Fifteen Months

Dear Cole,

Fifteen months.  That's how old you are.  I've been lucky enough to hold several fresh baked babies in the past few weeks and all of them remind of me of how teeny tiny you used to be!  Now you are so long, your limbs spill out all over when I'm snuggling you.  Now you're so heavy I have to brace myself when I'm lifting you into your high chair or car seat.  And so wiggly and squirmy and strong that if you decide you DO NOT WANT to sit in the shopping cart NO MAMA NO SHOPPING CART and you arch your back dramatically and splay your legs and SCREAM at the top of your lungs that I do not have a chance of getting you into the shopping cart unless I spontaenously sprout an extra three or four arms.

Anyway.  You are developing a strong little personality.  I'm pretty sure you are in full on toddlerhood now, complete with tantrums, which descend when I don't let you do something EXTREMELY DANGEROUS that you are DYING to do - like opening the cupboards with poisonous cleaning supplies in them.  Or climbing the bookshelf.  Or running into the street.  Yup, I'm the meanest mama around.

But even though you have a few of those tantrum moments a day, 95% of the day is spent with you exploring and grinning and laughing and making a mess.  You are getting cuter by the day - just when I thought it wasn't possible for you to get any more adorable!

This month you've learned to blow kisses, which is pretty much the most adorable thing ever. You'll also give high fives (selectively) which is also adorable.  This month has been awesome for you having your daddy around all the time, so you are starting to prefer him to me sometimes.  You love going up and down our stairs (you get a huge proud grin on your face!).  You adore drinking water from a glass.  And you are a huge fan of eating ANYTHING - I actually plan on asking our pediatrician if you even have tastebuds, because you eat anything we put in front of you. 

Also this month?  I've learned that I am not allowed to blink anymore, because you can get into trouble in literally the blink of an eye.  Seriously.  I turned around to rinse a bowl in the sink, and when I turned back around you had somehow managed to open the screen door on the slider out to the deck.  And you were just delighted with yourself for outsmarting your slow mama.  So yup...no more blinking for me.  You are just too quick!

You are STILL not sleeping through the night (4:30 am wake up call, anyone?!) and you are STILL not talking, not a single intentional word.  But that's ok.  We're not going to rush you, we want you to develop at your own pace. With that said, however, anytime you feel like sleeping in till, oh, six or so - I sure won't complain.  And your daddy is just dying to hear you say his name! 

Even though you don't speak at all yet, you still communicate very effectively.  Yesterday I asked you what was wrong, and you took my hand to pull me toward the fridge, where you handed me your sippy cup.  I told your daddy that must mean you're a genius.

Oh little mister, you make us happier than we ever thought was possible.  You are challenging and thrilling and amazing.  You make us laugh and cry (usually from lack of sleep).  I can't wait to see what new skills you'll learn this next month!

We love you more than anything,
Love, Mama and Daddy