Dear Emmylou,

Today you turned eleven months old. Already! How did that happen? It has gone by in the blink of an eye. Daddy and I were talking today about how you change daily, learning all kinds of new things. Lately you've been really into talking and I think you're close to getting "dada" and "mama" down. You can stand on your own for just a second before losing your balance and you're trying to figure out how to pick up toys and stand up at the same time. I think it'll take a little longer for you to get that mastered.

In the past 4 days you've cut 3 new teeth! You have one more that's also getting close, and it's the second top middle tooth, so soon we won't be able to call you "Fang," your latest temporary nickname. It doesn't seem to bother you much as you've still been in a pretty good mood and laughing all the time. It's been fun watching your sense of humor develop and I can almost always guess when something is going to strike you as hilarious. Right now you think that a couple of pig puppets going down a slide into a puddle of mud on one of your Baby Einstein DVDs is hiLARious. Just wait until you can read David Sedaris stories or The Onion!

I'm sure we'll share many a laugh until then and you'll continue to bring out emotions in me that I never knew I would feel. Today, appropriately, is Valentine's Day, and I have never felt so full of love! Having you has felt so right and I am grateful for every day that I get to spend with you.

All my love,
Mama