Afternoon nap

Dear Abby,
I love writing about you but you keep me far too busy. I can barely find time to shower these days. You just put up a huge fight but you are now calmly snuggled up beside me and soundly sleeping. Have I ever told you how much you hate to have covers over your feet? Well you do.

You are 13 months old already. This is our 2nd May together...when I think of it like that it feels even stranger. Daddy and I can hardly remember what life was like without you. You are getting so big. You won't really sleep in your crib (and I have all but just about given up trying)...but you are getting too big and mobile to safely sleep in our bed. I have been teaching you how to get down safely (on your belly, feet first) and you are starting to understand and you get so excited when you get down almost all by yourself.

Our days mostly start out with you demanding a dog hunt. You sign for dogs first thing when you wake up and have begun to go directly to our pile of shoes by the front door. You will grab yours and whoever else happens to have woken up with you...oh who am I kidding? It is usually daddy who gets out of bed first :)

You love hearing buses go by and will sign for "wipers" when you hear one pass. We went to your Aunt Jackie's graduation a few weeks ago and you got to ride on a school bus for the very first time! You were thrilled. Daddy and I sang the wheels on the bus and bounced you up and down dramatically at every bump. Now in addition to the wipers sign you bounce up and down excitedly whenever you hear or see a bus...we have even added doggies panting to the bus song since you now know how to pant (thanks to a visit from Rosco).

You are starting to say more words...mama, dada, baby (and even pointed one out at Hobbs a few weeks ago), Oma, 'ma (for Grandma), you make a poppop sound, you try to say ball (ba) and home ("hmm" which is especially cute because you don't even open your mouth for that one!) You sign for a lot of things...more, all done (my favorite is when you sign all done when we have only been in the car 5 mins of a 30 min ride!), you sign for birds and obviously dogs. Wipers sign means bus. You love to point and say "eh" when you want to get my attention. Speaking of that- you recently have taken to grabbing our chins and forcefully turning our heads in the direction of what you want us to see...usually a doggie, bus or bird. I swear you said "Joey" the other day when I told you your uncle was coming to visit but then of course you wouldn't say it again! You scream on command- usually for Grandma.

You like to balance things on your feet. It's quite strange I must admit. Not really sure where or why or when this happened but I first noticed you would do it with your cup we use to rinse your hair in the bath tub and you have now expanded and balance not only the cup but bracelets and other toys. You get a huge smile on your face and hold your hands out to the side while actively balancing and I started saying "ta da!"

You also do some yoga moves...mostly just downward dog. We had a playdate over Danny's house and you wanted to get in his crib (?!). He had a really cool mobile that played lots of different songs and you proceeded to stay in there and sway for 20 mins. Of course I had to buy it for you. So now one of your new favorite past times is to dance in your crib! You will play your music and then spin, twirl and fling yourself around your crib giggling and falling and shaking your head around...

I got you some sunglasses and when we tried them on you for the first time you immediately started shaking your head from side to side and smiling as if to show off your new look. You will now do this with almost anything new you try on...including your last bite of French toast the other day. You placed a piece on top of your head and started smiling and showing off your new look and I started laughing so hard that I had to hide my face while daddy informed you that it wasn't appropriate to put food on your head.

You nod at everything now. One of my favorite things to do with you is to tell daddy about our day when he gets home. I'll say "did you tell daddy that we went to the park today?" And you will beam and nod in agreement. I'll go on to say "and did you tell him how you went on the swing with Danny?" More nods. "And how you put all the wood chips all over the slide?" Nods and nods all around. The best part is I know you understand these "conversations" and that amazes me.

I sometimes feel a little crazy when talking to you. Like that time in Target when you threw your first temper tantrum. I explained that if you didn't hold my hand then we would have to leave and you kept swatting my hand away. Strangers looked at me like I was insane but I know you understood my words. Maybe not the consequences (we will have to leave) but you were definitely choosing not to hold my hand. You were so tired that day. We left and you were asleep within 5 minutes once we were home.

Your eating habits are starting to become pretty picky. You love bread especially at our new hang out- Miss Marty's. It is a Jewish diner and the old ladies love you there. We are becoming regulars. You always order the same thing- wheat toast with butter. Cut into squares so you can have one square for each hand. You start munching and turn sideways in your high chair to watch all the action- the waitresses carrying trays of food and drinks always stopping to give you a smile or a wave. The bus boys clearing away the dishes. The older clientele using their walkers to make their way to the bathroom. Before I became your mom I would rarely (if ever!) go to a place like that and eat lunch by myself...and if I did I would rush through my lunch feeling self conscious about being there alone. Now, ironically, I am rushing through eating but spending more time connecting with those around us. In this technological world where everyone spends all day staring at their phones, it is a breath of fresh air to have you there to remind me to stop and smell the roses...

Which by the way you love to do. I have your squeal of joy forever in my memory from the day you spotted the flower display at the co-op. You ran over to the flowers and just smiled, closed your eyes and started smelling them. Moments like that make my heart feel so full it might burst.

You are an amazing, bright, happy and energetic little girl. You pick up on things so quickly. You just signed "cereal" to me the other day when I asked what you wanted to eat...I had never even done that sign with you! The only time you had ever seen it would have been while watching a baby signing video when you were 10 months old.

I love snuggling up to you and cuddling with you while you sleep. The way you curl your legs up on my belly. The way you reach your arms up to grab onto mine. Your even, calm, sleepy breathing pattern. The way your head gets nestled into my chest. You are always wiggling around anymore and wanting to jump out of my arms and explore when you are awake...but when you are sleeping beside me (like you are right now) I feel like there is no where in the world either of us would rather be. I know it won't always be like this so I am trying to treasure and savor these moments with you. You are growing up so fast and I can hardly believe my little baby is already 1, already running and navigating stairs and language and playground equipment. Please just stop it already! Just stay right here with me...in this moment forever.