18 Months Old

Dear Ruby,
Where does the time go? I swear, I blink and another month has past. Then again, each month I look back at our photos and see how much fun we've had and I wonder how we do it all. One thing is for sure - you bring so much joy to our lives! You have the amazing ability to turn ordinary days into days that I look back on as wonderful memories because we shared them together. And I know Daddy feels the same way - he came home the other night and suggested we take you to Fashion Island to walk around and see the Christmas decorations. I was shocked - Daddy NEVER wants to go to the mall (we were in the car in 5 minutes!) He told me the following day that it made him smile all day thinking of how much fun we had.

After you turned a year old I wondered if I should stop writing you a monthly letter. I wasn't sure that you'd continue to have as many "firsts" and exciting things each month to document but BOY was I wrong. It still amazes me how much you change in the matter of a month. Here are a few things we want to remember about your seventeenth month of life:

• You celebrated your second Halloween and you THOROUGHLY enjoyed it!
• We took you, along with Nana and Papa, to Disneyland for the first time
• This month you decided to announce (not that we need you to) when you've "gone #2" - sometimes you'll even bring mommy a clean diaper. Such a helper...
• The past couple months we've been working on your manners, specifically your "magic words". You definitely know HOW to say please and thank you but it's hasn't quite become routine yet. If you only knew how hard it is to say "No" when you DO say please.... Such a sweet little voice.
• You amaze us with how tough you are. You rarely cry when you take a tumble or hurt yourself. Usually you just say "Owwie!" with a quick squint of the eye and carry on.
• Whenever you see Nana you ask for Papa (and vice versa.) Whenever you see your Gigi you ask for Tucka (and vice versa.) EVERY morning when I greet you, you ask for Daddy. You know who belongs with who and you prefer that they stick together!
• Aussie taught you your newest trick - when we ask you how old you are you hold up your pointer finger and (try to) say "ONE!" It's cute.
• You are really into mirrors - you spend quite a bit of time checking yourself out. You make silly faces, give kisses, and just crack yourself up. I have stopped bothering to try and keep your hand prints off them!
• You are wearing mostly 18-24 month clothing but just this past week I've started buying 2T items because your pants are going to be too short any day now. I swear sometimes when I get you in the morning it feels like you grew overnight!
• You LOVE playing "Where's Ruby?!?" and Peek-a-boo. These games just never get old, well, to you anyway...

This is "Where's Ruby?!?"

And this is peek-a-boo. Clearly two different games, duh!

This is your favorite place to watch Sesame Street in the morning.

Our little senorita and her horsie

Love those blue eyes!

I think this was one of your favorite days this past month.

You loved running wild at Crystal Cove!

Sitting still for JUST a minute

Another favorite - wrestling with your boyfriend. You two had us cracking up!

You were never aware of the trash man at our last house. Now you watch him weekly and love to wave and blow kisses!

Ruby, you are a very special little girl and I can only hope that your next year and a half are as fun and blessed as the first. You are our pride and joy little one.

We love you,

Mommy & Dada