21 Months... almost.

Your three favorite friends for bedtime... blankie, bear, and doggy.

Addison,

I haven't written you a letter in a while now - you keep me too busy running around to sit down and write out a real, coherent thought. You are almost 21 months... at the end of this summer, you'll be two. I can't wrap my mind around how fast life has gone by since you arrived. Every time I turn around, you've grown or learned something new. Tonight you didn't want to go to sleep. I was holding you, and baby bear, and your 'juice' [which, by the way is really water, but I don't have the heart to tell you] and you were crying. I asked you if you wanted to go 'night-night' and you shook your head 'no'. So we sat down in the rocker and cuddled for a little bit and you were hanging on to bear and playing with my hair. While we sat there, I thought about all of the things you are able to do now that amaze me.

You run, and climb [on everything], you try to carry five things at once, you dance, and talk, and love to splash in the bath. You hate having your teeth brushed and the only veggies I can get you to eat are still baby food. You are obsessed with cheese, 'juice', and shoes - although you refuse to wear them. You have 12 teeth (and I think one on the way... but we'll see) and the curliest hair ever - perfect little ringlets all over. Recently, you have developed the strange habit of picking your nose and offering your boogs to whoever is close by. It's gross, but cute at the same time... silly girl. You have pooped in the potty twice so far and peed once and I'm excited to start potty training for real once I'm home with you this summer. I think you're excited too... because if your diaper gets too wet at night, you strip off your jammies, take off your diaper [throw it across the room], and sleep naked... often resulting in a wet bed and cold baby. You do have a mind of your own and it's landed you in time-out twice so far... once for throwing a cup at me and once for smacking me in the forehead. You REALLY don't like time-outs or getting in trouble... but you are also a little drama queen and like to play up the tears and quivering lips. I won't tell you now, but it's so hard not to give in and let you have your way. Those big, blue eyes of yours go right to your momma's heart...

It amazes me every day that something so beautiful and perfect is a part of my life - I love you so much. Never forget that. I love you peanut, more than life.

~ Mommy

Your Words:
more, juice, cheese, please, shoes, out, up, mommy [you call EVERYBODY that], potty, poo, no-no [finger wagging included], owl, light, night-night, lyla [Skyla], kitty, nose, mine, dog, outside, go, thank you, coat, bye-bye, Abby, bear, baby, ear, boots...

Your Favorite Things To Do:
take off your shoes, dance, play in your princess castle, play with rocks, go for walks, chase Skyla, climb, tub time, taking your ear plugs out, go down slides, unpack Grandma and Grandpa Tweedy's cupboards, go grocery shopping

Your Favorite Foods:
cheese, strawberry milk, pretzels, yogurt bites, chicken nuggets with ketchup, fish sticks with tarter sauce, nutra-grain bars [strawberry], noodles... all noodles, M&M's [when you go potty]

Your Favorite Things:
baby bear, blankie, doggy, Skyla, mommy's cell phone, mommy's laptop

Your Least Favorite Things:
carseats, diaper changes, earplugs, swings, shoes on your feet

Mommy's Favorite Moments:
pulling up at daycare and seeing you squeal and smile at me, any time I get hugs and kisses, watching you sleep, seeing you play with daddy, playing under the covers with you, dancing with you

Daddy's Favorite Moments:
tossing you on the bed and hearing you laugh, teaching you new words, playing in your castle with you, snuggles before bedtime