Dearest Caroline,
I have loved every minute of the twenty months you have been in my life. I'm sure I have mentioned it before, but your daddy teases me because I love all over you when you are around and then spend my time without you (usually when you are asleep) looking at pictures and oohing and ahhing over you.
You have been talking so much lately, and occasionally, a sentence or phrase bursts out. You went up to Ms. Jaimie (our dance teacher) the other day and said, "I do ballet!" and then twirled.
Your favorite words of the month are apple, cow, cat, and shoe. (Though you say so many more.)
You started eating whole apples this month, and there for a few weeks, they were by far your favorite fruit. You would open the refrigerator, open the crisper, pull out an apple, and then sit down at your table and eat the apple down to the stem. Last Sunday, I pulled out a tomato to slice for salads and found that it had a bite mark on it. Apparently, you had grabbed it, bitten into it, and then replaced it once you discovered it was not an apple.
I'm not sure where the cow obsession came from, but I think it might have started when we took you to the state fair. Ever since, you have had the opportunity to see them several times (both at the school petting zoo and at the church petting zoo during Trunk-or-Treat), and you go right up to them and give them big hugs.
We have had a neighborhood cat wandering around the house lately, and you are very interested in him. I'm not sure if the cat is lost or just out exploring, but I set out some milk for him yesterday, and you were very curious why I would give the cat your milk, "Cat has my milk....mine.....".
Even though you still fit your sandals, I bought you a new pair of shoes (your third pair ever) since it is getting to be a bit chilly. I was originally searching for a nice pair of plain, white, closed-toe shoes, but I fell in love with a precious pair of Lelli Kellys. I'm not sure who loves them more. The first few times you wore them, you could hardly walk because you were so distracted by the flowers and sparkles, and you couldn't stop touching and pointing to them.
Sometime over the past week, you have suddenly struck me as being more like a two-year-old than a toddler. I can't quite pinpoint what the change is, but you are definitely getting bigger. You LOVE to help me and want to be part of every thing I do. There for a little bit, we had you eating by yourself at a little table beside our big table, but that has stopped. You are back at the big table, and you love to point out that you have the same food that I have. I'm even considering getting one of those caged step step stools for you to use while we are in the kitchen.
Your daddy is in charge of getting you up and in the car in the morning. You had been having such a rough time waking up, so this month, he started leaving your door open as he gets ready for work so you can wake up more gently. As a result, you have started getting up all by yourself. The other day, you greeted my by bringing me my phone while I was in the shower.
You have always been fond of spicy foods, but this month, you have had several hilarious incidents where you have been served EXTREMELY spicy foods, and you have proceeded to eat it with gusto. This alone might not be so silly, but every third or fourth bite, you grab your tongue, squeal, and exclaim, "Hot! Hot! Hot!" as you reach for some water. You then repeat these actions until your plate is clean and proceed to beg food off of our plates. When served food that is hot (temperature) you let me know it is "Hot! Hot! Hot!" and then blow on it before taking a bite. Always a helpful child, you try to blow on my food as well.
Also, disciplining you has been especially hard on me this month. The few times I have fussed, you have thrown your arms around my neck and shower my face with kisses. It has been very difficult to suppress a huge grin and not just totally melt.
I love you bunches, my dear sweet baby. Sweet dreams in your newly reconfigured big-girl bed.
xxoo,
Mommy
This afternoon, I was cleaning out Caroline's closet and packing away clothes that she had outgrown. To my surprise, I found that she still fit her Halloween shirt from last year!
She wouldn't let me put on her headband, and I added the tutu and leggings from her costume for an added effect.
"Boo!!!"
Happy Halloween!!!!
