19 Months!

Words. Words. Words. Words. Words. I know I've said it for the last couple of months, but with each month your growing vocabulary almost knocks me over. You said your first sentence, albeit not the most grammatically appropriate, but your first sentence nonetheless. We were in Dallas for a whole week...more on that later...and you piped up with, "Mama drive Poppy car." What??? I almost ran right into a bickis tree congratulating you on the words you put together. It's kinda mind blowing. As with months prior, we're talking, and you're parroting at an amazing rate. It's really cool to get to actually know what's going on in that little head of yours. You talk pretty much non-stop now, but you crash so hard at nap and bedtime. As soon as we finish reading your book (twice...always twice) and turn out the lights, we hardly even get to talk about your day before you're pointing and mumbling "bed" and "kinkle, kinkle lil star". You ordered your dad to join in with the singing this month, and in our almost fourteen years together, I don't think I've ever heard him sing this much. Sometimes he sings in a deep, booming voice like the driver in Love Actually, and I can hardly muffle my laughter to get through the song. You seem to love whatever voice he chooses for the night just as long as we're dueting "Twinkle, Twinkle".

Your dad and I agree that you're just getting more fun by the day. Your mobility, your coordination, your energy is making it so much fun to play with you. And I guess that may be part of the difference too. You're more into playing with people rather than alongside lately. Your dad and you play hard in the backyard almost every night after dinner, and we've had so much fun at the parks this month. You conquered the rope ladder! I'm certain by the time you're able to read this that won't seem like a monumental deal, but I got all choked up when you did it. You've been trying for months to get up those dang things and always a bit confused on how to use your feet and your hands at the same time. And every time I would go over to try to help you, you would just end up taking my hands or leaning your butt into me rather than figuring it out. So at the park a couple weeks ago, you went to give it a try, and I just stood back and watched. And what do you know? You just figured it right out, and you might have been more proud of yourself in that moment than any other so far. Walking was cool, but rope ladder? Whoa. You've conquered the world. 

We've had fun playing with friends and celebrating Thanksgiving with family this past month. You and I headed to Dallas for a week so you could meet your future BFF Rhio and see my sweet friend Lauren. We ended up only getting to hang with them for an afternoon because come to find out all the drooling, moodiness, and interrupted sleeping wasn't from a tooth but Hand, Foot and Mouth disease. Good Lord. I've never felt grosser in my life. I have no idea where you got it from, but boy, did it come on strong. You had sores all over your little tongue and there was nothing to do but wait it out. Our week didn't exactly go "as planned", but it was still so fun to get to catch up with family and spend the holiday laughing our faces off together. Your aunts and uncles are just funny. No question about it. And you thought it was particularly cool when everyone sat down together to eat dinner at your GiGi and Pops house. It was like you thought it was all for you. You devoured stuffing (made my heart soar!) and turkey, but I'm hoping next year you'll be into broadening your horizons because I think you'd really love the desserts we had too. Even the soupy pie I made. I'm gonna work on that. 

You're the tiniest, sweetest, most fun little friend I've ever had, and I'm loving watching you grow and change. Your manners are so sweet. You say thank you for almost every little thing, and even though we've had a few meltdowns and visited timeout a couple of times, you're just plain sweet. You have a kind soul, and overall, you listen really well. Everyone loves to assure us that the "terrible twos" are surely knocking on our door, but I'm playing dumb. I'm fairly certain you're never going to be that kid. Stay sweet, little friend.

Charlie Brown

"Bickis trees!" were everywhere today, sweet boy, and you were in heaven. We lucked into a beautiful, warm December 1st, and your dad, me, our friends, and your GaGa and PaPa all went to the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm.

I was planning on a wonky day because the farm didn't open until noon, right at your nap time, but you were a total champ. We ate BBQ and then headed to the farm to chop our tree. And holy smokes, wouldn't you know a tractor pulled up to take us out to the trees? Hayride surrounded by Christmas trees? It was true love. 

We spent the rest of the day putting up Christmas lights, while you napped, and once you woke up, I made brownies and we brought out the ornaments (you say that word so well). We ate (you opted for carrot chips rather than brownies, but I'm trying not to judge you) and decorated the rest of the evening. As you finished dinner, the Charlie Brown theme song came on the Pandora Christmas station, and you yelled, "Brown! Brown! Brown!" until we finally figured out you were talking about Charlie Brown. Sometimes I'm not quite sure how you know things. You have a Charlie Brown doll that plays that song, but I'm almost certain you've never seen the video. We jumped down from the table and hustled to your dad and my big bed and snuggled in to watch Charlie Brown Christmas. And just like that a tradition was born. Forever and always I want our day-we-get-a-Christmas-tree day to look like this. Magic. Pure Christmas magic. Can't wait to spend this holiday season with you.