Dear Molly,

We can't believe you are 22 months old. Your second birthday is just around the corner. Its hard to believe that sweet day you were born was almost 2 years ago.
The past few months have been the best.  You are at such a fun stage-and are bursting with more personality than ever (hard to believe) :)

A few things you love...
*Babies. Tiny and Little are your favorites, but you are usually toting around several.
*Animals. You love to be kissed by dogs.  You will stick your little nose and puckered up lips into Gus's cage and ask for kisses-and are pleased as punch when he delivers.
*Cereal. "leerlul" You would eat it for every meal if Mom would let you. You also love peanut butter and think it is the best when you get to stick your finger in the jar. You still love chocolate.  You also think dum dums (enunciated-very clearly-"dum bums") are awesome. You love getting them at Mom's doctors appointments.
*Outside. "Whyyyy" is how you say it, and you beg for it often.  You also love rides in the stroller "lolar"
*Dancing. You can twirl, shake, wiggle, and bounce with the best of them.
*Getting dizzy. You discovered what this word meant at Nana's and Papa's house a month or so ago and it was so funny to watch you make the connection between the word and the feeling as you spun around and around and around. You thought it was the best and laughed so hard.
*Helping Mom in the kitchen. You especially love to rinse the dishes and help stir when I cook.
*Reading books.
*Talking on the phone.
*Visiting your grandparents. (They love you so so much!)
*Hide and Seek. Your favorite places to hide are under your highchair, behind the rocking chair, and under all the pillows on the couch. (You sometimes hides good enough that I really don't know where you are--until you finally can't hold your laughter in)
*Ring Around The Rosies.
*Singing. You love all the little actions songs. You also sing made up melodies to yourself throughout the day.
*Hugs and kisses. I love how you give little "love pats" so often through out the day. Most always when I pick you up-you give me a hug and pat me on my back. You have also started giving little pats of affection other places too--today on the top of my head. You always have such a loving look when you do it.  You crack me up.
*Being "sneaky." You put your finger to your mouth (like, shhh) and slowly creep-bending your knees an exaggerated amount with every step.
*You are starting to like TV. You really like Dora and will sit through most of an episode-you also like Franklin and Sesame Street (but only when Elmo is on).
*Emptying and playing in cupboards. You love to put your babies and animals in the kitchen cupboards.  The other day we went to Ikea and you thought it was the best that there were isles and isles of cupboards, shelves, and drawers to hide Tiny in.  It was remarkable to me that you always remembered which one he was in.
*When Daddy comes home.

Things you are learning...
*You can spell your name. "mem" "oh" "lul" "lul" "why!"
*Your ABCs.  You know a lot of your letters and love being quizzed on them. You point out all the letters you see while we are driving around or in stores. "mom! mom! 'mem! oh! another one! oh!" etc. (One of my favorite things you say is "uh ONE uh wuh"(another one) Daddy and I also love the way you say W "buh duh buh")
*You are talking a lot more. ...but still a little lazy in this area :)
*To brush your teeth. Sounds funny but it is so cute to watch you scrub.  You are getting pretty thorough.
*To play on your own.  You have become much more independent the last few months.  You are getting quite the imagination. You put your babies to sleep (without me knowing) and then tell me "shh" if I talk louder than a whisper.  You burp your babies, feed them, tuck them in, you name it. And they go everywhere with you.
*Colors.  Your current favorites are yellow and purple.
*Shapes.
*That mommy has a baby in her tummy.  You are so sweet to give him kisses and hugs.  You are sure his name should be "Owen"

Silly little things...
*You wake up every night needing some water "wawa." You guzzle a cup and then lay right down and fall right back to sleep.
*You have the best morning hair.
*The way you say, "Ohhhhh (insert any name here)"
*You cannot stand having the lid to the milk sitting on the table.  When someone is finished pouring-it must go right back on.
*You say, "peepeepeeeeeze" (puppy dog face and all) for pretty please when you really want something.
*The way you say "uh-huh, yeah" and "uh-uh, no" while shaking your head yes or no.  Your eyes (and entire face) change dramatically between the two.
*"Ding dong, knock knock knock" You love getting visitors and get so excited when the doorbell rings.
*The joy you get from slurping up your spaghetti noodles, hands frozen a few inches from your face--you never touch them as they slowly slurp up into your mouth.
*The way you say "puh puh uh" pucker up
*The way you grab my cheeks with both hands and turn me to you if you have something important to say or need to give me a kiss.

Molly, we love every little thing about you.  Time is going so fast-we wish we could push pause for a while.  We are so lucky you are ours. We love you forever.  Thanks for so perfectly being you.

xo!