Daph Stats: 15 Months

Dear Daphne,

I had planned on only writing you letters for each month of your first year of life, but I simply cannot resist documenting the explosion of growth you have had in the past three months.  When I wrote your 1 year letter you were barely taking your first wobbly steps and less than two weeks later you were running pell-mell everywhere you went!  In June you were just learning to stack two and three blocks on top of one another before you would knock them down.  Now you can build huge towers (with a little stabilizing from Mama) as tall as you are.

You understand and follow instructions such as, "Go get your shoes Daphne so we can go outside on a walk."  I'll be halfway through the sentence and you are already running to the bin in your bedroom where your shoes are stored and plopping down on your bum so I can help slip them on your feet.  However, you also have selective listening skills when you don't want to follow instructions such as, "Daphne, please get out of the fridge and close the door" or "Stop playing with Mama's makeup please" or "Don't touch that!"  We're working on listening even when it's not convenient. :)

I have yet to find anything that scares you.  Last week we fed the ducks at the pond and even though they were all around you and one even nipped your toe, you just hollered right back in their faces.  If we are at the splash pad or pool, you get your face right in the spray of the water.  If there are dogs you want nothing more than to grab a fistful of fur.  You love to be right in on the action no matter what is going on - cooking, cleaning, etc and will often try to take the broom, vacuum or rag right out of my hands to get the job done yourself.

The only time you get concerned is if you hear other people crying or upset.  You are very sensitive to other's feelings and will even start fake crying yourself, especially if one of your cousins is sad, almost as if you're Trudy off of "Steel Magnolias" who has a very strict policy that no one cries alone!  You are ridiculously social and are happiest in a crowd of kids.  We haven't had any problems with sharing yet (keep your fingers crossed) and still play extremely well with other children and I haven't seen you swat at another kid for a couple of months now (phew!). 

The babies being really good sports about wearing hilarious flower headbands.

There is absolutely no denying that you are your Daddy's clone!  People are constantly reminding me that you are his little duplicate and there are times when I see the two of you sitting together or playing and I crack up and have to squeeze your little "Burketta" face.  

There are a couple of ways I can see myself in your, however, even if your Daddy's genes have completely dominated your face.  The first are your startling blue eyes which seem to always be sparkling with life.  The second is your horrific "Screaming Dill" (think The Princess Bride for the source of that nickname) shriek which pierces our ear drums and sends my blood boiling faster than anything on the planet!  As a little girl, your Grandpa Bush gave me the name of "Screaming Flea", which tells me the awful screaming must be hereditary.  And finally, for the past few months now you have been exhibiting a trait of mine that I didn't even know I did until I married your Daddy.  Soon after we were married, he pointed out that whenever I am concentrating on something (reading a recipe, writing a research paper, etc) that I unconsciously stick my tongue on my upper lip.  Well guess what?  You do the exact same thing baby girl!  Every time I glimpse it, it makes me grin as it proves to me you really are my little girl too!

Another trait of mine I believe I have successfully passed on is a love of reading.  Several dozen times throughout the day you will fun to the bookshelf and pull off a board book, running back to my side with a wide grin on your face, the book held high in your outstretched arms for me to take.  As soon as I take the book from you, you will turn around and back up into my legs/lap and snuggle in for a story.  Often you will flip from page to page, "reading" aloud a stream of jibber-jabber, often copying the exact same vocal inflections that I used when reading the story.  Melt my heart.  Your vocabulary is still pretty limited.  You have added "mah-men" (amen), peeh (please), and a few assorted sounds for animals (dog, fish & cat), but still mostly gesture and squawk to communicate.  However, you clearly understand so much that I'm sure the language development will take off any time now.

You still love being outside, but are no longer a big fan of the jogger as it limits your constant flow of movement.  It's probably a good thing you won't tolerate the stroller anymore as you are getting so heavy that it is a serious workout to try and run with you anymore.  Now you prefer to be pulled around in the red wagon our neighbors gave us or walk in between Daddy and I, holding our hands tightly and laughing each time we play "1-2-3-Swing!"

Something else I've noticed about you at this age is your fantastic sense of humor.  You just seem to GET what's funny, which of course we eat right up.  Sometimes when you're being totally exasperating and you can tell I'm getting frustrated with you, you will run up and give me a kiss on the lips and then run away laughing.  You know it will get you off the hook every time and it delights you to know end to see your charms work magic on your parents!  Speaking of kisses - you love to blow them to perfect strangers at the grocery store which I have even seen bring tears to the eyes of a delighted old man and cheek pinching from grannies missing their own babies.  What a gift you have my darling of lighting the world around you. 

This is such a fun age you are at, but the only drawback is that I can see you are more of a toddler and less of a baby every day.  I'm not sure if I'm ready for you to be that old!  Thank you for making my life such a joyful existence.  I love you my darling Daphodill.  Grow on little one.

Love you forever and always,

Your Mama