18 Months

My dear Val,

I have resigned myself to the inevitable passage of time. No matter what I do, I will continue blinking and see you become a different person altogether between the blinks. This is just how it's going to be until one day your mom and I are pulling away from the curb, leaving you at college while we wonder how many blinks it was really, from that warm day when we first met you until the moment we leave you behind to start your life as an adult.

But today, as we pause between those blinks, you amaze me more every day. You run at great speed, shouting while running when you're very excited. Your love for Elmo continues, with no signs of stopping.

Added to your loves now are Blue's Clues and Jack's Big Music Show. More than once you've woken up to ask for Jack and start tapping your foot. It's not Barney or any of those horrible shows so who am I to argue?

I hate to say this one out loud for fear of jinxing it, but it seems that we've gotten your sleep mostly squared away. You lie between us in your spot in our bed, watching Blue and Jack until you fall asleep, then we move you to your crib, where you stay the rest of the night. I'm sure the glow of the tv is rotting your brain somehow but for now, it's working and I'm not complaining. We also stopped giving you a bottle at night, you just drink milk from a sippy cup like a big girl.

You are funny. Damn funny. Your language is improving every day -- there's no more Melmo and Babby, no sirree, it's Elmo and Abby all the way. You've got a love of muffins (fuffins) that cannot be denied. You love all kinds of fuffins, English, bran, honey, blueberry, whatever we put in front of you.

You blow kisses, only you just do the lip smacking part. That's the heart of the gesture right there anyway. When my phone rings, you assume it's grandma (Gwama!) and give the phone a kiss. You are fascinated with babies. You say Baby! Baby! anytime we're near a kid remotely close to your age.

You're still pretty skinny, 22 lbs and 31.5 inches tall. That means your carseat remains rear-facing and will for a while. You don't seem to mind and hardly noticed when you rode forward-facing on a trip because I just Could Not Get The Seat In Right Rear-Facing. When we got home to your regular rear-facing seat, that was just fine with you. Good thing because you've got a few pounds to go before we make that change.

You love climbing. You climb on everything that's not nailed down, because things that are nailed down are far less interesting to climb on than ones that could tip over and make you fall.

We started a gymnastics class last week. I'm not sure how much you'll actually learn there but I think you had a good time.

The best news about you right now is that we went back to the cardiologist last week and finally, finally, the hole in your heart is healed. Just writing it like that doesn't convey a fraction of the gratitude I have for that little hole closing up.

Make no mistake, kid. We're having a blast being your moms.