17 months

You turned 17 months yesterday and we forgot to sing you happy birthday as has been the ritual every month of your life. I guess it's not a year birthday so you should be OK but secretly I worry you might be traumatized. You love being sung to especially when holding the birthday bear that the Neudecks got you. Next month dear, we'll remember next month.

What have you been up to - heck, what haven't you been up to! You speak so many words now, a verbal explosion. Every day seems to bring a new word and you are a good mimic so even words you don't know you can repeat back. One of our favorites is "outside". You love to be "outside" so when you wake up in the morning it is one of your first words. To which we usually tell you its too early, you're in your pajamas, we need our coffee first and then we'll discuss. We love watching your brain think, how you can look at a person and know their name or a house and who lives in it. Another favorite word is "please". You say and sign the word at the same time in such a sweet little voice it makes our heart melt. Only problem is we taught you to say please when you ask for something but you don't understand yet that please doesn't mean you automatically get it. I guess that reasoning will come later.

You can put your own hat on and your shoes on by yourself. You've mastered taking things off and climbing over all things big and small and your morning and evening hugs and kisses make our days.

We love you sweet girl....you're almost a year and a half.