Letters to Lyla and Lottie: 15 months

Sunday, February 13, 2011

15 months

Posted by Todd & Chelsea at 2:47 PM

Dear Lyla Jane,

Can you believe you've mastered 15 whole months of life on this crazy earth? I certainly can't. But you know me...I want to keep you my baby forever. You remind me daily that you are in NO way a baby anymore. You are an incredibly independent thinker. Since I blubber on every month about how you and how much I love you, I thought a nice change might be to hear what it's like to be the mom to you. Your sister will be here in just a few months. Of all the fears a mom has, my biggest is how it will impact you. I am full of guilt. I never want you to feel a minute of pain. Not a minute. So to think that something I'm doing is going to hurt you about ends me dear. I know logically in the long run this sister will be the best gift I can give you. I know that babe. In the mean time, I hope you know you are of the utmost importance to me. You are not being replaced. You own a part of my heart that can be taken by no one. Good thing my heart is big and continues to grow huh? I worry about all the standard mommy things in addition to the new addition. The biggest concerns on my mind daily are about your emotional well being. It's not enough for you to be healthy physically. I want you to know your world is good. I want you to think your parents are stable and a safe haven for you. I want you to know you can do ANYTHING! I want you to love without shame and discover life with passion. ...these are but a few of the things I want for you. But for now, just know we love you with everything. You fulfil every life treasure for us.

Other lovable things...

`You use a spoon

`You love our girl time. Each week we go to the library and then get a baby coke and momma coke at Brads on the way home.

`I tied your shoes for the first time this month! Little things like that melt my heart and remind me I'm really your mom

`You love to dance! Your new move is to spin in circle after circle until you get so dizzy you fall down.

`You are SUCH a copycat. You do anything you see whether it be coughing or scratching. It comes in handy when your with Addy because you'll eat anything she does!

`You are a pretty picky eater. I feel like there's no reason to what you do and do not like but it results in a lot of wasted food. I should just stick to what I know you like

`You suck the toppings off pizza and toast but don't eat the actual bread

`You are starting to say the start of many words

`You are such a diva sleeper. You still sleep a solid 10 hours a night (Thank you!) but falling asleep still requires mom. If I roll over before you fall asleep you FREAK! You want to lay on my arm and rub my chest to fall asleep. If I don't, you cry and pull on my face. It's a BAD habit I don't want to break :)

`Signing time is still a fav and you bring the remote to us all hours of the day to turn it on. I haven't really shown you other shows besides that and Baby Einstein. Guess I should..

`You're getting much more sophisticated in your problem solving abilities. For example, you figured out to break a candy cane in half in order to get the plastic part off. Very clever

`You sign "water" to get out of going to bed at night

`You do this weird thing with your tongue now where you move it side to side and make a funny noise

`You hate socks so much that now you take mine off for me and get ticked when I put them back on.

`I think I mentioned you think for yourself? Well one day I told you to put your sock back on and you picked it up, ran to the hall closet, chucked it in there, and slammed the door. That is you babe. Stubborn

`No new teeth this month (8 still) but I think there's some canines on the way

`You still like snuggling in a blanket for a minute or two each day which I love

`You are so sweet to your baby dolls. You will kiss, hug them and pat their backs. Hope you feel this way about your sister!

` You are now addicted to reading books. I brought it on myself but man I swear I read the same 3 books 50 times a day. You plop right in my lap and open the book. It's so cute. Commotion in Ocean is a big fav

`You still sign very well and use it as your main source of communication. Common signs are more, eat, milk and water

`You love Disney Radio on Pandora and will totally shake your booty when I turn it on.

`I think you have Beiber Fever! You smile, dance and point when he comes on the TV.

`You're still a big fan of emptying things. You usually get the laundry basket emptied before I even know it.

`You give real kisses now with your lips puckered. Oh how I love them

`I love waking to your little smile each morning. You're so happy in the morning!

`holy moly you love Mardigrade beads. You would wear 100 a day and sleep with them if I'd let you.

`You love being moms little helper. Now, when you hear the water from the washer run. you start whining because you feel entitled to sitting on the dryer and helping toss the clothes in. I love it..minus when you threw your play phone in.

`You try to snap your fingers and kinda flap them around when dancing. Its killer.

`You brush your hair now when you see me doing it. If only you had a little more to actually brush

`You let us know when you don't want something! Holy Cow.

`You get jealous when I hold Addy and fight your way to my lap. That's a prob for sure.

`You have meanness in your for sure. You have been known to hit little ones if you want something and they won't give it to you. Eek. You also bite me but it's only been when teething so I hope...

`You will whisper when we do :)

`You're obsessed with my moles and try to peel them off. It drives me crazy!

`You say Maaaa when you're sad or want something and it completely melts my heart

`You do the roll part of paddy cake now and it's so freaking cute.

`You discovered Finding Nemo and loved it (for like 10 minutes)!

`You loved unwrapping presents so much at Christmas that sometimes I just wrap them for you to unwrap.

`You know when you look cute! I'll say it and you make this silly face and kinda strut your stuff. Killer!

`You thoroughly enjoy dipping your food in whatever mom and dad do..like ketchup or ranch.

`You have a surprised face that is to die for! You'll make an O with your lips.

Food

Pizza

Mac N Cheese