Monthly Newsletter — Month 17

Corn on the cob, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

A few days ago you hit the 17-month mark, and it's a sign of how busy and chaotic we are these days that I am only just now getting around to posting about that milestone.

It's hard to believe you're almost one and a half... Just this morning I was changing your diaper and thinking to myself how big you've gotten, and how amazing that only a year or so ago you were this tiny little peanut baby who cooed and gurgled at me with the cutest little dimples.

Now, though, as one of the two older ones happened to mention (can't remember which one it was now, Owen or Edie) — it's like you're a "real" person! You talk and run and play and laugh and do things you're not supposed to and give kisses and hugs and climb stairs and oh, so many other things!

You LOVE Dora the Explorer (much like your older sister did at around your same age) and her super cute cousin, Diego. In fact, those are two of the words you now say regularly. Here is a list of the words currently in your vocabulary repertoire:

"Doh" (Dora)
GoGo (Diego
BellBell (Tinkerbell)
Mo (more)
Hi! (or "Hewo!")
Mommy
Daddy
Isla (which you pronounce Ay-ya)
Owee (Owen)
DeeDee (Edie)
Night night
Bobby (bottle)
Mimmy (your satin blankie)
Nack (snack)
Baby
Bah (bath)

Can't think of any others at the moment... but you are definitely beginning to become more vocal — and even when you aren't using actual words, you grunt and point until we finally figure out what you want.

You have also recently learned how to climb up onto both Owen's and Edie's beds, as well as the couch — I don't mind this ALL that much, since you have also figured out how to get down — but sometimes you think it's a great idea to get up there and walk around, and I'm terrified you're going to stumble and fall head over heels over the side. So now I have to know where you are at all times (not that I didn't need to know this before, but it's a little more critical at the moment).

You have also learned how to come back down Jacquie's staircase, on your bottom scooting down one step at a time, which is a great relief, although, again — sometimes you think standing up seems like a great idea, so we still have to watch you like a hawk.

And you are just so delightful and sweet, giving sweet little kisses and hugs that make me want to squeeze you to pieces.

The picture above was taken on Mother's Day, and we had given you your own little pile of corn (already remove from the cob), which you ate quickly and heartily — and then proceeded to point at Jacquie's as-yet-untouched corn cob — so she handed it to you and we watched in amazement as you at the ENTIRE COB, slowly turning it this way and that so you could make sure you got every piece of corn off of it. It certainly kept you busily entertained while the rest of us ate our dinners.

Thank you for blessing my life so much, little one — my sweet little imp.

Love, Mama