Happy 18th Month

Dear Molly,

Time really does go by fast. I cannot believe we have made it through our second summer together. Last summer we spent it, shopping and walking. This summer we have done everything possible that is free and cheap. Most of the time that means the pool because with triple digit weather going down a hot metal slide or sitting on a black rubber swing is never a good idea.

You are fine with the pool. You are fearless and that is enough to keep my eyes on you and never farther than my arms reach. You watch the bigger kids jump from the side and then you do it. You are a people watcher. This concerns your father because he wants you to be in the middle of the action not on the outside watching. I think it is okay, you are learning things I would never know to teach you. I mean, jump from the standing position into the pool? I didn't think you were old enough.

We also attended your first music concert. The Wiggles came to town and as soon as I heard I went on-line to get the best possible tickets. I guess every other Wiggle fan did the same because all that was left was in the nose bleed section. You were totally fine and could see and hear everything. As a matter of fact you stayed glued to your seat for the whole hour and a half. Whatever it was that caused you to watch so intently, I want to put it in a tiny pill and give it to you in the car.

Now that it is September it is starting to cool down. We go to the parks but mainly we ride bikes. Last year we got a bike seat for you and we used it a little bit but this year your are definitely big enough and you love it. Every time you see the bikes you start trying to climb on it. The bad thing is that we live in a hilly neighborhood and it kicks my butt.

Like I said before, you are a watcher. After I am done cutting your fingernails, you got a clothes pin and starting clipping your baby's fingernails. We will have a snack of Cheerios (I put four or five of them in my hand for you to grab, otherwise you grab a super big handful and try to put them all in your mouth) after we are done you take the bowl and pour some in your hand to feed your baby. You take the lotion bottle after I am done and pretend to rub it on your baby too! So I put this to good practice......we started brushing your teeth sometime ago. I would brush them while you stood there but you started to hate it and fight me all the way. Last week it clicked. I gave you your brush and then I got my brush out and started brushing. Yes! It worked you brush all of your 8 teeth pretty darn good! You even starting spitting in the sink, you drink the water but you make the motions of spitting, so cute.

You have always been a good sleeper but you must have gone through a stage or something because you were waking up every night about 12 am screaming and crying. I would bring you to bed and you would go right back to sleep. I love sleeping with you and having you near by. This causes a lot of controversy for those who feel it is their business to tell me how unsafe this is or how I am spoiling you. You slept in bed with us for the longest time and the only reason why you are in your own bed is because I don't sleep well with you and papi in the bed. I am totally aware of you and your papi is a tornado when he is sleeping (he also snores). What happens is papi will move, then you will move, then I wake up. Unfortunately I need sleep to be a nice person and no amount of coffee can make me nice. If it is just me and papi it is okay. If it is just me and you it is okay. I just didn't want to make you sleep in a different bed every night so you sleep in your crib and keep to our night time ritual. It works and we all get sleep and you have stopped waking up. Yeah!

Well baby girl, time is really flying by and I just can't seem to keep up. Dirty clothes pile up, the house is always dirty, I never brush my hair and all my clothes have some kind of stain on them. Life is good baby and I am loving every minute of it.

Love, Mommy