Dear Shenzie and Heaten,

Wow! Another month gone, gone, gone. You are now 16 months old and of course I’m loving it!! Well, minus the teething and cootie sickies and the sleep issues, and the screaming and crying….other than that I totally love it! This letter is way over due, about two weeks to be exact, and my excuse is you. This whole one nap thing is really, really not good. I would LOVE it if you would either a) take two naps or b) be happy with one nap. The one nap monster has paid me a visit every single day for two weeks now and I don’t want to be friends with your monster anymore.

It seems like everyday brings about something new. New words, new sounds, and new understanding of things. Watching you learn new things and experience new things is so wonderful and amazing. I am so very glad I get to spend each day with you watching you take in the world. By far the best moment of the month were those few times you both held hands while Dada and I rocked and sang to you before bed. It was so sweet. I love that you are now playing together more and make each other laugh. The best times are when you’re having alone playtime and I peek out to find you both laughing like crazy at each other. Those moments melt my heart. I hope you’ll always be best friends and love each other.

Shenzie,

Little mini me. You are so very funny and smart. Let me revise that…you are so funny and smart when we are home. When we are out or when we have company you will clam up in your shell and turn shy. The minute our company leaves or we get home out comes the funny little girl who makes me laugh. You are such a tease. I’ll ask you to bring me something and you’ll walk over with your hand out and then do a quick turn right before you get to me and run away. It cracks me up every time. You love peek a boo, hiding under things and behind things.

You are learning new words and signs. You communicate with me through sign when you’re hungry, thirsty, or you want more. Today you even did the sign for diaper when I told you that you were stinky. It was so cute. You are very good with any ‘B’ word. Ball, book, bear, bye bye, and brrr. Strangely enough you also know the word cracker. Anytime I ask if you want a snack you say cracker. I guess I need to be more diverse with snacks.

You walk so good. You actually almost run sometimes. You’re very fast and always on the go. You are constantly in motion. You have a very deliberate walk. You walk with such purpose, stomping around with determination. It is hard to describe, but very cute. Your new thing is sitting against walls or in corners and hitting your head against the wall. Strange indeed.

You have stopped being such a bully to Heaten. Maybe because he can get away from you now, or maybe because he fights back. Instead of fighting you now play. You laugh at each other and “get” each other. You remind me a lot of your cousin Alexee. She always tattles on herself when she does something bad. Unlike Heaten who will get into everything and anything, when you find something you shouldn’t have you bring it to me. Paper on the floor, here mommy. Old food on the floor, here mommy. You love to give me things. Well, you love to give anybody things. In the store the other day you tried to give some random lady your toy. You even tried to give Rachel Ray on the tv your toy. It was so funny!!

You are really into scents. You sniff everything and love when I put yummy smelling lotion on your hands….you sniff and sniff away. You also love to smell my breath. Your favorites are after I’ve used mouthwash, chewed a piece of minty gum, or had a drink of coffee. You LOVE the smell of coffee. Probably because it has so much creamer it smells like candy.

You are such a fun, funny, crazy, sweet, loving, little girl. I love every little crazy thing about you. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect daughter.

Love,
Mama.

Dear Heaten,

Where, oh where to begin. You are so adorable it is crazy! You have been so wonderful this month. So happy and content. You are by far the more mellow baby. Your favorite thing to do is to sit on Dada’s lap and pinch his arm. Your new thing is pulling arm hairs, pinching arm skin, and of course grabbing my hair or Dada’s GIANT beard.

My little boy. That is exactly what you are, such a little boy. You love to throw rocks, pick up twigs and leaves, stomp in water puddles…all things little boys love. You have found a great love for the outdoors. A couple of months ago when you first started walking you were scared of the big bad world. Now you want to take the big bad world by its horns and toot them!!! You love to play outside. The minute I put your shoes on you go running for the door. When Dada leaves in the morning and you see the open door you think you are going outside to play and then cry when you realize we aren’t going outside. You cry when we have to come back in the house. Hopefully this summer won’t be too brutal so you can play outside all day. Yippee for Mama!

You love to walk backward, push things around, chase after birds, and go for walks. You are so independent these days. You play alone or with your sister and don’t need me to constantly hold you anymore. I still get lots of love and cuddles from you though. Unlike your sister who only wants me to hold her when SHE wants it, you let me hold you anytime I want.

You love to look out the window. You get so excited when people walk by, you squeal and bang the window. You can reach the window from your crib so now instead of napping you look out the window and play. You also love to open and close doors. You lock yourself in the laundry room daily and then cry because you can’t get out. You think it is pretty funny when you trap Shenzie in the closet and make her cry.

You still do not like to sign and haven’t yet mastered any new words, but trust me little man, you make your wishes known. Your favorite word to babble non stop all day is Dada. You love to whisper so you’ll whisper dadadadadadadada over and over.

I love to play with you. When I stomp around to “get” you your whole face lights up as you turn around and waddle away as quickly as you can. You then tumble to the floor and are giggling before I even get to you. You are very ticklish on your neck and belly and recently I’ve discovered your feet too! Oh the fun we will have with tickles.

You are my perfect little son, who I love more than anything else in the whole world (of course that includes your sister and Dada).

I love you.
Love,
Mama