Dear Addie::
I feel like every month I come back here to write you another letter, you have changed so much that I barely know where to start. And again that is true. You are forever changing. Growing so fast. Much faster than I think I'm ready for. You make me happy. You frustrate me. You exhaust me. You make me laugh. You make me want to have more kids. You make me not want to have more kids. You make life so much better than I ever thought it could be.
I take all the bads - the teething, the sudden screaming at bedtime and during the night sometimes, the crankiness, the whining, the temper tantrums, the ignoring me - because there is so much more good. I love the giggling, the playing, the reading, the cuddling, the smiles, the splashing in the bathtub, the beautiful blue eyes.
Lately you have been getting your molars and it hasn't been such a fun time. They have caused you to get sick on occasion. You have been a little crankier - not that I can blame you. Teething really isn't fun for anyone. On top of the molars, you are also going through a wonder week. And wonder weeks are definitely not fun. You are learning new things and developing, but it also means that you are a little crankier and a little needier. It's always exciting to see what you figure out during this time and how you are changing, but the moodiness that comes along with it isn't what we would consider a good time. But you keep pushing through and we always seem to make it out better and stronger after each wonder week, and this one won't be any different.
You have been trying to stand on your own lately. You don't do it often and you don't exactly like to do it but you have been trying. The first time you did it, your dad more or less tricked you into it and you did great. But lately you have been trying on your own. It is usually only for a few seconds at a time but you are trying so that's exciting. You'll be walking in no time and I can't even imagine the trouble you'll get into then.
Speaking of trouble, you have been pushing your boundaries lately. You have been testing me to see what you can get away with and what you get in trouble with. Of course, every time you get in trouble for the same thing you got in trouble for five minutes before, you act like it's a complete surprise and start crying. As frustrating as it is to scold you over and over again for the same things, it's kind of cute to see that look of surprise. However, you are getting better at listening. We have the hard and fast 'no' and that is the only time we use the word no. We try to limit it with you, otherwise I feel like I'm saying it all day. You have been getting better at listening to directions. You have been big on standing at the TV stand, which I don't like because I'm afraid you're going to knock the TV down on top of you. So I tell you to that you need to sit down and most of the time you listen. You'll turn and look at me with puppy dog eyes then slowly sit back down. I thank you every time and you look a little proud of yourself. Again extremely cute. But you are also big on ignoring me. I think you think you can get away with more if you just act like you can't hear me. Usually that ends with me having to get on you to and that often leads to temper tantrums. Yes, you have discovered temper tantrums. Yikes!
You are such a smart little girl. You are discovering the world. You are pushing limits. You are learning new things. You love reading. You sit there and flip through each page one at a time, then when you finish you go back to the beginning and start again. You easily sit there for a good thirty minutes just studying your books. I love that you love books so much. The easiest way to calm you down is through a book. I pull one out and you get all excited then sit quietly while I read. Sometimes it does sound like you are trying to read along. We have no idea what you are saying yet, but you are trying hard. There are times when it sounds like you are saying things that you are really passionate about. You can only actually say a few words at this point: cat, duck, dada, mama, hi.
Although you aren't saying much, you are trying more things. You finally clapped a few weeks ago for the first time. Of course you haven't done it since but at least we know you can. You are getting better at waving. You usually wave at us during meal time for some reason. No idea why. Usually to wave bye to someone we have to get you started by moving your arm but then you take over and it's pretty adorable. You are an expert at high fives though. You seem to think it's funny to do it. So if all else false you can do that.
I wish I could say that from 13 months to 14 months, it has been an awesome month with lots of positive changing but that's not completely true. It's been a rough month. You have been getting your molars and that just makes things miserable for everyone. But that doesn't make you any less adorable and lovable. We love all the cuddles that have come from this last month of not feeling great. You stopped cuddling with me months ago but this month you have been giving me all kinds of cuddling. I have loved it. Despite the somewhat bad month, I'm still excited about all that is happening. I'm excited about the next month. I'm excited for you to start walking, to learn to use the stairs, to try more foods, to try more activities, for Christmas, to start talking more. I'm just excited. You are a wonderful little person. My favorite actually. I love the person you are becoming. And I love you so much.
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