16 Months

Dear Gracie,

In the first fifteen months of your life, outside of scheduled check-ups, you only visited the doctor once for a weird rash on your face.  In the sixteenth month of your life, you saw three different doctors in one week.  So not fun.

For about 10 days of this month, you were a hot mess.  First, you got a chest cold that you just couldn't shake.  Then, your eyes turned red and your nose became a faucet.  Once you started running a low fever, we decided to take you to the doctor.  Upon entering the waiting room, you threw up all over me and yourself.  Daddy and I both just stood there in shock for a good 60 seconds before the wonderful ladies at the front desk jumped into action and were cleaning things up and rushing us into a restroom.  My poor little baby, you were absolutely miserable.  One look at the doctor entering the room, and you started wailing and did not stop for about the next hour.  It was brutal.  Finally, they sent us home with directions to start some allergy meds.  As Daddy pulled you out of the car in our garage, you threw up again, this time all over him.  You've probably been wanting to do that for awhile now.  A few days later, and you were miserable again.  You were sleeping in 30 minute spurts at night, and I was functioning like a zombie during the day.  So, back to the doctor we went.  One breathing treatment and a double ear infection diagnosis later, and we were off to the drugstore to fill your antibiotic prescription.  While I was in the store, you threw up all over yourself in your car seat.  Man oh man.  We cuddled a lot that week, on the couch and in bed, something you normally would never put up with.  I guess that was the silver lining in this awful storm cloud.  I got to hold you like my little baby again.  Oh, and I almost forgot, you also had four teeth pop through during this time.  Once again, you were a hot mess.  Guess what?  You survived.  We all survived.

Up until this point, it feels like most of your big milestones have been physical - rolling over, walking, running, climbing Mt. Everest, etc.  This month, your brain seriously exploded (seriously - cleaning brain out of your ears every night after bath time), and Gracie, you are sooo smart!  I mean I knew you would be, but the things you are doing and SAYING are blowing me away.  You have added the following words to your vocabulary - cracker, sticker, cheese, keys, and shoes.  You say everything with such enthusiasm - like every word has at least four syllables and takes you 20 seconds to say.  Cheese is cheeeeeeeeeeese?  Everything pretty much ends with a question mark.  Sticker is hands down my favorite - stchxxxxxxer?  That's exactly how it would be spelled the way you say it.  Your favorite word is probably, more.  You want more of everything.  I've been singing a lot of Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell" to you because of that, but I change up the words.  "You loved my pot-roast and peas, you cried, more, more, more!"  There are a few words that you say over and over that we just can't quite make out.  The other night, at the dinner table, Daddy and I spent a good fifteen minutes trying to figure it out. 
Grace: phire?
Daddy:  fire?
Grace:  oh (shakes head no)
Momma:  fly?
Grace:  oh (shakes head no)
Daddy:  fine:
Grace:  oh (shakes head no)
This went on for awhile, until you deemed us too stupid to converse with, and left the room to talk to your dolls.

Your personality is really starting to shine through, and honey, you are such a little lover!  You've started to give CLOSED mouth kisses (hallelujah!), and make a little mwah sound.  We get kisses, your dolls all get kisses, and Daisy gets A LOT of kisses.  Sometimes, if you really want to get your point across, you drag out the mwah sound so it's more like this...mmmmmmmwwwwwwaaaahhhhh.  Those are the best kisses - sometimes your lips don't even make contact because you are so concerned about the length of the sound.  Also, you started hugging us.  You've never been a cuddly baby, so it's been fun to finally get some affection from you.  You can be pretty judgy about when and to whom you distribute said affection though.  Sometimes in the morning you wake up on the wrong side of the crib, and Daisy is the only one who gets a good morning kiss.  Sometimes friends of ours are relegated to high five only status while you lay a long one on some random kid at the playground.  Fickle, much?

School is FINALLY over, which means I'm home with you full time again until August/Septemberish.  It also means that we went on our annual 4th of July vacation to the Fleming Cottage in Caseville, MI.  This year, you spent the first few days of vacay with Gramma and Papa Jack ALONE, while Daddy and I did adult stuff by ourselves.  This was the first time I've ever been away from you overnight since you were born.  I think I handled it well.  You handled it a little too well.  When we finally showed up at the cottage, you barely registered a smile when we walked through the door.  I was expecting you to throw yourself at us, but I reminded myself that this was a sign that you did just fine without us, which was important to me.  I wanted you and your grandparents to enjoy some alone time together.  We had so much fun during those days Up North.  You attended your very first parade, and sat on Daddy and I's shoulders clapping and waving your little American flag the entire time.  Your little hands had to hurt from so much waving.  Each tractor or fire truck that went by elicited a very enthusiastic "wooooow" from you.  The wows were my favorite part.  You whispered them under your breathe like you really could not believe there was a big tractor rolling right down the middle of Main Street!  I wish I could see the world through your eyes for a day and be amazed again by small town parades and fireworks.  Never lose that sense of wonder and joy - it is so charming!

Last month you were barely walking barefoot on grass, and this month you were getting down and dirty planting a garden with me on our back patio.  There was a raised bed up for grabs out back, so we decided to plant some green beans, cherry and grape tomatoes, and some herbs and marigolds.  Armed with a child sized garden spade and watering can, you were the best helper ever.  You especially loved to pull weeds which actually is now problematic now that the plants have sprouted and you think we should pull those too!  We usually garden for a little bit every morning, and I've started just throwing you in your bathing suit so I can hose you down when we're finished...that's how dirty you are getting!  As a born and raised farm child, watching you run your little John Deere tractor over the dirt makes me so happy.  I take a million pictures of you every morning while you move dirt and pour buckets of water all over the place.  Of course, you often do this while wearing several necklaces and a bow in your hair.  I love how well rounded you are!

I hear you babbling in your room right now, and I can't wait to go pick you up and (hopefully) get my post-nap smooch and hug!  Crossing my fingers that your dreams were full of all the fun we had this morning, and you will grant them to me!

xoxo
Momma

p.s.  You hate having your picture taken all of the sudden.