Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Dear Nathan (15 months old)

Dear Nathan,

I can't even believe you are 15 months old now!  I know I keep saying this, but you are growing up so fast.  And yet, sometimes you still look like our little baby.  Like when you are asleep... on the dog bed...


Those poor dogs didn't know what they were getting into when we brought you home.  You play with them, feed them from your plate, terrorize them, steal their toys, hide their toys, and taunt them with your toys that they know they can't have!  And you have actually bitten Kaylee a couple of times.  She's a little scared of  you right now.  But then you pet them and love them and they love you back.  You let Kaylee lick you right in the face, which is something I won't even do.  She loves it.

While last year was technically your first Christmas, this year was your first REAL Christmas.  What I mean is, last year you had no idea what was going on, but this year, you loved it!  You had a cold, but that didn't dampen your mood on Christmas Eve at Nana and Grandpa's house or Christmas morning at home!  Mom and Dad (and Santa) may have gone a little overboard, but it was all worth it when your face lit up - and it's all worth it to see you playing with those toys and enjoying them so much!

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Christmas morning.


You are super verbal now!  You say cheese, fruit, cup, eat, and about a dozen other words when you want to communicate something with us.  Mostly food-related words, now that I think about it.  You say shoes when you see a pair of shoes, or when you want to go outside.

Speaking of outside, we took you to the park and you loved it.  You had such a great time on the swings and on the slide.  You got to slide for the very first time - it was scary for us but you loved it.




You are gaining a little more independence, which is bittersweet for your Mommy.  I love that you are playing and exploring on your own, but all this "I'll do it myself" makes me feel a little less needed.  :(  But I am glad you are growing and learning and becoming who you are going to become.  And I will never, ever try to stifle that because of my own selfish need to be "needed" as your Mom.  

I do love you with all my heart, though.  And while I love this age and the way you are now, I know that you will be a unique and special individual with an amazing personality no matter what age you are, so I'm looking forward to seeing what you are going to be at 2 years old, and 4 years old, and 10, and 20.  It has already been the most amazing 15 months of my life.  I can't wait to see what happens next.  While still holding you in the present and enjoying who you are right now.  My not-so-tiny baby boy.

Love, 

Mommy.

PS.  Two more pics.  You giving your dad a high five and our family photo for Christmas this year.