Dear 17 Month Old Bathing Beauty,

{ Matine is now nearly 18 months old and it's time for another letter... but, here's a review of what she was into until she was 17 months... CATCH UP MOM! }

Oh, the things you are up to these days

I wish I could jot down DAILY a new thing you do, say or imitate.  You are growing so fast and every minute of your life is just fascinating to me.  You seem to be constantly talking and narrating still, but now you are repeating most words verbatim and I find that I actually understand you now.  You communicate entire thoughts with such ease now.  With a combination of words, signs or actions, you can tell us what you are thinking, feeling and needing most of the time.

Hands down, your favorite thing is TOAST.  You ask me for toast every day, at every meal.  You look up with those big puppy-dog brown eyes and make the sign for toast with your hands and say "tosst."  Sometimes you even throw in a "mo" or "plez" with it.    It's adorable, and likely going to be what I remember the most about this age.

Apparently your Uncle Clark NEVER sat down in his highchair to eat and neither will you. You aren't the most consistent eater, but you manage to grow and stay healthy.  Some days, the high chair is merely a perch for you to play with forks or spoons, talk to us, or show off.  Other days, you eat up an entire plate... I have quit fretting over your nutrition --- I figure it all balances out.   Lately, you have enjoyed "quiche" and it is SO cute when you say it... Your lips get really pouty and "duck like" and with that little voice -- melt my heart!

You still love to be outside.  This morning, I had to take off your shirt after breakfast (of toast, eggs, and fig yogurt) because you were filthy, so all you were wearing was your spotted PJ bottoms.  Your crazy blond hair was all frizzy and uncombed and you found a plastic jug that I keep under the sink.  You were sitting on our back patio step, topless, frizzed out hair and you had a dog on each side of you.  They follow you around like you are a pied piper.  With the jug you were "pretend" pouring them water and talking to them with all the animation and intensity in the world.  You sit there, unaware that anyone is watching, just having the most peaceful conversation.  You look up, watch the birds, look at the sky and gently pet and rub your "puppies."   It's precious and it is such a glimpse into your gentle, sweet and peaceful little soul.

You still love your little animals and babies.  You point out animals in books, on the street, in the store, on the TV... You LOVE babies and make sure to tell me anytime you see "babeee" or "popppy."  You carry your baby around kissing it, rocking it, patting it on the head, laying it down to sleep.  I can't beleive how maternal you already are.  It makes me happy to think that a little brother or sister (someday, this isn't an announcement) will be a fun thing for you and you will make the very best Big Sister ever.
You still LOVE other kids, especially those that are a bit older than you, especially older girls.  You take to them immediately and dive right in to "play" with them.  Hide and seek, dolls, pushing things, running around, rocking in chairs, puzzles, or coloring - you mimic what you see and look at them with such adoration and amazement.  You are a friend to all and never hesitate to try to make a new friend - young or old.

You are very smart and we don't' have to tell you things more than once before you understand it or get it.  If we tell you not to touch the coffee mug on the table, you will walk up to it, stick your hand out (but not touch it) and shake your hand and say "no, hot."  You don't even test it.  You just remember and very matter of factly, repeat "no, hot" to it the next time you pass.  You do this with the Jim Pa's computer or certain things in the house that you aren't supposed to get into.   We have hardly had to childproof anything.  We just tell you not to mess with something, and you don't.  Amazing!   You do like to test me with standing in your high chair however.  You give me the MOST mischievous look (it's a smirk) and make your eyes really big and wait for me to tell you to sit down.  You then look at me and say, "no sit!"  And of course, you don't sit.   I have already lost that battle I am quite sure.  But, you are pretty well behaved as you stand and eat and I am just letting that one go...


You LOVE LOVE LOVE your JimPa and Nona.   You have started saying "NaNo" for mom... She just marvels at you and you have no idea how loved you are little girl.  They both sit around just watching your every sound and move and think that you might just be the only baby on the Planet that can do the things you do... at least, you do them the best!

At their house, they have a big cloth cooler-box that has a layer of dried beans in it.  It's the perfect size for you to crawl in and hang out.  You love to shut the flap on top and pop out.  You have a cup in it and you fill it up with beans, dump them, play with them ... It is seriously HOURS of entertainment this "bean box."  You will take yourself in the kitchen after playing with other things and just crawl in and play - all by yourself.   And like the sweet Grandpa he is, Jim sweeps up those beans and puts them back - over and over and over - never complaining that their entire house can be covered in lentils and kidney beans!  They let you be a kid, let you explore, and imagine... and you do!

