Dearest Emma....

Dearest Emma,
In two days, you will be 15 months old! How did the time pass by so very quickly? It seems as though i've blinked and you are now growing into a little girl, walking, laughing, chatting and trying to run. I've never seen a child with such a joy for life; your Daddy often tells me that we should have named you "Joy" for not only your personality but the pure joy you have brought into our lives. Our lives are truly blessed for having you in it!

Your vocabary is growing....you can now say "turtle", "mama", "dada", "ba" (which i'm sure is ball), "nana" (for banana...you point to the bananas when you say this!), "Emma" (you know your name and will say it as we walk by the little sign your Aunt Claudine gave us with your name on it in your room), "baba" (bottle). You also do this "shhh" noise which makes me smile....when you are getting into something that i'd rather you not get into or getting near the stairs, i tell you "shhh" and you usually stop what you're doing! I hate to use the word "no" so i've started using the "shhh"! You also babble excitedly with your Daddy when he comes home from work in the evenings and i haven't figured out yet which of your faces light up more when the two of your see each other...you two share an amazing bond, Emma. You love to be "helicoptered" down the stairs from your room, you love to be a "sack of potatoes" and of course, you love to be dragged around while sitting in the laundry basket! These 'activities' are Daddy-Only activities, i'm afraid-i am too much into making sure that you are 'safe', lol....

You seem to be an observer of things, interested in seeing how things work. But don't misunderstand me, you are fearless. Fearless to the point where it scares me! It seems that i can't swing you high enough in the swings, or let your Dad put you on the slide enough....you are a true lover of adventure. You also LOVE water! Bath time is a fun, fun time for you....i have finally relented to your Dad and now let you take baths in the 'big girl tub' and you are so enjoying it! You splash, giggle, lay on your stomach like you are swimming, play with your toys, splash some more, splash with your feet and hand-you are a true joy to watch when you are in the tub. I need to getsome video of this soyou can see how funny and cute you are. You will also stand UP in the tub which scares the daylights out of me, but you just giggle.

One of my very favorite moments in the day is when you are playing with your toys and i'm cleaning up or doing laundry and you will look over at me and smile and i smile back and you giggle. I can feel my heart and soul fill with love. I also love ba-ba time with you....it seems that is the only time when you slow down enough to sit with me and cuddle! You pretty much are sleeping through the night now but i still sneak in your room to watch you sleep. You usually are asleep on your stomach, holding Mr. Cupcake under your left arm as you sleep....

You have four bottom teeth, two top teeth that are almost in and two more top teeth that are coming in. Today, you actually bit my shoulder! I don't know who was more surprised that you bit me, you or me!

I hear you waking up.....gotta run.

Love you to the moon and back....
Mommy