Dear Peanut,

Today you are one and a half. I am shocked at how fast the time has gone and what a little man you have suddenly become. There is not much talk about you on the blog these days, so today is your special day…a post dedicated just to you.

You have changed so much since your twelve month post. In fact, your development has shocked the doctor and made your dad and I into those parents who can’t help but brag about their smart, handsome, sweet, hilarious, and perfect little boy. Dad also loves it that you’re in the 89th percentile for height…he’s praying for a basketball star.

Your favorite thing these days is reading. We would read books from sun up to sun down every day if I let you, but sometimes we have to get out of the house, or eat lunch, or take a bath. I know, mean mom. I don’t know if it’s all the reading we do, or your magnetic letters that sit on the fridge, but you recently became really interested in letters and after asking what several letters were, you were suddenly seeing them all over the place and remembering them. We have gone in no particular order, only taking cues from you when you point to a new letter and ask what it is, and so far you can recognize and say nearly all the letters in the alphabet (a, b, e, f, g, i, k, m, n, o, r, s, t, u, v, x, y, z — in case you’re curious). Whenever we’re driving and we pass a billboard or store sign with a letter you recognize, you shout it out from the backseat — it is so cute, and makes me so proud.

At twelve months you were saying only one word consistently: “mama.” This didn’t concern the doctor, but he said most children your age were saying three words. I wasn’t worried either, but in an effort to communicate in some way with you, I started teaching you a few signs — “more,” “all done”, “milk,” and “please.” After only a few days of signing them, you picked it up and started signing all day long, and always in the correct context. Then within a month, something clicked and you were suddenly saying and signing several words like a pro. Now, only six months later, you are talking non-stop, starting to form sentences, and repeating everything we say. We are often shocked at the kinds of words you remember after only hearing them one time.

This past week we finally took your bottle away — cold turkey. You have no problem drinking water and juice out of a cup or a sippy cup, but milk must be in the bottle. It’s been a rough few days with you asking for milk about fifty times a day, but every time we offer it to you, there are meltdowns, tantrums, and sippy cup throwing because it’s not in the bottle. It’s getting better each day, but I think we still have a few grumpy days ahead of us.

We’ve also started going to a little playgroup/preschool with some of the kids in our neighborhood. We call it “Mommy School,” and we learn about letters, read books, play games, learn how to share, and just get out of the house to socialize. It’s so interesting to see you in big groups and small groups of kids because you are just like me: loud, silly, and outgoing with small groups, and very reserved and quiet in big groups. I noticed it first when we started going to nursery at church a few weeks ago. You sing, clap, or wave your prop during singing time but always from the back of the room, you stand away from the crowd when the teacher blows bubbles for all the kids to pop, and you pretty much just want to sit on my lap during reading time. I’m so curious to see how these personality traits will pan out as you get older.

In the mean time, I am so grateful to have you as my little boy, and I’m soaking in every moment of this stage. I can’t imagine loving you any more than I do right now.

Love, Mommy