Month Thirteen

Dear Aeralyn,

On Monday, you turned thirteen months old.  You’ve made some radical changes this month, and I can hardly believe that this time last year you were a helpless little infant. 

You have turned into a little sponge lately.  Everything you see, you remember.  Everything you hear, you try to repeat.  It is nothing short of amazing.  The other day, I was reading one of your books about animals to you.  It is one that we have read almost every day since you were a couple of months old.  We got to the page with the big tiger on it, and you roared.  I always make the animal sounds when I’m reading that book to you, and you remembered that the tiger says “Roar”.  I couldn’t believe it.  Then later that day, a commercial came on with a tiger on it.  You stopped dead in your tracks and roared at the TV.  You also bark, which is funny because you whisper for some reason.  You meow when you see a cat, and you try to whistle when you see a bird.  You make a fish face sometimes when I ask you to, and you can say “fishy”.  You follow commands like “Get me a book” or “Put it in your toy box”, and you’ve started helping me pick up your toys.  You can choose between two snack choices by pointing at which one you want, and you let me know when you want to nurse by bringing me your pillow.  You are getting so big and independant every day.

With your new skills, you have also been busily developing your attitude.  You are now an expert at pitching fits, something I’d hope to avoid for a few more months.  Meal times are a challenge because when you’re done eating, you think it is time to get out of the highchair immediately.  And if that doesn’t happen?  You get a little angry.  But you will learn, I’m sure of it. 

You have developed a deep love for shoes, and if it were up to you, you would always have a pair on your feet.  Even while sleeping.  When I first started putting shoes on you, I worried that you wouldn’t like the confinement of them, or that you wouldn’t sit still for me to get them on your feet.  But that is definitely not the case.  You bring them to me and wait to be picked up so that I can put them on you.  Then you will sit on my lap patiently until I finish strapping them on.  I get the most fuss out of you when I take them off. 

We are taking you on your first vacation this weekend, and we couldn’t be more excited.  We are going to the GA Aquarium to see the fishies, and if the weather permits, we are going to the zoo to see the tigers.  I hope you enjoy it, and I will take plenty of pictures for you to see when you’re older.

I can’t wait to see what this month brings.  I love you punkin’, more than words can say. 

Mama