Month Sixteen

Skylie,

This past month has been so fun! I love the stage that you’re in right now. You are easy to please, fun to play with, and are learning and growing so much! You are quick to laugh and show off your smile to anyone who’ll give you attention.

At sixteen months:

• You celebrated your second Christmas and LOVED unwrapping gifts!
• You are obsessed with cats. Once at a friends’ house, you spotted their feline friend, and stalked that cat constantly for two hours! She darted under the Christmas tree and behind the kitchen table, and it was no surprise that you too, squirmed your way into those tight spaces in an attempt to follow her.
• You tasted hot chocolate and soda for the first time. Both were a big hit in your book!
• You loved playing with your cousins at Christmas. You became four-year-old Savannah’s sidekick. In her words she “made sure you didn’t get into trouble”. You loved all the attention and soon were climbing onto Savannah’s lap to give her hugs and kisses.
• You took to your grandparents like no other! I’d never seen you want to be held by anyone other than your dad or me, but on more than one occasion you reached for each of your grandparents instead. They completely adore you!
• You also loved playing in Ethan’s toy tent, so when we arrived home in Des Moines, we set up our—slightly larger—camping tent in our living room for you to play in.
• You now say “more please”, and “thank you”. Teaching you manners has been my downfall, because now when you want candy and you ask, “Mo pees. Mo pees.” it is nearly impossible to deny you your wish.
• You experienced time outs for the first time after punching my face incessantly. After your one minute time out you proceeded to rub my face and give me kisses.
• You say “Brr!” when it’s cold! So cute!
• You take one nap, usually beginning at 1 p.m.. If we’re lucky you’ll nap for three hours.
• You are completely a mama’s girl. If we snuggle in bed in the morning, you’ll flip and turn until our heads are smashed together, which I don’t always appreciate considering you have gross morning breath.
• Your verbal skills are soaring and you’ll attempt to repeat almost anything I ask you to say.
• Often we’ll look through books, and Dad or I will ask, “What’s that?”. Lately you’ve begun mimicking us and will point to something, ask “That?”, and wait for our response.
• You try to be a grown up and do whatever we do. We read the book, Where is Baby’s Mommy? by Karen Katz. The book goes something like this: “Is Mommy in the closet? No, my wagon is in the closet...” When reading that book, you now say “No!” with the exact same timing, tone, and emphasis that I use. It is a little scary to think you’re becoming a mini me!

You bring so much happiness to our lives! What did we ever do without you?!

Love,
Mom