15 months

Shepherd,

Wow... I hardly know what to write about, since this last month has gone by so incredibly fast. And on top of that, you are changing so much every day, that it's nearly impossible to document what new things you know.

You've begun to repeat everything we say. E-VER-Y-THING. In fact, the other day, while we were riding in the car, I was joking with your daddy, and said something about someone acting like a jackass. No sooner had the word left my mouth, I heard this little voice from the back seat say "Jaaaa...", as though you were trying to say the word. Of all the words I had said, that was the one you'd picked to repeat. We now know that we must be incredibly careful what we say around you.

You're also picking up more and more words for body parts. You have known where your eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hair are for a few months now, but recently added elbow, knees, feet, toes, and your favorite, bellybutton. You're quick to show anyone your bellybutton, and quick to point out their bellybutton to them by lifting up their shirts. I'm amazed at how quickly you learn now, as opposed to even a few weeks ago.

You also are learning new words every day. You have so many words and signs that I cannot keep track of all you know. This weekend, you learned the sign for boat and bird, mostly because we were at the beach and you kept pointing to both of them, as if to ask what they were. You picked up on the signs immediately, and were fascinated with every boat and bird you saw. At the aquarium, you squeeled and laughed at all of the fish. You even came up with a new sign all on your own. After seeing the big sea turtle swimming in the tank, you raised your arms up and flapped them around, just as the sea turtle was doing to swim around in the water.

Your sense of humor has really come out this past month, and you laugh at mommy and daddy when they do silly things. A silly face from daddy makes you giggle like crazy, and a silly dance by mommy makes you laugh out loud. You love to entertain us, and will dance and "shake your booty" when we ask you to. When we have company over, you love to do silly things to make them laugh, and the more they laugh, the more and more you love doing the silly things. You're quite the ham, and love being the center of attention.

I look back over the past 15 months, and realize how much things have changed. I've been doing a lot of thinking about when you were a little baby, probably because you are going to have a little sister this fall. I keep thinking what she will look like, and try so very hard to remember what you were like at that age. It's so hard to remember, even though it wasn't that long ago, but the one thing that sticks out in my mind about that time was how impossible it seemed that you'd ever reach the age that you are now. I want to remember that, because it's so hard to enjoy those first few months when it seems all you did was poop, eat, and sleep. I want to remember because when your sister comes, I'll feel the same way. I hope and pray that I don't wish those first few months away wishing she were the age you are now. I have to remember that it took that long for you to grow up, and that I wouldn't change it for the world.

I love you little man... more than you will ever know. Happy 15 months!

Love,
Mommy