a beautiful voice!

If we give you something different than what we are eating you are very upset with us and demand to eat off of our plates ... You're so determined to be grown up. We still have the gates up because you are sooooooo determined to be grown up that you try to walk down the stairs - your legs are still a bit too short for that. Stay little a for a while longer, ok?

You are so easy to please! Often, all I have to do is hand you a graham cracker or fruit snacks and you'll happily go play - you sure love your snacks! You love when I tell you to go find something (a car, your baby, a shoe, etc.) and when you return with it you sit beside me to play with it. You love to chase balls and you clearly let me know what you want by grabbing my hand and bringing me to something, handing me an object, or pulling on your high chair when you're hungry. You communicate very well!

As much as you love playing with your brother, you are also excited when he is occupied elsewhere and you can monopolize his trains! You definitely want to be like him! You guys love to pretend to be kitties together. You also love when he pretends to sleep and you give him a kiss to wake him up. He teaches you how to climb and be creative (though you definitely have your own innate talent and knack for it!). I found you with your leg over the side of the crib last week! Good thing It goes down one more level, I'm not ready to put you in the bunk bed! We have stools strategically placed around the house so you can reach what you want rather than climbing in precarious ways.

We started doing time-outs with you 2 weeks ago and you've started putting yourself in time-out when you do something wrong! You love to organize ("clean up") and you get so excited when I hand you an otter-pop wrapper to go throw in the trash! You definitely put things in odd places though - Daddy cleaned out the vent this week and found Mama's sunglasses that have been missing for months!

You wear your emotions on your sleeves. When Mama and Daddy tell you "no no" your face scrunches up and the tears start flowing. It breaks my heart every time! But when you are happy, the WHOLE WORLD knows it! You giggle and dance and clap and sing. We've started turning on music every morning after breakfast so you and Aaron can dance your hearts out! You've recently discovered how to spin on the spot and you belly laugh each time you fall down from spinning too much!

I love when you blow on your food before you take a bite - just in case. You also blow on Mama's food sometimes. Thanks for protecting me. Aaron taught you a few weeks ago how to "blow raspberries." Your favorite place to do them is in the grocery store. After a futile and pathetic attempt to try and hush you, I usually join in and we happily get grumpy looks from the old ladies who just don't understand our humor. 

You love to be outside roaming as you please (I've had to send Aaron after you numerous times when you escape out the front door and head for the busy street! He's much faster than I am.) but when you can't go out, looking through the window usually satisfies you. We push the ottoman to the window and you gaze out for ages! Your face lights up whenever a squirrel runs across the backyard and you love to point and show me the birds or the leaves that are flying in the wind.

You still share a secret language of tongue twirling and high pitched trills with Daddy that only you two seem to understand. You have Daddy wrapped around your finger and can literally get whatever you want from him. I have a feeling you'll use this to your advantage later in life.

You love to watch shows now. You'll sit and gaze at the television. When we watch shows that teach you numbers and letters you try to repeat what they are saying - you're always so eager to learn! You point and in your own words tell me what's happening on the screen.

Aaron loves to show you off. He tells everyone he can that you are his sister, Audrey. He then tells them to come look at you! He is clearly so proud of your grace, beauty, personality, and raspberry blowing ability. Your Daddy and I are also very proud of the little lady you are becoming. You are so thoughtful. When Aaron or I are sad you come and cheer us up. You'll give Aaron a toy back if he asks nicely and you are always willing to give a hug! You think it is so funny to hug Aaron and then kiss him on the top of his head!

What would we do without you? You came a week late but you are always a step ahead of us.

I love you!

Love,

Mama