Dear E,
In a few days you will be 14 months old! FOURTEEN MONTHS! You're acting more and more like a little boy every day. It's so exciting and adorable, but at the same time, pretty scary for Mommy and Daddy!
You've added so many words to your vocabulary. See? Shy! Woof! and Hello are just a few. You try to mimic just about everything from our actions to our words to our tones of voice. You're not into even trying to walk yet, but you are very steady when standing, and you've got just about any fine motor skill action down! You've even managed to get food on your spoon and into your mouth on occasion.
You're also just as sweet as ever. You show a few toddler things with the attitude of, "I can do it myself!" but for the most part, you remain concerned about others' feelings and love to be praised. Some of our favorite new developments are the spontaneously offered hugs and the calls of "Da-Da!" that echo through the house. The hugs are an unbearable sweetness. You know how to melt your Mommy and Daddy, that's for sure. Just tonight, we were in the tub, and called Daddy to come help dry you off. When he came, you got so excited that he came to your call and reached for his neck to wrap your arms around it and lay your head on his chest. Did you know, by the way, that "Da-Da" means "parental unit" and "Mama" happens to be my name only? When you say Daddy, it always means him in particular, but Da Da (shouted at high volume) is interchangeable and often shouted in concern when you're worried one of us might be leaving.
Animals and books continue to be two obsessions in your life. Not only do you like books to be read to you, but now you like to read books to Mama (as well as feed her - and I'd better actually eat it, baby saliva or not - wipe her face and brush her hair). You snap the book open to various places and very seriously and quickly gibber out clipped nonsense words. You remind me a little of Starvin' Marvin on South Park. Oh wait... you should not be seeing that. Never mind.
Anyway, we strive to be the best Mama and Dada we can to you every single day. Your happiness is the most important thing in our lives.
Always and forever,
M