Month Fifteen

Skylie,

I’m not sure I can keep up these monthly letters! I had high hopes of writing you notes every month of your life, but we’re not even two years into this ordeal and I’m falling behind! I will try to be better.

Over the past month your vocabulary has skyrocketed! It seems like every day my jaw drops when you utter a new word. Daddy and I might be the only ones that understand what you’re saying, but you are speaking nonetheless. Yesterday I asked you, “Can Mommy have a kiss?” to which you quickly responded, “No.” Well then…

I am still recovering from that hit to my self-esteem! :)

When you wake up from naps, you’ll often bark out “Mama, mama”, in a voice that sounds more like a drill sargeant's order than a child’s plea! But my favorite phrase you’re now saying is “pees” (please) and “cheese”. You love saying the “s” sound and get a big grin every time you say those words. You have started saying a few two-word phrases, such as “more powerball” and “Hi Dadda”. You’ve been quick picking up on words like “gookie” (cookie), and are uncommonly quick to belt out “more” and “please” when treats are at stake!

You love making animal noises! Often you’ll repeat, “gitty” (kitty) and “meow”, over and over and over again. Our neighbor has a cat, and this morning you darted out our front door and headed to our neighbor's asking for “gitty”.

Once Daddy said, “Hey little monkey….” to you. You quickly responded with an “Eee-ee, Ooo-oo.” We got a big kick out of that one! But my all time favorite animal noise you make is that of an elephant. Since I can’t make an accurate elephant noise, we taught you to say “bonk, bonk, bonk” while swaying your body back and forth (the noise and movement that an elephant makes when it walks).

You love dogs and cats an aren't afraid to walk right up and give them hugs and kiss them on their mouth. Sometimes I wish you'd have a little bit of fear.

You know your body parts, and when we read the book “Eyes and Nose, Fingers and Toes,” you point to your body parts at perfect times during the story. You love sticking out your tongue! I attribute that to all the times Daddy stuck his tongue out at you on Webcam. Dad was initially hesitant for me to teach you where your bum is, but your bootie is so cute, it’d be a shame not to flaunt it! ;)

You know some shapes and can say “kircle” (circle) and “star”. Saying “car” and “voom, voom” are some of your favorite words.

You love playing the "Up Down" game. You'll sit up tall in your high chair then scrunch down and then sit up and down and up and down, over and over again. Meanwhile, Daddy or I say, "Up, down, up, down, up, down...". That game is always sure to send you into a giggle fit.

On Monday, November 29 you visited Santa and rode a holiday train at the mall. You sobbed on Santa's lap, but the train mesmerized you, and you've added "choo-choo" to your vocabulary.

You adore your babysitter! Grandma Gloria is one of your favorite people in the world, and you are always so excited to spend the day with her twice a week. I feel so lucky that you have a grandparent figure here in Iowa, since your real grandparents live so far away.

Tonight a meeting prompted me to think about my most meaningful Christmas. Without a doubt, the best Christmas I've ever experienced was two years ago. My gift arrived a little late that year, when two days after Christmas we discovered that you were on your way to join our family. You are so precious to us, and we love you dearly.

Love,
Mom

The hugs I get from you are rare, but I'll take them any chance I get!

In your Christmas dress

Hiking on trails at Ledges State Park on November 6

One night you climbed up on the kitchen chair, and we caught you with fork and knife in hand, ready to chow down on some dinner!