January 12, 2019

Dear Little Peanut,

I can’t believe you are 18 months. A year and a half of you and it just keeps getting better and better. I often think you can’t possibly get any cuter…and then next thing I know, you’ve grown a little, or you do something that makes us laugh. You truly feel our lives with laughter and I love it so much.

One thing you’ve recently started to do is say ‘ready, set, go!’ Only it sounds more like ‘reddy, se, do!’ You typically say this right before you start hitting things. You collect a ton of different things in your lap and then you’ll say ready, set, go and start frantically hitting them. It’s hilarious! I love it so much. The other day at the store you started saying it and I would push the cart super fast and you would just giggle so much!

Something you’re actually doing right now as I type this and recently found funny is blowing on the desk chair to make a fart noise…you’re such a boy! But when you blow and make a funny noise you just crack up laughing! It’s adorable!! And it makes me laugh, too.

You recently love bath time. You even ask for a ‘beth’ all the time. It makes me start thinking, where did my little baby go? You’re growing up. You’re learning what you like and what you don’t like. Your little personality is growing and developing everyday! I’m desperately trying to hold on to the memories, and images definitely help with that. I take videos of you all the time, as well. I love looking back at them and seeing how little you once were.

Another thing I never want to forget: how you always have to hold something small in your hand. You’ll find a rock outside and will hold onto it for the rest of the day. Or a dice. Or a small toy. Or a marble. I actually just checked to see if you had something in your hand, and you do! An orange dice that you probably got from grandma’s house. When you first started doing this, I worried that you might try to put them in your mouth…but you don’t. You somehow understand that only food goes in your mouth, which I’m grateful and blessed because I know that’s not always the case for all kids.

Turning 18 months old means that you get to go into nursery at church, which is for 18 months – 3 year olds. You went this past Sunday and seemed excited to play with the toys. When I came to pick you up you burst into tears. The nursery leaders told us you were pretty happy the whole time. I’m hopeful that this week will be better. 🙂 I want you to start making friends and learning from other children. It breaks my heart to see you cry and that upset, though. Being an attached parent, I didn’t want to drop you off and then just leave you to cry. So I waited until you got distracted and then slipped out. I think that is the key. I will never leave you in there crying. Because I think that is abrupt and mean to do. I’m hoping you’ll start to like it, you did seem to really like the toys in there. And you already know where they are!

Your favorite meal recently is black beans and rice. You actually ask for it. I also try to get you to eat anything and everything I’m eating, but sometimes you are very picky. Which is typical of a toddler, so I don’t get too offended when you don’t want to try my cooking. 🙂 I’m so proud when you do try something new, though. Even if you don’t like it. At least you tried it!

All in all, you keep us on our toes. There’s always something new to laugh about with you. There’s always something new to explore. And you really love making your daddy laugh. Oh, speaking of daddy, he’s still your buddy. Sometimes when you wake up, you’ll ask for ‘dada’ and I’ll have to say that he’s at work or school. And you’ll be sad for a little bit before playing again. But once daddy comes home, you usually run and give him a hug and a kiss! It’s so sweet. You love snuggling your daddy. You often have a hard time going to sleep at night before snuggling and giving daddy a kiss first. Which is so cute. And of course, your daddy just loves it.

I hope you know or feel the love your parents have for you. Your whole family has for you. We all really enjoy watching you grow and learn. There are so many people who love you. Who have loved you from the time they found out I was expecting a child. I often pray to Heavenly Father and thank him for the sweet spirit he sent me. He answered my prayers when we were trying to conceive…I used to ask Him, when He was ready, to send me one of his sweetest spirits he could…and you know what? He did. You are amazing. And you have so much love and excitement for everything. I love seeing the world through your eyes. And I hope you always keep this excitement.

I love you so much.

Love, Mama