Dear Amelia - 18 months...

Hello Amelia Bedelia...

Has it really been 6 months since you had that Happy Birthday Cupcake?  How do the days and weeks go by faster and faster the older you get?

These past 6 months have been SO MUCH FUN with you!  Your vocabulary is exploding and every day you have new and interesting things to say.  Some of it we are still trying to decipher - but more and more your words are clear and understandable to us and others!

You LOVE baby dolls.  LOVE them.  You carry them at school, sleep with them in your bed, put them in high chairs, strollers.  Quite the little mama bear you are. 

You are pretty easy going for the most part - but girl, you can SCREAM when you want attention.  Your new favourite word is NO and you say it with such flair.  Your NO is so absolute.  Your steely blue eyes and straight lips do not show a hint of emotion -  you just stare me down, say NO and that is that.  There is no changing your mind. 

You are obsessed with socks.  Shoes too - but SOCKS.  You will put any body's socks on, clean or dirty - you do not care.  You definitely have a foot fetish.

You can run.  You are an expert climber.  You go up and down the stairs easily now - you also readily move chairs or step stools over to the counter and climb up to find interesting things up there. 

You are a much better eater than you were 6 months ago.  You will try anything!  We still keep you safely away from eggs, fish, tree nuts and peanuts.  You have, however, enjoyed hummus and Italian sausage (not together) and mellow mushroom pizza. Not a big breakfast eater - you are so like your dad.

You love to play peek and ticka-ticka and eensy weensy spider is one of your favs.  We have our own unique version of that - and you just giggle up a storm!

You chase Ainsley and Matthew around this house from the moment you wake up until your eyes close at night.  When we drop the kids off at school, or camp - you say "Matt-Matt" and "Ainsweee" non-stop, until you see them again. 

You readily pass out kisses to everyone in your line of sight before bedtime.  This - might become a problem.  For now - it's cute.

Amelia in every way imaginable you are a complete and utter joy.  You are happiness personified - from the tips of your toes to that mop of silky sweet smelling hair on the top of your head - our lives have been made more complete and full because of you. 

We love you Bedelia!!  Happy Half Birthday!!