Dear Emmylou,

Time has gotten a little away from me- you turned 20 months old a couple of days ago and I'm just now getting around to writing your letter! It's been an interesting month. You bounced back from a super-scary high fever and a trip to the emergency room a few weeks ago, experienced the excitement and fun of Halloween, started going to school, and have still continued to get smarter, more talkative and more curious with every day.

And what are you doing these days? The better question is, "what AREN'T you doing these days?" You have an opinion about everything: what you want to do, where you want to go, who you want to see, and you can make things pretty clear now. It's kind of exhausting but it's also exciting and fun to see you anticipating things and really understanding what we tell you. For example, last night you spent the night at Grammie's, and I knew you really understood where you were going when I told you a few hours beforehand and then you knew exactly what was happening when I dropped you off with her. You were so excited!

The food you eat has been changing a little bit. This month you are still loving apples, started eating scrambled eggs for the very first time, yogurt again after a month or two hiatus, and gave up oatmeal. Even chicken nuggets don't tempt you like they used to. I think the thing I can always count on you to finish (aside from candy) are your mini blueberry waffles for breakfast. Yum. Since you like dipping anything solid into anything liquid (I've seen you dip a strawberry into ketchup and eat it without batting an eye), the maple syrup is a big draw. We've been working really hard on not dipping fingers into whatever delectable dip we have, just trying to stick to food. I know, it's sooo super hard!

Have I told you lately that you are the sweetest thing that ever existed? It seems that your jaunt into hitting last month has been replaced with quite the opposite: you want lots of hugs and kisses and will let us snuggle with you a whole lot more than you ever used to. And you share everything with us! One toy for Emmylou, one toy for Daddy. One bite for you, one bite for Mommy (even with CANDY!). At the bottom of this letter I put a picture of you sharing your ice cream cone with me today. Thanks, it was the best ice cream cone I have ever tasted!

Your sweetness comes out in so many ways. Tonight I laid down with you while you were trying to go to sleep and, as usual, you laid on your back or side, sucked away rhythmically at your left thumb, and just barely stroked Babo's matted fleece foot with your other hand's open palm. So gentle, so soft, so loving. You are all these things plus vivacious, funny and spirited and I could not be more thankful and grateful that I have the privilege of being your mother and experiencing this life with you. It is all so sweet.

All my love,
Mama