Friday, November 13, 2009

Happy 21 month birthday....

Photobucket

Dear Dakota,

I can't tell you how proud and amazed I am at how much you know and continue to learn!! You seem so wise beyond your years, and I have been told by two people recently that you have an "old soul." I love how close you and I have become, and I cherish every minute that we spend together. I love how you say, "I love you" out of the blue, and run to give me a hug just because. I can't tell you how happy it makes me when you come up to me, take my hand and pull me to your room so we can play. I love when you bring me a book and sit in my lap so we can read together! And it brings me so much joy to see the happy-go-lucky, animated, upbeat and cheerful personality that pours out of you on a daily basis. I am so proud to be your mommy! And I know Daddy is just as proud!

Here's what is new in YOUR world:

  1. You are still my skinny minnie, weighing in at just 21.5 lbs, and standing approximately 34" tall (just a guess with your height). We'll find out in a week just how much you've grown at your wellcheck appt.

  2. You are such a sociable kid!! You love playing with others and no longer parallel play. You love to share toys and talk (jibber-jabber) with your friends. I can already tell that you're a natural born leader.

  3. You still love the water, and have learned to twirl in your pool ring.

  4. You mimic e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g that we do. And I mean everything!!! If we blow our nose, you blow your nose. If we cough, you cough. If we laugh a certain way, you do your best to laugh the same way. If we're talking on the phone, you have to talk on your phone. If we do a silly expression, you try so hard to do that same expression. If we whisper, you whisper, and if we scream, you scream. I think you get the point.

  5. When you see a picture of yourself and we ask you who it is, you point to yourself and reply with, "Me!"

  6. You love snacks, as long as they're not purple...lol

  7. You are officially weaned off the binky!

  8. You love to balance, and will find things that give you a challenge and a thrill (walking along curbs and lawn edgers, standing on a ball while holding onto something).

  9. You have the most amazing personality, and your care-free spirit seems to capture an audience wherever we go.

  10. You have the Hampton facial expressions, which can tell a story all on their own without you ever having to say a word.

  11. You're always smiling!

  12. You have really started to learn about your emotions and will pout, or sit by yourself and look down if your feelings get hurt.

  13. You can repeat all of the ABC's with me (except for "W," you think I'm saying "I love you" and will say that instead).

  14. Your favorite word at the moment is "up." Oh how I wish I could trade this word with "Yes!"

  15. You just learned to throw a ball overhand, and can kick a ball several times across a field.

  16. You know the difference between hot and cold, and can verbally tell us "hot" or "cold" when you feel it.

  17. You can point to 90% of the things in this book when I call it by name...http://www.amazon.com/Board-First-Words-Bright-Baby/dp/0312495412

  18. Can walk up and down stairs with no assistance, but you know that you can't go up or down by yourself and always wait until someone is with you.

  19. You'll sing to a song on tv or the radio, which is mostly just "la la la la laaaa, la la lalala laaaaa"

  20. You love bugs and point them out ALL the time. If you had it your way, you'd pick them up and love them as if they were your babies. Y-U-C-K-!

  21. You enjoy helping around the house (taking laundry out of the dryer and handing it to mommy, dusting book shelves, cleaning up your toys when I ask you to).

  22. Can name all of your body parts.

  23. You can wipe your hands and face with a napkin when they're dirty.

  24. Can stack 5+ blocks, place objects in a row, and categorize certain toys.

  25. You finally like pancakes and french toast. Ya!

  26. You have finally learned that if you stop crying while in time-out, you can come out of it! After you make your best attempt at saying "sorry" of course!

  27. You will tell us "I love you" and give us hugs out of the blue. OH HOW THIS MELTS MOMMY'S HEART!!! =)

  28. You are definitely a mommy's girl right now, and are currently still on a daddy strike, especially if I'm in the same room.


Here are the things that you are fascinated with:

  1. Waterfalls and fountains

  2. Bugs

  3. Airplanes

  4. Freight Trains (apparently Metrolink and Amtrak just aren't as cool)

  5. Firetrucks

  6. Our UPS man

  7. The moon and stars

  8. Imagination Movers

  9. Your kitty

  10. Mimicking everything we do

  11. The Disney characters at Disneyland

  12. Plain ole Cheerios

  13. Feeding birds

  14. Screaming at the top of your lungs. Such a girl!

  15. Coloring

  16. Pushing buttons (including doorbells and practically every button in an elevator)

  17. Standing on your toys, which I wish you wouldn't do!

And the things you could live without, if you had it your way..

  1. Sand, although you are able to tolerate it now

  2. Anything stuck to your hands. Nothing new there!

  3. Loud motorcycles

  4. Being told "No"

  5. Daddy making scary bear noises

  6. Food in general, lol. Although, you must be going through a growth spurt, because your appetite has definitely picked up!

Fortunately, there aren't many things you don't like. You were blessed with happy genes, and are a pretty upbeat, energetic, and happy kid!!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is such a beautiful letter for Dakota to read when she is older. You are such a blessed family....thank you for letting us be a part of your world even though we are a world away. I love that you do this for her on her big milestone birthdays! You are an inspiration and Dakota is very lucky, And one day she will appreciate you and Kevin beyond your wildest dreams. (sorry so long.

Summer said...

What a sweet letter for Dakota, you are such an amazing mother with a great (and enormous!) heart. Dakota is so lucky to have a parent who is so attuned to her. I giggled when I read about the the la la la's I definitely remember that stage. You should try Ralph Covert's Happy Lemons, (our kids have all loved his stuff) but I fondly remember it as the first song C and H were able to sing along with. (The chorus is la la la la lemonade)... this was followed closely by their Johnny Cash phase which is a-whole-nother post.

Bradshaw's Buzz said...

What a sweet letter. Made me cry way over here in Texas. She's lucky to have a mommy like you who is patient with her during the toughest toddler moments.

She is SO smart and just shows how well of a teacher you are. Great job

The Kuhns said...

I am crying happy tears =) Thanks lol Dakota you are a smart cookie and we are all blessed to be part of your life! You have an awesome mommy, and you have come a long way in these 21 months I feel like you were just born! This is a great letter!