Dear Emme,

Your mama has done a sorry job keeping up with your milestones since you turned one year old... and now you are almost 1 and a half! It is just crazy the difference that one year can make. Last year at this time you were just learning to sit up, nap (hehe- I'll tell you that story some day!), and start rice cereal. At almost 17 months you are a hilarious, wonderful, sweet, joyful girl.  You absolutely light up our lives.

- You impress us with your knowledge of animal sounds: sheep, lion, horse, cat, dog, elephant, bird, monkey... you also think that pigs say "lalala" because of the Sandra Boyton book we read and any other animal pretty much says "Raaaaar!"
- You can tell us where your eyes, nose, mouth, ears, belly button, and hair are and say each of those words. You like to find them on our bodies too.
- You love to eat. You have a dinner bell that goes off and you expect a meal :) Your favorite food is definitely "snack snacks" (fruit snacks)- you know exactly where they are in the pantry and can find them yourself.  In addition you will tell us "cracker" "nana" "fruit" "cheese" and you will also lick your fingers and smack your lips when the peanut butter comes out :) You will also readily tell us "please" and "thank you." Seriously adorable stuff ("thank you" also means, "I'm gonna do this for you now...")
- You are also READY for nap and bed time. You will happily pronounce "nite nite" and sign "sllleeeep" and hop right into bed, laughing, because you are SO ready.  It makes us laugh too.
- Music is so fun for you. You love to turn on music and dance. Lately you have started spinning in circles to the music- I think you like the feeling of being slightly dizzy. Haha!
- You are an organizer. Everything has a place. You will organize our remotes, your toys, anything with pieces. You like to know how things work- and take them apart if possible. You like to unscrew water bottles, play with Daddy's itouch, and do things that have several steps. Future engineer, maybe? Must be Daddy's genes- you are a Miss Fix-It. You love to be a helper to others and will help us clean up, do laundry, dust, etc. all with a smile in tow.
- Shoes could also be called an obsession for you... accessories actually. Hair bows, earrings, socks, gloves, hats... one word... LOVE. You have a special place in your heart for cell phones (ours are prefereable).
- You have started to play independently. We will find you happily playing in your room or any room for that matter! You love to close doors, and are very close to being able to open them too (I'm a little afraid!!)
- You are also getting more and more interested in books, favorites include... Lily's Twinkly Bedtime Story (classic literature- lots of glitter fairies involved) and Red Hat Green Hat.
- You are not a TV watcher but will watch Baby Signing Times and Veggie Tales sing along (Score!) You have learned a lot from Baby Signing Times- partially because you were forced to watch it about 25 times on our trip to TN over Thanksgiving. :)
- You have started posing for the camera (when you feel like it) and will say "Cheese!"
- Your BFF Rylan taught you to say your name. Especially at meal times you will say "meme...meme" too cute...
- You adore babies.  You love to cuddle them, hold them, dress them up (accessories!), and carry them around.  You also sleep with a special nite nite baby and paci (of course).
- You know our basic places that we go.  You love to go out and about and will say "Bye Bye!" and rush for the door. You know when we are going to the store, jazzercise, or church.
- At church you have learned to pat the Bible- and at home we are learning about Jesus and learning to pray.  Our greatest desire is that you will soon know Him as your Lord and Savior.  We can't wait for that day!

I am quite sure I am leaving out some seriously humorous and fun tricks you can do right now.  I hope to be a little better about documenting them, because the time is flying by and I don't want to forget those precious moments that happen in our every day living.  I thank God for giving you to me, Emme.

Love,
Mommy