eLLe - 15 months

Dear Luciya,

Hello, sweet muffin.


Yes, that's a little tear under your left eye; just moments earlier you had opened your dresser drawer onto your face and it really hurt! But, true to your resilient and tenacious nature, the upset lasted all of 36 seconds. And I do it admit it's so nice to be your mama. To give you immediate comfort. There, there.

Case in point - here you are 10 seconds later:


Naked time! Woo-hoo!! Time to pull all the clothes out of the dresser! Yes!

It's been especially lovely lately since you've been the world's biggest snuggle bunny. You cuddle and hug and nuzzle and sigh and sometimes we just stand there for minutes with your warm soft head under my cheek, swaying. You cuddle with your "dada," too. Lately you're his biggest fan. In the past 2 weeks you've said your first two sentences, in fact - both regarding your Dada: "Hi Dada" and "Dada ba-ba" (bye-bye). You've calmed a bit, and the shriek fests are less common and of shorter duration. You understand more and can communicate with more confidence, and I think this helps alot.


Your new favorite word - and thing - is "hat." You point to mine when I wear one to teach and you reach for yours when we head out into the sunshine. "Aa," you say. That's "hat." "Aa." You can put yours on and take it off. You love it.

It really is amazing to watch your little mind grasp and understand different things. The other day I had left the door to the garage open and I said, "Luciya, can you please go shut the door?" and you walked right over and pushed it closed. You're brilliant.

Today your daddy said to me, "You know it's not normal for 15-month-olds to sleep from 6:30 pm to 8:00 am - straight - and then take a 2 hour nap each day." And yes, I do realize this. And yes, it rocks. You are a WONDERFUL sleeper. You are a good eater, an active player, and well-loved. Of course you sleep well. It's so funny to think that just a few short months ago I was sobbing right along with you, as you refused to go down in your crib (well, I guess "funny" isn't necessarily the right word, since it certainly wasn't funny at the time).


Last weekend your daddy and I left you for the first time ever. It was hard! As soon as we sat down on the plane in Boise I thought of you, and I burst into tears. But naturally you were a wonderful little girl for your tutu all weekend, even though you got a terrible diaper rash - the worst you've ever had - and it made you scream in pain when you passed a particularly acidic poop. But that's all cleared up now. We can smile again.


Summertime is our new favorite thing. It's warm - oh so warm. We take bike rides and play in the parks and splash and splash in the water. You run through the grass and turn your face to the sun. Yeah, you bask. Basker.

I love you, Luciya!

Love,
Mama