18 months

Somehow even though life as we know it has ended, time keeps marching on.  Amalia is now 18 months old.  A full year and a half.  A milestone her daddy didn't live to see.  I'm dying on the inside, but because I've kept up these monthly things until age 2 for Sofia and we're getting close with Amalia, and I don't want to stop now.  Maybe some day I'll feel strong enough to write about what we've been through in the past week, but right now I can't.  I want to write about how incredible my baby is, instead.

Dear Amalia,
First and foremost, you need to know how much you are cherished.  Adored.  Loved.  Your daddy and I (and so many more) absolutely love you to your core.  You are our delight, are darling, our precious.  Now you are one and a half years old.  A wonder to me.
You started speaking in sentences this month.   Putting together words, communicating your needs and opinions so very well.  You can identify colors and almost every body part.  You also started coloring this month.  You so carefully pick up a crayon,  tell us its color, and scribble it all over the paper.  It is precious.  They don't even end up in your mouth!
You are continuing your quest to be a big girl, and like to eat with proper silverware on proper plates with proper cups.  When you are done, however, you take that proper plate and dump it right on the floor, whisking all the pieces of your dinner off the table.  You have very strong opinions and get quite upset when your words aren't understood by everybody.  You ask for pretzels, pickles, olives, chocolate, cookies, eggs, bagels, bread, broccoli and so much more by name.  Your new favorite food is ketchup, and you use anything as a vesicle to bring it to your mouth.  You call Jamie "Yaya's Haymee" and love to wear "Bampa's HAT." You climb on the rocking chair in your room and launch headfirst into your crib, which you call "Hareeb."  You sing to your babies as you rock them, and always think they have "Stinky butt!" and require a diaper change.  You love to play with the iPad just like the grownups and request "Seesh (fish)", but insist on pressing the button, which removes the fish, getting you frustrated and requesting them again.
You are always so joyful and just light up around other people.  You make every person in the room feel like the most special person on Earth with you hugs and kisses and coy smiles and flirty behaviors and darling "Hi"'s.  You love to do goofy things and be around people that you can make laugh. You had an entire room of grown-ups captured by your 'power', copying your every move.
We love you so very much, sweet baby.  Through all of this, you've brought smiles and joy, happiness and routine, something that at times, just doesn't seem possible.
Loveyouforeverandalways,
Mama

*I started to write this two weeks ago, but only finished the last part tonight.  Still, it is pretty close to her actual 18 month day.  Now, to find time and energy to take some 18 month pictures before she hits the big 1-9...