My Ebenezer

Dear Princess,

I can’t believe you are already a year and a half. The time goes by so quickly, I just know that it won’t be long when I’ll be writing your 18 year letter. It hardly seems possible that the day could ever come when you are that old, but I know it is just around the corner.

I know your favorites will change as you do, but right now some of your absolute favorite things to do are dance, sing, talk and imitate Speedy. You also enjoy challenging me to see if I really mean it when I say ‘no’.

It cracks me up when the music comes on and you immediately start bending at the knees – up and down, up and down. Then you start moving one arm almost as if you are running but it looks more like a pirate saying “arr arr arr” than dancing baby girl. I know your dancing will improve but I have to admit I’d be fine with you dancing just like that until you’re married.

Singing is another thing you enjoy immensely and even if no one else understands the lyrics you belt out, mommy always knows. Well, almost always. You join in when I sing ‘ABC’s’ and you especially like to keep repeating the A B C part. Though is sounds more like AAAAY EEEEEE SEEEEEE. You are so proud of yourself when you sing and you want everyone to know it.

Here are all of the words you know: mommy, daddy, speedy, eat, bite, yummy, night night, pappy, grammy, granny, granddad, backpack, walk, bath, tickle, hello, bye bye, baby, play, please, thank you, honk, ear, nose, up, no, yes, and I know there are even more that I can’t think of right now. You also like to talk in complete sentences and sometimes even paragraphs though no one knows what you are saying. You just go at it a mile a minute and then look at us like we’re stupid because we didn’t understand you.

You still adore your big brother and follow him around and laugh at him constantly. If you see him doing something you just have to try it out yourself. Even when he’s climbing on something. Especially when he’s climbing on something.

Everywhere we go people comment on how beautiful you are and how smart you are because of all your talking. I am also constantly told what a good baby you are. It’s all true. You love it when I let you stand in the basket at the store and you talk and wave to people as they pass by. Very few people are able to resist your charms and usually end up smiling or talking back to you. If someone is standing any where near you and is not looking at you or smiling at you, you seem to take it as a challenge to get their attention.

Although you are my sweet little angel, you do constantly occasionally push the boundaries and continue whatever you are doing even after I’ve said ‘no.’ When you continue to disregard my direction and I raise my voice a little or use my very stern “mommy voice” you usually just fall to pieces. It’s almost as if you are saying, “oh, why are you fussing at ME? What could I have possibly done to deserve such treatment.”

I’m afraid you are going to be quite the little drama queen. You already are.

I never knew I had the capacity to love the way I love you and Speedy. I want your happiness more than I want my own.

Love always,

Mommy