15 months

Charlotte Lee,

I am totally stunned that you are turning 15 months old today.  This time last year you were an itty bitty three month old who couldn't even roll over by herself.  Now you are a full of energy toddler who loves to play hard.  Your developing personality is so entertaining to us and we love watching you become more you with each and every day.  I pray that you will never lose your acceptance of yourself and will retain your ability to just be you because, baby girl, you are the best you that you can ever be and you are just perfect the exact way God made you to be.

I've honestly given up trying to track your vocabulary growth from month to month because I'm pretty sure each time you are awake you learn a new word.  Instead I'll focus on some truly "Charlotte" moments that we've been having.

You love being outside.  A lot of times we'll go sit on the rockers on the front porch or go sit on the patio furniture out back and you'll just walk around the porches.  You love picking up leaves and drying flowers and bringing them to us.  You also love pointing out birds and cars and dogs.  This morning we were playing inside and you started saying "shoes".  You usually say that when you see shoes but there were no shoes in sight.  Eventually you walked into the kitchen and pointed to where your shoes usually are kept all the while continuing to say shoes.  So we asked you if you wanted to go outside and you started squealing and jumping up and down.  When we got outside you were in heaven and then some doves flew onto the parking pad and your world got even better!  We love seeing you so excited and love having you communicate with us!

You also love your toys.  You've developed a real affinity for your baby dolls, your Elmo doll, and recently you found your Scout dog again and have been carrying him around with you.  Last night you knew that your baby dolls were in the ottoman (it's a cube thing with a lid) and so you pointed to it saying doll until we opened it for you and you got your doll out.  You are so sweet loving on your dolls/animals and giving them hugs. 

Charlotte, you are now all over the place.  You can run in little spurts of steps and are always walking somewhere.  You haven't gotten to the point where you want to walk by yourself instead of being held (thank goodness!) but I'm sure it's coming.  You explore the house and I try to give you freedom to explore.  I learned this month that babyproofing for a 12 mo old is different than for a 15 mo old when you took the cabinet lock off of the handles and brought it to me.  Now our cabinet is being secured by an old ponytail holder!  You love walking around on the top step at the pool and feeling the water also. 

Eating is currently a chore that I am growing none too fond of.  You still love (and I mean LOVE) fruit, but everything else you could leave or take depending on the day.  You've recently started eating more beans and veggies (matchstick carrots are great) and you love the pot roast I made the other night but other than that you aren't a huge fan of meat or pasta's.  At Austin's birthday party on Friday though you chowed down and ate almost an entire piece of pizza though where previously you didn't like any kind of red sauces so maybe that's a start.  You aren't dropping food to Luca as much anymore but the resistance to eating food and putting your dirty hands in your hair are bothersome.  I'm praying that you open up to more food soon. 

You've had some fun firsts this past month like your first trip to the lake and on a boat.  You sat in a booster seat for the first time yesterday at lunch and did really well in it.  You now love getting lemonade in a cup with a straw when we go out to eat.  You had your first Bid Day in Tuscaloosa.  You started Mother's Morning Out and did well the first day.  You got your first real boo boo when you bopped your head on your maze box.  You turned around in your car seat and enjoyed watching dvd's on the trip to Tuscaloosa. 

A few funny words and associations are whenever you see a golf cart ("gah car") you immediately say "PaPa" because you usually see Papa in his golf cart.  Because Memma kept calling Papa on her phone while you were in Tuscaloosa you now say Papa when you pick up your pretend phone.  When we ask you if you're ready to go home you always "arf" like the dog says because you want to see Luca.  You can point out most family members in pictures or in person but when we ask where Charlotte is you go find a mirror to point to yourself.  You have known where your belly button is for some time now but this past week you learned to say belly button and have been going around to me and Daddy saying belly button and trying to find ours and showing us yours. 

Charlotte, we love watching you turn into a little girl from a baby.  You are so sweet and love to give us hugs and kisses.  Our heart melts every time you sign "I Love You" to us and when you clasp your hands together when we say "Amen."  You are our precious little girl and we love you so much.  We are loving watching you grow and pray that we are teaching you what you need to know to grow, someday a long time from  now, into the young woman that you will be.

love Mommy