You most recently got a Little Tikes car from them, one that is large enough to get in and motor around like the Flinstones.  You only go backwards in it, but that doesn't seem to concern you much, as you love to just "be" in it. You inspect and examine every inch of it, turning the wheel, the key, the horn, and opening and shutting the doors.  You just get in and out of it over and over for hours!

The library is a new fun activity.  Since you are not consistently taking 2 naps a day now, we have a bit more time to get out and about during the day.  Twice now you have gone to the library.  We go downstairs to the kids section where there's a big play area and so many great books and toys.  You love to pull books off the shelves, look at them and then move on.  We have picked out books for you to bring home and you love to read them.  You think it's very fun to take them back to the library and drop them off in the book drop hole.

Your favorite books these days are books with real pictures of wildlife.  You love to see elk, bear, wolves, moose, and birds.  You make noises for them and very closely examine them.  You also watch YouTube videos of elk bugling.  You mimic a cow call so well and will randomly make the elk call when you see an elk in a book, a toy, along the road, on a shirt ... anytime really.  This makes us laugh and realize, you really are a Montana Girl.  Your daddy is oh, so proud!


You do a lot of reading to yourself and talking yourself through your books.  You will even laugh at the high points of the story and thumb through bigger grown up books like an adult.  Your favorites are The Big Red Barn, Goodnight Moon, Three Little Pigs, Little Red Hen, your wildlife books, "Blue Hat, Green Hat, Oops!", Richard Scarry's Best Story Book Ever (anything from it),  Dr Seuss books, Wee Little Lamb, the Belly Button Book, and really just about anything.

I hope we have a nice long fall, because we have much more bike riding to do.  You LOVE to ride on the front of the bike in the "Wee Ride."  You will run to the bike and try to climb in before I can even get situated.  You ask to "bi ride" and you love your "hat" (Helmet) and never let us forget to put it on you immediately.   You squeal, talk and sing the entire time we ride and you just soak up everything. Pointing out "poppies" "kitties" "birds" and anything you see.  You now notice bodies of water (creeks, rivers, puddles) and get so excited for "wa wo" (water). 

Dancing - you are a dancer.... Anytime, anywhere, you can make up your own tune if you need music.  You are getting quite good now and will move your feet really fast, twirl, raise and lower your hands, just about anything now.   We occasionally catch "Dancing with the Stars" on tv and you LOVE to dance with them.  You even know when it's a slower waltz or a faster jive.  You grab your baby and will swing and twirl and hold it just like it were a dancing partner.  None of this was prompted by us - this is all you!

You love to see horses.  You heard your Nana Jo call the horses in one day (which you love to do with her) and she was yelling for our "Olie" horse.  She yells "Olie, Olie, Olie!"  - You know try to say Olie, Olie, Olie as fast as you can whenever you see a horse.  It's adorable.



You love to sing right now.  Hokey Pokey, "Bye Bye Baby" (an original that JimPa made up with you), Miss Mary Mack, Twinkle Twinkle, and other "unknown" tunes that you sing all day long.   You love to sing Happy Birthday and when you do, it's always "Happy Birthday to CASH!"  You really must have loved singing to your favorite cousin.  You also love the "Daughter" song by Loudon Wainright and get so excited when it comes on in the car.  Usually when you sing, you like to spin and twirl.  They seem to go hand in hand.  And when a song is over, you very enthusiastically clap, grin ear to ear, and yell, "yaaayyyyy!"  You still watch the Rodrigo and Gabriella guitar players on DVD and do "air guitar" with them. You bop your head, jam out and LOVE to watch and listen to their amazing acoustic guitars. 


You love your grandparents - all of them and it is so fun to see them all love you.  You freely give them kisses, hugs, snuggle with them, and can play endlessly for hours.  You are so lucky to have them around.

You wear size 18 month - 24 month clothes, are getting much leaner and taller, and wear size 4 diapers now.  You  still only have 4 teeth - to front uppers and two bottom, with a big gap in the top ones.  You still crinkle your nose (like me) when you laugh hard or smile big.  Your eyes juggle back and forth between a deep green and a light brown.  You have your dad's gorgeous dark olive skin and have never had a single blemish or bump on it.   You got your first scabbed knee last week and made a BIG deal of your "ouch."  Dare I introduce you to band-aids?  You still want your pacifier at night, naps and if you see it laying around the house.  You call it your "mam" (have no idea why).  You will take it out and come find me to hand it to me when you don't want it in your mouth.  I think that's funny.  You won't carelessly discard it like anything else, it must be placed in responsible hands so that it can be located when it's needed later!


















Kid, you are just sweet.  You are just funny.  You are just perfect.  You make us laugh every single day and you are just a joy to be around.  You are darling and we are so, so, so, lucky to be your parents. 

Love you to the moon,

Momma