19 months!

Punk,

You are 19 months old and growing smarter by the day. I am amazed at everything you are learning and figuring out these days.

You count to 10. You can sing your ABCs, and are starting to recognize some of the letters. You can identify several colors, though will initially say that everything is "red." You can also identify blue, green, orange, purple, black, and white. You can complete a shape sorter, build your stacking boxes, build a 6-cube tower, name a gazillion animals and their sounds, and tell us what you want whenever you want it. You enjoy coloring and being read to.

You are obsessed with Mr. Potato Head. The first thing you ask for in the morning is, "TEE HEAD!" You love to talk about his parts: eyes, nose, mouth, tongue, teeth, feet, shoes, hands, moustache. Yes, moustache. You pull out the potato heads and ask me to get the container of parts. "PARTS! PARTS, MAMA! PARTS, PLEASE!" I even enjoyed the day you stepped on one of the parts and howled, "Ow! Parts." in the saddest little voice ever. Mr. Potato Head is your very best friend, and when he is not around you will often sing the song I made up for you: I love you, Potato Head. Very very very much.

You prefer to use a spoon and fork than your fingers, and can now drink from a regular cup. Sort of. You sit at the "big kids" table at child care (instead of a high chair) and K is ready to move you into a cot on the floor instead of a crib. When did you get so old and independent? The other day you walked up about three steps before crawling up. I was shocked and had no idea you could do this!

During your 18th month, we finally convinced you to get rid of the swaddle at night time, but we were still rocking you. It was getting more and more difficult to rock you to sleep and you were getting SO wound up. So we started asking you if you wanted to go into your crib, and you said, "Yes!" Now we hug for about 3 minutes in the rocking chair, and then I lay you in the crib and say, "Night night." You say, "Bye-bye, Mama," and put yourself to sleep. Who are you and what have you done to my baby?

You have stopped referring to all of the cats as "Tat!" and now refer to each cat by name. You frequently put two (and sometimes three!) words together and make little sentences. You have a current love for one of your Big Bird books and I have to read it to you at least 5 times per day. You have developed a love for certain television shows, mostly "Curious George," "Super Why," and "Sid the Science Kid" on PBS, and you have actually started saying "PBS," which makes me cringe just a little bit. But hey, as long as your language is developing, I'd say you are a-okay.

You still have a definite Mama preference and I know it makes Mommy a little sad, but I'm sure a day will come where only Mommy will do. Until then, I'm pleased and proud to be your Number One Snuggler. Thank you for another amazing and fun-filled month!

Love always,
Mama
(and Potato Head)