Dear Sadie,
You are learning so many new things so quickly that I don't know where to begin this long overdue update. We were keeping a running list of all the words you can use in context and at about 3o words (not including animal sounds) we just gave up because you are learning too many words to keep track of. Today, for instance, you said, "bed" and "pumpkin". It is astounding how much you understand and remember. I can say, "go in the kitchen and get your monkey," and you march into the kitchen and return with the monkey. We can point out something in a book on one day and the next day ask you about it and you remember where to find it.
Here is a video of you pointing to things in one of your favorite books, "Each Peach Pear Plum."
Here you are having fun playing with your toys:
The toys you are the most excited about are animals. You love your stuffed animals and will carry as many as you can around the house. You like to make the animals kiss each other and you think it is funny to pretend to give them food. You have a set of animal puzzles and you love to go through them and make the appropriate noises. I think you are the most excited about cats but this link is a big hit (thanks Ruthie!).
Other favorite items are hats and these funny fuzzy socks that we call your Monster Arms.
In about 70% of these photos you are wearing the little pink Patagonia jacket you got for Christmas from Jes and Clive. That's because you love your coat and you get excited about putting it on. In fact you have a game we call "Coat Check" where you get all your coats and hats out and play with them.
Since regular walking is pretty easy for you now, you are experimenting with more complicated movement like spinning in circles or walking backwards. Grandpa taught you "Ring Around the Rosie" which is pretty cute. You aren't quite running yet, but you can really hustle to get somewhere in a hurry. You also love to climb on just about anything that is not level with the floor. Every time we get in the car you pipe up from the back seat, "Park? Park? Park!!!" You also love to run around on the beach. Monkey usually goes out in the BOB with us.
"Hurry up and find your sunglasses, Mama so we can GO!"
At 15 months, you were still pretty shy around other people. Your dad surprised you one day when he came home with a friend in tow. You heard the gate opening and went running for the back door shouting "DA-DA DA-DA DA-DA" until you saw the strange man and got very upset. You hid in my lap for a good 15 minutes before you were ready to see who had come over and get interested in playing again. But since then, you have gotten better about new people and new situations. We even had a houseful of people over the other day for your dad's birthday and you were quiet, but not unhappy. And it didn't faze you at all when I hosted a playgroup at our house for Baby Club. You are getting more and more interested in other toddlers and especially bigger kids.
You love to sing and dance. You are always pointing at the stereo and saying "AI-YI-YI" for me to turn on the music. You hum and sing along with the songs you know. You have a reggae/ska CD that is probably your favorite, but you also like the dance mix your dad made you for Christmas as well as one called "Monsters and Muppets" that I made for you with songs from Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. And you have no tolerance for my NPR in the car so usually we listen to the reggae mix as we drive around town.
You love to romp around on the bed. Here is a video of you doing some dancing in your PJs before bedtime:
And some more fun on the bed:
You have a total of 5 teeth with three on the bottom and two on the top. You occasionally bite me when you get excited, and even though you aren't being mean, your little teeth are vicious. You also have a new floppy resistance move where you lift your arms in the air and go completely limp and become tricky to hold onto. That will be good for your civil disobedience protesting in a few years. We haven't seen a real tantrum yet, but you get frustrated easily sometimes and do some good yelling.
But mostly you are a sweet baby who likes to be held and hug and kiss. And you just keep getting more fun.
Love, Mama
