My dear amazing Lucy,
You are now 15 months old. Currently we are on Maui spending 2 weeks in our family condo (new! getting it ready for renters) working hard and trying to find time to play. You turned 15 months the day before we flew out and things have been busy since so I'm writing this a few days late.
You've had quite a busy month, development wise. The first couple of years of a childs life are amazing, you go from a tiny mewling baby to a walking, talking person with opinions... and you're no different. You're not walking just yet but you get closer every day. You're willing to walk holding someone's hands (occasionally just one hand!) but if we let go you either look up at us like we've forsaken you, or you plop down on your butt and keep scooting to where you want to be. I think you could do it but you lack the confidence, and frankly we keep picking you up so why bother walking? I know you're getting excited about it though because you also are practicing standing, especially on uneven surfaces, which you find hilarious.
Some kids rush to getting mobile but you're taking your own sweet time. However you're doing a few other things at lightning speed... You are very interested in the potty. You sign potty every chance you get and often pee and poop on the potty. It's so bizarre but I'm going with it! Learning her body's potty cues was a big challenge for your big sister and when she finally got it there was mad rejoicing all over the world, so it's quite crazy for me to see you getting it so quickly and so young. I just have to keep reminding myself that you two are completely different people and you'll each do things in your own way, in your own time. She was walking by 13 months and clearly you're doing that differently too.
Also, you're quite a communicator. Your receptive language (your ability to understand what we are asking or telling you) is outstanding. You are always replying 'yep' or 'yeah' when you want something, and you slowing shake your head no when you don't, or you say 'nope!' at your 15month appointment, when asked how many words you had (you only needed to have 3 to be considered developing as expected) we counted at least 15. You also use sign language often, doing whatever you need to do to get your needs met. It's taken a long time but you're finally saying "mama!" You've been saying "Sissy" and "Daddy" and even "Isa" (Isaiah, your preschool teacher) for months but mama was a hard won victory for me. Still it's not nearly as often as "Daddeeeeeee" when you want him or when he walks in the room, but I know where your heart lies (with the milk maker). I know your little brain is bursting with thoughts and ideas and you are just waiting for the words to come to you.
You're also feeding yourself with a spoon and a fork! Frankly you'll eat anything if it's on a fork, it's just that novel to you. You can successfully scoop apple sauce and get almost all of it in your mouth and you're working hard to spear food with a fork, but if I spear it for you, you grab it from my hand and feed yourself.
You're also stacking blocks (mega blocks/duplo) all the way up to 6-7 blocks high. You just started this on our trip and you are SO proud of yourself!
You experienced your first Halloween (and your sisters best one so far, but that is a story for her next love letter). I Dressed you as a flower, Ruby was a butterfly fairy and I was the gardener. I tried to convince your daddy to go as a bag of fertilizer, but he didn't think that was too funny.
You've become quite a comedian. Some days it's just silly peek-a-boo, but other days you'll do this silly thing where you lay your head down then sit up and laugh and laugh like it's the best joke ever. We can't help but join you in it, and when we all laugh together, you laugh even harder.
You've taken to Ruby's old scooter. Your daddy made it for her first birthday and she was too scared to get on it for several months. You however got on it the first time we brought it out, and with a little help from your favorite big sister you're scooting around the house. You can't get on or off on your own and when you need to get down you get a little frightened but over all, it's a big love.
Speaking of great love...
You are SO in love with your sister. Every morning you wake up and ask for milk and then immediately afterwards sit up and say "SISSY?" For two weeks during the last month your daddy was gone (in Maui, doing work on the condo) so Ruby was sleeping on a mattress in our room and most night she ended up in bed with us. So you'd crawl right over to her and snuggle her up (or pounce on her is a better descriptor). That usually devolved into someone getting annoyed (you) and someone else getting everyone out of bed fast (me). Two weeks away from your daddy was ROUGH on all of us. We survived, with the help of a sleep over, some play dates, dinners out and a lot of FaceTime. Now that we're all on vacation it seems totally worth it but you sure did miss your daddy something fierce.
You also got your first vaccination this month. We choose delayed and selective vaccines and chose to do one that seems to be posing a risk in our area. You weren't too fond of the shot, and had minimal reaction to it (a small welt on your leg and a little diarrhea). I actually wouldn't note it, except looking back at these letters I wrote Ruby have been helpful in piecing together the past when you're old and tired, so there it is.
My sweet darling Lucy, I can't believe you're growing up so fast, right before my eyes. You'd think that since I'd done this before with your sister that it wouldn't be such a shock that you're growing up, but... I guess it always is. You are SUCH a sweet child. You are freely giving of kisses and hugs and you are such a love. You are silly and funny and perfect. I still can't believe you're finally here with us, and yet it seems like you always have been. I guess it's because we've been waiting for you all of this time.
All of my love, all of my heart, Mama