22 Months Old

Dear Devyn,

You are starting to talk in more complete sentences all the time.

Just a moment ago, you said, "Look at that! Mama bring lovey!" (as I was carrying your lovey to you).

And yesterday, after Brandon did something silly, I said, "Devyn, tell daddy not to be so crazy," and you replied, "Don't be crazy, Dada."

We told you that was a very useful phrase to know. ;)

You are also trying to talk to other kids when we are out and about.  You'll say hi to an older kid and when they start talking to you, you say, "Yeah," and "Uh-huh" in what you think are appropriate places.  It's pretty freaking adorable.

You and your little friend A. were also talking to each other at a play date today, or at least repeating one another.  (A. is a couple of months younger, and doesn't have as many phrases yet, but she's catching up fast!)

We've pulled out your little pop-up tent, and it is a BIG huge hit.  You love to play in your "little house" and put all your "friends" in there—Dolly and Dee Dee Dog and Froggy the pull toy.  Flopping on the pillows holds no end of fascination for you.

I am also fascinated by your ability to memorize songs and books.  Yesterday I gave you a book to look at in bed while you got ready for your nap.  It's a book about what kitties do that our RMPAT friend Jennifer gave us just a week ago.  When I came to get you up from your nap, you were "reading" it—and you recited the entire book perfectly.  You know dozens of songs, too.  In fact, you can sing the Beatles' "Blackbird" with me pretty well now.  Your first Beatles song!  ;)

You did really well sharing your toys with A. today, but some days we have trouble with sharing. It's a tough concept for an almost-two-year-old, but you're getting better at it all the time.

You've learned to put on your socks and shoes by yourself.  You can put your own pants on as well, though it's a toss up as to whether they'll be on backwards or not. Shirts are still a challenge.

You LOVE to write and draw with anything that makes a mark. Crayons are good, but a "mama pen" is a thousand times better.  So far, you almost always remember that we only color on paper.

You're such an empathetic little girl.  You're very interested in telling me when you think anyone around you is happy or sad, and you get very worried when we hear crying babies in a store or somewhere.

Everything sweet is "cake" right now—muffins, scones, the baked doughnut holes I made, even biscuits.  Everything except Rice Krispie Treats, which are "sweet rice."

You've also added circumlocutions to your verbal skills, which amazes me every time. Since you didn't know the word "leash," for example, you told me it was a "dog belt."  You're also using the word "mine" as a pronoun, as in "mine cold" (instead of "I'm cold").  It's all really fascinating to me.

But, you're just generally pretty amazing and fascinating to me, little one.  And I love you more all the time—something I didn't think was possible.

All my love, my angel,
~Mama