18 Months

Dear Gray,

Sweet boy, I can't believe you have already reached the 18 month mark! I always get nostalgic around these age markers. I always feel like time goes to fast and you and your sister are growing too quick. But the last few months have been worse than usual. I have been almost literally aching for more time with you and for more time before you turn into a "big boy." (I realize that sounds dramatic, but it's true). Maybe it's because I started a new job so I have a bit less time with you. Or maybe it's just because life with small kids is busy and fast, and there isn't much down time. I try my hardest to enjoy every moment and to soak you up every day, but I am sad at how quickly you are growing up.

You are seriously the sweetest.boy.that.ever.was. You are mostly so content to play and entertain yourself. You are very entertained by your big sister, too. :) You have trouble saying her name but you have started calling her "sissy." You love to laugh, and tickle, and play. You love to give hugs and blow kisses. I love watching you run! It is the cutest little wide-stanced-arms-swinging run there ever was. You love to cuddle and snuggle. Especially if you are feeling sensitive or sad, you love for me to hold you and put your head down on my shoulder and your arms around my neck. I love how soft your skin is and I love your smell. I love your wispy blonde hair and your wide little feet. I love coming to get you from your crib in the mornings and after nap. The first thing you do is ask for a book. You are often walking around with your lovey in one hand and a ratty paperback book in the other. You love Dora, Nemo, Woody, Buzz, and Elmo. When I took you to Barnes and Nobel (where it was silent), you excitedly and  loudly shouted their names over and over and over when you saw them on the shelf. When you see a cow (even on the milk carton in our fridge) you point and shoot "moo!" over and over until we acknowledge you. You love songs and try to sing along to Old MacDonald or Bingo or Twinkle Twinkle. You love fruit and milk and lately pretzels. You will not eat peanut butter. Ever. You don't seem to like chocolate either. I love watching you dance. You swing your arms side to side and stomp your foot and it makes your daddy and me laugh so hard. We especially love watching you dance to the "ugawug" song from Peter Pan...it's hilarious! I love how much you love to facetime your grandparents or your aunt and uncle...you get an enormous grin and just have to position yourself in front of the camera. You have learned the words "no" and "mine" and use them often, especially with Saylor. You HATE to have your diaper changed or your clothes changed and it is pretty much wrestling an alligator to get you to oblige. You love marching up the stairs after dinner and you love taking a bath. You have become very interested in airplanes and love to point them out outside.You never fight going down to sleep, but you like to be read to at bedtime and you like to pick the books. You still love your lovey very much. You are saying lots of new words and work very hard to get my attention when you want it. You can name many animals and make their sounds. But I still think overall you are just a quiet-natured guy. You don't cry very often when I leave you at the nursery or school or the gym. You love to push the buttons on the elevator.You have come to love trains and you love to say "choo choo" and "all aboard" any time you see one, and now you even say "all aboard" every time we load up in the car! You love to play a new game where you point to each person in the room and say their name (as best you can) as fast as you can, on repeat. You are a good sleeper, unless you have teeth coming in, which seems to cycle through every few weeks. You are sometimes shy with new people and other times you wave to everyone when we are out and about.

I love you, buddy, very, very much. Even though I don't have the same time with you that I did with your sister, and even though I have done a terrible job taking pictures and videos of you like I did of her, I love you more than I could ever begin to put into words. Having you come into my life has broadened my definition of love in a way I never knew before. Thank you for bringing so much joy into our lives every day!