Thirteen Months

Dear Madeline,

Today you are thirteen months old, and you are hitting toddler-hood much faster than I anticipated.

First, you are walking up a storm.  In the past week, you seem to have stopped crawling altogether.  You toddled toward the stairs at a full gallop yesterday, and I had to lightly jog to catch you before you started climbing them. And I watched in amazement as you walked all the way from the living room to the kitchen last night to "help" me make dinner.  You didn't stumble once.

Unfortunately, because you are such an over-achiever, it seems that you are giving us practice for the terrible twos already.  You tell us "No" all the time.  And you understand what it means too; you're not just saying it because it's a fun, new word.  You push us away if you don't want us around.  You whine and grunt in frustration the second you want something. You threw a mini temper tantrum at the library the other afternoon when I carried you away from the toys.  Your poor sippy-cups get thrown on the floor about two hundred time a day, and so does your food if you don't like what you are eating.  And boy oh boy, do you HATE having your diaper changed.  I could become a professional baby wrangler after all this practice.

On the other hand, when you're not being a holy terror, you're sweeter than ever.   You've learned to give kisses the real way.  You make the "Mwah" sound and pout your lips out for a kiss.  It makes my insides feel all smooshy.  You love cuddling.  Recently, you've begun to enjoy sitting on my lap.  After dinner, you like to sit on my lap under a blanket and watch some TV, or look at a book, or play with your shoes.  The other night I was sitting on the rug looking at Ye Ole Ipad, when you toddled over, yelled "No! Done!" shoved the Ipad away from me and crawled into my lap in its place.  I'm sorry you feel jealous over a piece of electronic equipment.

You're very smart.  Everyone who meets you says so.  You even know how to sit still and listen during circle time at school.  I find that pretty amazing.  When we tell you to find certain toys, you know which toys we're talking about, and you'll go find them.  A new favorite game is to carry your basket around the living room and fill it with blocks as you go.

Words you can say: Dada, Done, Down, Up, No, Mumma (but only very rarely), MiMi (but we don't know what you mean), Baby, Bubba, Ouch, Apple, Black, Purple, (I know, I didn't believe it when her teachers told me either, but I've heard it with my own ears!)  and Puppy.   I'm sure I've missed some, but still, that's pretty impressive!

Favorite Toys:  Ugly Baby, blocks, shopping basket

You've sure become a challenge recently, Madeline.  But it's so much fun watching you grow and become this amazing little person that we don't really mind.  As long as you keep giving us kisses, cuddles, and mischievous smiles, I'll take a little diaper wrangling now and again.

Love,
Mumma