Well my love, today you are 14 months old. Incredible. You are a one year old, a toddler, and becoming a very special little girl. You are bright and sunny and full of love. Your joy extends to everyone you meet. You smile and wave and shine your love to those you see whether it's in the grocery store or at a doctor's office. You are healthy and strong and very verbal.

I expected you to try to say words like 'bye-bye' and 'up'. Instead, you try words like 'walrus' and 'yahtzee'. You are the only 1 year old I know that can identify both a walrus and a yahtzee box. I'm not sure I can list all of your words anymore. Nor can I list all of the things that you know. You know many parts of the body (both yours and other people's), you know what sounds animals make and can say some of their names. You know how to ask for help and tell me what the problem is (stuck is a common problem in our house). You know what food you want and what you'd like to drink.

Which brings us to food. My love, you are an eater. You out-eat mama on occasion. Generally, that occasion is breakfast for dinner. You are a big fan of pancakes. We have to cut you off - you're only allowed 3 at a time. Well, once in a while you can talk us into 4. In the morning, you start off your day with a bottle of coconut milk. That's followed by either french toast (which includes an entire egg and applesauce) or pancakes. Then, you have a banana (which you will not share or compromise). Mid-morning, you eat cheerios and raisins. For lunch, you can eat a PB&J plus veggies all by yourself. Between your morning nap and your afternoon nap, you have another bottle of coconut milk. After your afternoon nap, you'll eat as many crackers as you can talk me out of and as much fruit as you can get your little hands on (though generally I try to share the fruit with you). Dinner comes very quickly after your nap, and you'll eat some of whatever we're having, more if it's bread or pancakes. The last time we had breakfast for dinner you had a bowl and a half of applesauce, FOUR pancakes, a piece of bacon, crushed pineapple, and a sippy cup of juice. That was immediately washed down with ANOTHER bottle of coconut milk.

My darling child, you burn a lot of calories in a day, so you can eat whatever you want to keep yourself full. You're in the 89th percentile for height and the 58th percentile for weight. Tall and skinny, just like your dad. Your head circumference is right up there too, I think that was 88th percentile. You're 22 pounds, 2 ounces, and 31 inches long. You are a growing girl.

Now it's late, and mama is tired. We'll be up early tomorrow, because that's how you like it.

Love you,
Mama