Yeah?

You have learned something new (again) this week. You know how to use intonation in your babble!! It started out in just funny shrieks and babaBBABAbababa. But now when I ask you if you want a drink you answer, YEAH! and When you want to know what that thing in the sky is, you look at me and then look back to the sky and say, YEAH? And I tell you its an airplane and you say YEAH! You have started to pick up on my pointing and use your little pointer finger to touch everything - a speck on the side walk, a cartoon eye in a book, your nose, my nose, my eyes, Ruby's eye, etc. Just recently you starting lifting it towards the sky and I list everything in sight.

We have also practiced blowing, which will come in handy for your birthday (the tears, oh the tears). I bought a pinwheel for a $1 a few weeks ago and its the best dollar I have ever spent. You have watched me blow on it and I have used your hand, neck, and cheeks so you can feel the air. I have also made bubbles in the water in swim class in hopes that you will stop trying to DRINK all the water out of the pool. Anyway, when we were at the doctor for your 2nd ear infection I heard you blowing and looked over at you. And there you were, looking up at the turtle that was hanging from the ceiling, trying to blow it so it would move (I had done this a few minutes earlier). So smart :) And last night as we took a bath by candlelight when the storm knocked the electricity out, I thought about the candle that will be on your cake and wondered if you will be able to blow out the flame. And then I thought about the last 11 months of our lives and how, a few moths before that even, I was in that same bathtub, by candlelight, rubbing your little heel that looked like a rounded arrow stretching through my belly. And I wanted so desperately to kiss that foot and look into the eyes of the little soul that replaced my heart and gave me a bigger, better one. And for the last 11 1/2 months I have kissed those feet every day and thanked God for you, and your heart, and for the chance to be your mom.

Trying to hold on to your babyhood is like watching water trickle through my fingers but I am SO excited to watch your grow and learn new things that it doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would. I loved when you were just a tiny newborn, but I really loved when you were 1 month and your eyes would follow me across the room, but then I REALLY loved when you would smile on purpose and swat at things, but then I really really loved when you started laughing and crawling, but then I was SO in love with your age when you learned to kiss and say MAMA. So... whenever anyone asks what is the best age I will say RIGHT NOW.