A Long, Long Time Ago....

I don't know where time goes. Our days are not particularly exciting, I don't suppose. They slide in and out, naps and diaper changes and breakfasts and lunches and suppers all just drift by, and one day isn't usually that different from another. You, however, are a weensy bit different each day - napping less or more, trying a new food, dabbling with a new word, preferring a different book, shifting toward something else ever so slightly but ever so steadily.

Some recent highlights:

You're standing! A few weeks ago, I went to get you after your nap, and there you were, standing up and grinning from ear to ear! This morning, your pacifier is laying on the windowsill, so at some point in the night, you've apparently been looking out and left it there.

You now know where your nose, ears, and eyes are. You also know where mine are, which means I now often have a small finger pressing on my nose the entire time you're nursing.

You can tell whether or not a book is right side up and will flip it around the right way to thumb through it.

Your favorite thing ever is pulling all the books off the bottom shelves, making a big pile around you, and looking through them.

You also love baths and in the middle of a bath suddenly lean forward and dunk your face in the water.

You have impressive little fits of temper where you kick both legs in a little jackhammer motion that's actually pretty fun. And today when I told you no about something, your face fell and your shoulders slumped in such a funny, pathetic way that I had to hide my smile.

You pay great attention to crumbs and very carefully hand them all back to me or put them on the next spoon passing through. If I try to give you something you've already rejected, you'll often take it back and then very slowly and deliberately put it in my palm, close my hand around it and shake your head gravely.

You will sit still through at least a dozen books, pointing out all the cats and ducks as we read, leaning back and lounging in comfort.

You are such a sweet, happy, contented little person and we just love living with you. Your daddy and I stand outside your window in the hallway at night and just look and look and look at you. I don't think a night has passed in the last fifteen months where one of us hasn't said to the other, "Isn't she just beautiful? Isn't she just the best thing ever?" So, you see, I've not written much lately, but it's just because we've been awfully busy loving you....