Dear Avery,
Suddenly, it seemed. we turned around and there you were a full blown toddler talking, retrieving shoes, riding your "gike,"pushing trains, saying "thank you," and running up and down the driveway. At eighteen months you could not be any cuter. I want to eat you all up, nibble your ears, and cherish this sweet time with you.
You are pretty much up for anything and are always right there in the mix of preschool age and the five to six year old set holding your own - trying not to let on that you are just one years old. You love your "helmet" and proudly wear it while riding your little four wheel car. You are fast and brave in the court and then you will stop to suck your thumb or walk over with your arms in the air saying "up."
You love a good time. No shrinking violet are you. Action, playfulness, and silliness are your three favorite sidekicks (usually personified in the form of your brother, who you absolutely adore). You love jumping on the couch with Zealand, being chased, tickled, hung upside down, twirled around, sliding down slides, and throwing rocks down gutters.
More and more it seems the two of you have become playmates. You both have a high pitched squeal that you do that signals that one of you are ready for some mischief. You run down the hallway and grab a huge handful of your pajamas from your bottom drawer. Zealand will do the same and suddenly a lively game of throw pajamas all over the house has commenced.
Or, the two of you will go into Zealand's room and shut the door. I soon hear laughter and then maybe quiet. I eventually open the door and often find Zealand's mattress on the floor and the two of you sitting on his bare wood frame reading books with big grins on your faces. I have to say I am pretty lenient if the two of you are having a fun time together. Isn't that what having a sibling is all about? A private world of secrets and laughter separate from the parents?
You are picking up new words by the handful and love to converse. You love answering questions as if you understand every word. Who knows, maybe you do! You love to say "shure"after many questions (like I said you are usually up for anything!). And are now becoming very, very clear about what you like and don't. You say, "yes" and "no" very clearly now.
And, your manners, they are impeccable! You say "thank you" all the time and have even been known to say your "welcome." You have the best manners of anyone in the family, so far.
You love saying, "Hi ZZ" with a huge playful grin on your face. You give hugs and kisses freely and quickly learn the names of Zealand's friends. You can say "Cooper," "Hudson," and a new favorite, "Matthew." You seem to really enjoy people, strangers too. At the grocery store and out and about you will make funny faces to get people's attention and once you do you will smile and crinkle your nose. You will also put your arms up to be held to people you have only met a few times and will easily crawl into someone else's lap if you feel like it. There is an ease and familiarity with the world and people that you demonstrate.
Have I mentioned your laugh yet? You have a deep throaty, sometimes silent when you are laughing really hard, laugh that is the sweetest thing. Zealand's humor is often subtle - yours is silly, laugh out loud when mama puts a shirt over her head sort of thing. Cheap laughs from you all of the time. I love it!
While Zealand needs his mama most hours of the day, you have a thing for your da da, who is very attentive to your needs. When you have a cold it is he who is brewing a special tea for you to drink or who will sleep with you out on the coach. He will often carry you around while he works on things inside or outside. In the morning after he has gone to work you will look at me with your big blue eyes and say, "dada?" in a soft, mournful sort of voice.
You enjoy your time with Ami and Papa, whose names you can now say. You especially love riding their wooden rocking horse. You go so high on it that it practically gives your Papa a heart attack every time. You will rock and rock for long stretches of time. And, swings. I usually am the one pulling you out. If you had it your way you would stay at the park swinging all day.
You like to dance. After we decorated the Christmas tree this year we had a dance party in the living room. You love to shake your body to the music and also you like going in circles saying "ashes, ashes.." - your own version of ring around the rosy.
You also love to climb things - the couch, your play kitchen, stools, chairs, the bed, anything really.
At eighteen months you are impish, sweet, playful, talkative, loving, feisty, active, curious, silly, and the apple of all our eyes. As Zealand likes to say lovingly, "You sneaky rascal."
We love you sweet girl!
-Mama
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