20 months

My dear little one,

You are now 20 months. We're getting so close to two. How did that happen?
You are the most adorable little doll that we know. It's not that we are totally biased, everyone who sees you thinks so. You couldn't get any cuter or sweeter.
Lately you've decided to actually talk. For a few months I've been a little worried about your lack of words. You would make this sound that was half-way between a grunt and a whine.
Not pleasant to the ears, let me tell you!
Your daddy decided enough was enough and if you were not going to talk, you must at the very least use your sign language.
Which displeased you very much.
So much so that you flat out refused to sign and started to talk instead.
Imagine that!
Now, several weeks later, you use a combination of both talking and signing. But you talk when you use your signs. "Please," "thank you," "more," and "help" are all spoken and accompanied by the hand sign.
We competently melt at the sound of your little voice. Lately your new words are coming more and more quickly. Today I caught you singing "e, i, e, i, oh!" Olivia had taught you the song of Old MacDonald and you have had a blast singing "e, i, e, i, oh!" all day long. Even on the phone to Mimi.
Another favorite is "The Bunny Hop." Olivia has an old record with the Bunny Hop on it and whenever the mood strikes you, you will find the nearest person and start saying "hop! hop! hop!" and hopping up and down. You'll grab a finger and drag the person to the record play, pat it and repeat with great certainty, "hop! hop! hop!" And Nothing will do until the song is played.
Other new words include:
"gee" (drink)
"ocky, oddle, oo" (cockadoddledoo)
"quack quack"
"puppy"
"itty" (kitty)
"o-yah" (Olivia)
"mommmmeeeee" (mommy)
"buh-byeeeeee" (bye bye)
"nigh nigh" (night night)
"elp! elp!" (help help)
"soes" (shoes)
"cool!"
"preey" (pretty)
"coot" (cute)
"ose" (Rose)
"bites"
"pweas" (please)
"kank uooo" (thank you)
"k k" (thank you)
"eyes"
"nose"
"rrrrr" (ear)
"u-o" (uh-oh)
"choo-choo" (for train)
"cues cues" (Blue's Clue)
"noooooooooo!" (just imagine her eyes closed, her head tipped back and hand on forehead while say this. Most most dramatic.)
You drop all of your "h's" and most of your "r's" but it's the most adorable baby talk. Sadly, I don't have any way to share it online.
Somehow you have acquired a deep unending love of dogs. Any dog, and shape, any size. You and it will be best of friends. You carry around a pretend puppy most of the day and love to fall asleep with one. We can't wait to get you a real puppy. Soon, my dear, soon.
You like to pretend to be a puppy too. You crawl and bark, scratch and playfully bite. You love for Olivia to wrap any kind of cord, measuring tape, jump rope, string, or ribbon around your middle and let you crawl and pretend. You get very upset when she tires of this game.
You have quite the burgeoning sense of humor and make little jokes with yourself all the time.
The other evening, while Daddy and sister were playing "go fish" on the floor, you found a Barbie princess crown on the floor. You walked up to your daddy and gently positioned this coin sized crown on the top of his head. You took a step back, surveyed the picture just like an artist would with hand on hip, and suddenly burst into peals of happy hysterical giggles.
After it fell off with quick shake of Daddy's head which induce more giggling, you thought it was Olivia's turn. After placing the crown in her wavy locks, you found it just as funny as daddy's royal crowning.
You love "Blue's Clues, Spot, and Kipper" (All puppies, you see.)
Swimming (and water) is your thing.
You have no fear of heights, falling, swinging, jumping, being tossed, or going fast.
In most instances of any of the above, you beg for more.
You adore being outside and getting dirty, dirty, dirty.
You help pick the cherry tomatoes. Red or green, doesn't matter to you. They are all the same.
I some days wish to never see a blueberry again. We've been to the blueberry farm 3 times this year. And you have a great love of blueberries. I've changed a lot of purple diapers in the month of July. So many, in fact, that I have a hard time stomaching the smell of blueberries at times.
You still eat salad, tomatoes make you swoon, green beans are your best friends, broccoli and asparagus have no hope of survival with you around. Cucumbers are good, but you also think they are great for stashing away in secret hiding places. You love salsa, the hotter the better. You eat pretty much any kind of cheese. You love to dip so guacamole, hummus, spinach dip, and ketchup are regulars on the menu. Pasta is not your think, nor is meat. I think you think that you would die without blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and yogurt. You eat them every. single. day. You take vitamins and have no problem swallowing them whole, even though we prefer you to chew them up.
You love Dr. Justin, our chiropractor. You smile and bat your eyelashes at him, then say "hi!" in your most honeyed tone and wave your prom queen wave.
The librarians know you by sight, if not by name. You are a great help to them, always rearranging the DVD shelves to give them something to do.
You wave at every stranger in the grocery store and can solicit a smile from even the grumpiest store clerk. I have to say that you, your sister, and I make quite an eye-catching trio. Poor daddy is getting use to standing guard and carrying the shotgun (just kidding! sort of.)
You love dancing and music. Your favorite move is a little thing called the "Twirl." Daddy says you look like one of those little ballerina's in a jewelry box. Your not discriminating with your musical tastes, not yet anyway. 50's classics blend well with techno, Celtic singing, and praise and worship. It's all good with you.
You think you a quite the big girl. I'm pretty sure you believe that you are really 6 years old. Not surprisingly you and you sister get into some doozy fights. Amazingly, you hold your own quite well. But you adore your sister no matter how much she aggravates you. You love to lay on the floor, side by side, and color or do school work. If Olivia asks me for something and you know where it is, you run a quick as your chubby sweet legs will carry you and bring it back to her. You'll share bites of your precious cookie with her and snuggle under the blankets together and giggle. You play the "fish game" together daily. You drive her batty with your constant desire to watch Blue's Clues and nothing else. You two love being "dramatic" together. Those are the days that mommy puts you two in separate rooms and shuts herself on the back porch. You look up to Olivia with those big adoring little sister eyes. I pray that never changes.
We love you dearly and kiss on you every chance we get. Until just lately you've been quite stingy with your kisses and hugs back though. But, all of a sudden, something has changed and at the mention of "kiss" or "hug" or a kissing sound, you come running with open arms (and mouth!) It's been so sweet to see you be more affectionate with your family and friends.
So my Rosie, I'm sure I've missed a few things worth mentioning, mommy brain had been a bain since your arrival. But, it's been worth it just to have our sweet baby girl in our life.
We love you ever so much. No one can resist your charms, least of all your mommy, daddy, and sister. Know that you are loved and cherished.

With all my heart,
Mommy