Dear 18 Month Old Baby W,

Dear 18 Month Old Baby W,

 

3,042 diapers

6,005 bottles

700 baths

156 bananas

50 gallons of apple juice

0 full night's sleep

92 temper tantrums

4 trips to Urgent Care

100,000 kisses

and unlimited love

 

That's how we've spent the past amazing 18 months.

 

I watched you grow from my precious little baby,

 

 

into my sweet little boy.

 

 

You like to do big boy things now.

And like all big boys do, you have a mind of your own.

 

Case in point:

 

You despise shoes--especially shoes with laces.

The one and only pair of shoes you allow me to put on you, are your ridiculous Crocs {the shoes I swore I would never let you wear when I was making plans to have the most fashionable baby alive}.

 

You don't like food--unless its covered in sugar or whipped cream.

I remember one special moment a few weeks ago...it was a small miracle when you ate every bite of your dinner, and I literally cried tears of joy.

 

In fact, I cry at all your "little moments". The other day I walked in on you doing a puzzle all by yourself--correctly! And I shed the first of many proud Momma tears.

 

You still have Donald Trump comb over hair, but I think you are adorable and handsome anyway *wink*

 

As it turns out you're a bit of a tickler. And while Mommy thinks its adorable when you try to tickle her neck while we cuddle on the couch, it may have come as a surprise to the unsuspecting little girl at the mall play place.

 

And yes, I have finally caved in and allowed you to play in the mall play place {aka swine flu breeding grounds}. Although, only under the condition that you allow me to disinfect your hands every 10 minutes {sorry your Momma is so OCD}. I'm sure your future brother or sister will actually lick the slide and I won't be fazed.

 

You have selective hearing. For example, "get out of the fireplace" means nothing to you, but "let's go get some frozen yogurt" has you at the door ready to buckle yourself into the car seat.

 

You still drink a bottle...a lot. You even wake up in the middle of the night to have one, which worries me about your teeth.

 

I worry a lot.

 

 But I am doing the best I can, and we even brush your "tee" {as you call them} a couple times a day.

 

You have a remarkable sense of balance--as is evident when use the back of the couch as a balance beam, or climb onto the kitchen table, or shimmy UP the big slide at the park. It would be safe to say that you make my heart stop about 15 times a day--and not in a good way.

 

You get a lot of boogies--and your Daddy is obsessed with getting every. single. one. of them. Even if this means grabbing a flashlight and a bulb sucker in the middle of the night to extract them.

 

You still sleep in bed with Mommy and Daddy. I would tell you to be sure you never bring your future kiddos in bed with you when you're a Daddy if you want to have a good night's rest, but that would make me a hypocrite--since some of my favorite Momma moments are when you nuzzle up against my cheek at 3 in the morning {but seriously, don't bring them in bed with you}.

 

Sometimes when we go to the park, I just take a step back and I watch you...like really get a good look at you...try to get into that little head of yours and see the world through your eyes. And in these moments, I admire your fascination with the all the little things this world has to offer--all the things in this world that you are witnessing for the first time. And then it's like I am seeing the world for the first time all over again.

 

 

I get giddy when I see your wheels begin to turn as you learn something new. And you are always so eager to learn to learn new things, so long as it's not Momma trying to force you to learn them.

 

You do things in your own way and in your own time, and I am learning to be okay with this.

In 18 short months, you have changed my world,

and I am so proud of the little boy you are becoming!

"I love you through and through",

Mommy

 

p.s. Baby W is rooting for you to WIN the Silhouette we are giving away!

 

*honk*honk*