Dear Emilie (18 and 19 months)

Dear Emilie,

There is no denying it now, you are my big girl now. You are now officially closer to 2 years old than you are to 1 year old.

Even though you are a big girl, you're still my little big girl. You had your 18 month doctors appointment, and you were 21lbs and 11ozs, and 31.8 inches tall. You continue to be a tall little string bean. I think you are going to take after your Papa. You received your last two vaccinations. You were such a good, brave little girl that day. I think it helped that your Great Baba surprised you with a little treat after your appointment.

I won't lie the last couple months have been a little difficult for your Mama. You are no longer my baby, although I still call you that. You are a big girl. You run, and laugh, and talk and play. You throw temper tantrums, and go for days on end where I think the only word you will use is "Noooo!" Thankfully you still love your cuddles, and you think that every boo boo can be magically healed with a kiss. I hope that you continue to believe that for a really long time.

There were a couple months that I didn't know when you would ever really start talking. Now you talk all.the.time. You repeat so much of what we say, and pick things up so quickly. We have to be very careful what we say around you for fear of you saying something bad! You still use some of the signs that I have taught you, but you much prefer to use your words now. There are so many words that you use now I can't even remember them all. There have been a couple times you have put two words together in little "sentences" even though I know it is much too soon for that. You have said "Hi Mama!" and "Oh baby!". We're currently working on please and thank you. You have mastered please "pease", so now it's on to thank you.

You love your baby, and baby buggy, your Mega Blocks, your cousin Josh's talking Elmo, balls, pointing out your family in your little photo album, and your play kitchen. You are forever pointing out the "car car's" on the road, and when you're playing outside you will stop whatever you are you doing when you hear an "a pain" (air plane). You love air plane's.

As much as I will miss you not needing me for everything it is really fun right now. It's fun to watch to you play with you cousin and your friends. You are discovering so much about the world around you and desperately trying to tell your Mama and Papa all about it.