17 Months Old

So busy!

Dear Will,

I swear, these letters sneak up on me every month. Your life is moving so fast, but that's all the more reason to try and write it all down!

As evidenced by the photo above, you run everywhere. You have one speed: fast. You are just so excited to see and experience everything, it's as if you can't possibly waste your time with walking. I love when you come to show me something. You run in the room calling my name with a big smile on your face, holding your prize in your hand above your head. You stop at my feet and present the object, throwing your hands out in front of you with your fingers spread and your palms up. It's as if you're saying, "Look, Mama!!! Can you believe it?!?"

This last month we celebrated your second Christmas. It was so amazing to wake up at home with you and open presents under our tree. We had pancakes for breakfast, which you loved. Unsurprisingly, all your grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles spoiled you rotten. You got lots of wonderful toys and clothes, including a train table, a play kitchen, a hand-held car, a bath-time boat, and a pull-behind wooden train. They have since become your favorite toys, logging lots of play time each and every day.

Your favorite books this month are Go Dog, Go! and Runaway Bunny. You insist on reading them over and over (and over) again. You know them by heart, and will even say certain words if we pause to let you: The green dog is... "up!" The yellow dog is... "da" (down). You also love to point out objects on each page, showing us the bunnies, moon, tree, letter Z, etc.

You have a really big vocabulary for your age. Aside from countless animal sounds, words you use on a regular basis include: Mama, Dada, Nana, Stella, dog, kitten, sheep, horse, pig, snake, zoo, milk, book, sock, shoe, bib, spoon, sun, moon, night, hi, bye, truck, train, bus, airplane, boat, ball, bird, apple, oatmeal, iPad, help, baby, up, down, in, out, under, please, and all done. You will also parrot back virtually any word we say to you, but you don't necessarily use them to communicate yet.

You continue to be a picky eater, but we're learning to accept it. You're growing strong, and I figure you'll learn to like vegetables some day. Until then, we just keep giving you a taste of whatever we're having (which you promptly spit out), and try to make what you will eat as healthy as possible. As it turns out, one can survive on just dairy, carbs and fruit. Who knew?!?

I hope you know that you are, and always will be, the single greatest thing that I have ever done with my life. I literally feel like my heart is going to explode when I see you every morning. And even though I'm tired (you are a toddler, after all), I miss you terribly after we put you to bed each night. Baby, you are the light of my life. My whole world. I love you so much.

Love,

Mama