Addison Sophia: 18 Months

Dear Addie:

You are now a year and a half. That definitely doesn't seem possible. This last year and a half has flown by so quickly. You have changed and grown so much. I know I say that every month but it is just as true this month as last month. You hardly seem like the same little girl. You are so beautiful and so excitable. You move all the time and you are fast. You are learning so much every day. I love watching you discover the world.

Lately your favorite thing is definitely emptying shelves. You are a big fan of that. I'm not such a fan but you are stubborn and you like what you like. You start unloading and keep going until every last book or DVD off the shelves. You study each one and stack them up. Then you spend the next hour or so sorting and moving them from pile to pile. It's kind of cute but incredibly messy. Luckily, you have been a little into cleaning lately. You emptied all 101 cookie cutters all over the place then when I told you it was almost nap time, you spent a good chunk of time putting them all away again. I'm all about the cleaning up stage if you want to hang out in this stage for a bit.

We have made no process on walking. In fact I think we have digressed. You hate walking and in fact are pretty much refusing to do it. I was really hoping you would be walking by now but it just isn't happening. You are stubborn, I'll give you that. I think there's a reason why you aren't walking but your dad thinks you are just being stubborn and you know that crawling is easier and risk-free so you'll just stick with that. Regardless, you aren't walking and you don't want to even practice walking with us, so we'll be getting some help into why you aren't and how to help you.

You were big on throwing things for awhile and I still catch you throwing things sometimes. You either get too excited so things get tossed or when you taking things off the shelves, you are tossing things behind you. Well, we had to put an end to that. It only took me a couple times of removing you from the DVDs you were throwing before you started "punishing" yourself whenever you would throw something. You would cry before I could even say no and put your head on the floor. You definitely throw less now. Apparently you do listen after all.

You don't necessarily say a lot other than babble and dada but you do understand. You are talking some. You said Stella and good the other day. You are starting to say more words but mostly it's still babble. But I know you understand. I can ask you a question and you respond in your own way. You also do great at following directions. I can ask you to bring me something or do something and you do what I say. I'm liking that a lot.

You have discovered the art of temper tantrums. We are up to a couple a day now. I don't like them too much. Usually you cry, bend forward and put your head on the floor, then roll to your back and lay on the ground crying and pounding your butt over and over on the floor. I just wait you out. Normally you calm yourself out and move on. I try not to give you attention which is really what you want while throwing these tantrums. Sometimes you do the head on the ground and roll thing without the crying. That is definitely better than the screaming. You are stubborn and hard-headed that's for sure, but you are going up against the person you got those qualities from so you probably aren't going to win.

You are just as beautiful as ever. You are changing all the time and you never stop growing. You are just so big now and I can't believe you are actually a year and a half. That just doesn't seem possible. You'll be two before I'm ready. You have a beautiful smile and an awesome personality. I love the person you are becoming. I love you so much, sweet girl.

Love, Mama