15 Months

Height: 31.5 (75%ile
Weight: 25 lbs, 12 oz (60%ile)
HC: 19" (75%ile)

Dear Munchkin,

It's been three months since my last letter to you. I'm not gonna lie--it hasn't been an easy three months, though in addition to the struggles of toddlerhood, my life has been tinged with stress and sadness completely unrelated to you. But the toddlerhood part is no picnic. I see your giant personality emerging, and though it's fantastically awesome, I start to wonder just how much influence your old mom will be able to have in shaping it. Surely the stubbornness, temper tantrums, lashing-out-by-throwing/hitting-things/people is a product of "nature," not "nurture," right?

But, oh, when the nasty temper and tantrums subside...how wonderful it is to watch you learn. Listening to you expand your vocabulary is inspiring. Watching you watch me and try to do as I'm doing (wrinkle my nose like a bunny, pucker my lips like a fish) is marvelous and hilarious.


Here are some highlights of the last three months:

- Your first class at Gymboree. You made it pretty clear that the "organized activities" were a waste of your time (minus the bubbles and parachute parts), but boy did you LOVE the Gym itself. My brave little boy explored every inch of The Padded Room, including the trampoline.

- Learning to walk!!!

- Adding to your Word List: book, again, out, down, in, cup, kitty, brush, yeah. (Which you pronounce as "hhhyyyeah," because you're doing it in the whiny sheep voice you use after we ask, "Did you get hurt?")

- Displaying a touch of Mama's OCD with your toys: Legos in the red wagon, puzzle blocks in the green wagon, cars in the dump truck, balls in the toy box, etc. (Atta boy.)

- Favoring your right hand--for throwing things.

- Stacking puzzle blocks 10 high without knocking them over.

- Figuring out how to use the shape-sorter.

- Riding in the Car Cart at the grocery store for the first time. So exciting!

- Taking a walk (where YOU actually WALKED) to the mailbox.

- Pointing out the fish ornament on the Christmas tree.

- Trying to fill your cup with the water on the front of the fridge.

- Getting on and off your ride-on toys without help.

- Walking your train toy all over the upstairs.

- Scaring yourself when you made a sound on the kazoo.

- Singing the "Bye Bye Toys" song with me, and using the correct interval for the "bye bye" part (minor 3rd, or sol-mi, for the music geeks out there). And doing it again in a higher key! (Squee!)

- Playing with Oliver and his "babies."

- Trying to hug all the boys at music class.

- Charming the pants off all the ladies at the grocery store time after time after time.

- Being such a big boy while getting your hair cut. (TWICE in the last three months, people. The kid's hair grows like weeds. Though I shouldn't be surprised. I did, after all, have to trim his mullet when he was 5 days old.)

- Chasing the cats at Grandma's house, and trying so hard to hug Melanie (the 17 year old cat) by putting your head down on her body.


Love,
Mom