this girl

My dear little Ellie-girl,

You are nineteen months old.   
You run.   Full tilt, arms behind you (it makes you go faster, I'm sure). Sometimes you say "whoosh!" as you run.

You dash to the front room, play a few notes on the piano, then come running back over to the kitchen, shout proudly and ask us "more?" because of course you want to be certain that we want more of that fantastic music.

If there's nothing else to talk about, you always go back to saying something about a puppy.  You'll sit next to us in silence, look over with your big round eyes, and say "woof woof!" and we have to respond "oh, a puppy?" then you sigh happily, "yeah."

Your answer to any and every question is always "yeah."  Daddy likes to make it a game, and he'll ask you ridiculous things like, "Are you a ninja?"  "Yeah."  "Did you climb on the roof?" "Yeah."

You are fascinated with babies and grandpas, and you are constantly pointing out anyone who even remotely resembles a grandpa.  At the store--"Papa!" in the parking lot--"papa!"  The men on the stand at Church--"Papa!"  
And it's safe to say that your Grandpa and your Papa Dan are your two very favorite people.

And of course, when you point out a potential grandfather, we have to respond, affirm that what you say is correct.  "Oh yes, he probably is a grandpa." 
We always have to respond.   Today we were reading and you saw a cat on the page "Neow! Neow!"   I tried turning the page without acknowledging the cat, just to see what you would do.   As I continued to read the book, you continued to "Neow!" louder and louder and louder until finally you smushed your chubby face right up against mine and "NEOW!"
"Yes, Ellie, there was a cat on that page."
"Yeah."

When you hear a noise that surprises you, you'll sit straight up and put your sweet little hands on your cheeks, open your mouth and eyes wide and gasp.  I adore this.

I also adore your "sad voice."  When you have an owie, remember that you once had an owie, or see someone sad in real life or in a book, you get the most darling little whine in your voice and say, "Oh, Mama. Owie. Ooohhh."  and gosh do I love it.  In fact, I've been guilty more than once of reminding you about the time you scraped your knee, just because I want to hear you say "Oh, Mama. Owie." again.

You love to get up on things.  You want to be on the counter when I cook. You want to be sitting in my bathroom sink when I get ready.  You want to be up up up.  And when I do pick you up, you always remember to thank me.  "Tah too."

In fact, you are very good at saying thank you, for everything.  When Nicholas takes a toy from you and exchanges it for, say, a straw or a piece of paper, you look at him with this great big smile "Tah too!" Someday you're going to figure out that you are getting the bum end of the deal, and that day is not going to be pretty. But until then, you are just happy to get anything and everything your big brother gives you.

You learned the word "stop" a few weeks ago, but it's never just "stop." It's always "TOP!" and the two of you are very upset by each other's yelling, so we'll often have moments (usually in the car) where you're both yelling at each other.  Nicholas "Stop it Ewie!" and you "TOP! TOP!"simply because you both want the other child to stop yelling.  It's hilarious and maddening.

You are getting to be more and more picky as you get older, but you are still miles ahead of your brother when it comes to the variety and healthiness of what you eat.  Cheese is your very favorite right now (that's my girl), but you also do well with berries and fruit 
and most vegetables.  
And I can get you to eat pretty much everything if I give it to you on a toothpick.

You don't like to have dirty hands.  If you spill anything, even the tiniest drop of milk, you exclaim, "oh no!" in your 'sad voice' and then scramble to find a towel you can use to wipe it up with. And you come to me if your fingers get dirt or grass on them, just holding them out ready for me to wipe them off for you.

When we pray, you fold your arms and watch the rest of us very closely.  If anyone even cracks open an eye you point a chubby finger at them and "Sssssssss!" shush them until they close their eyes again.

You love to go outside. Once your shoes are on and you are ready, we'd better be opening that door right that very minute or you throw an Ellie-fit.  Stomp your feet, screech, and eventually plop down on the floor in a heap of disappointment.
If you are only mildy disappointed about something we tell you that you cannot do, you pout.  And gosh it's the cutest little pout I've ever seen.  Head down, bottom lip slightly out, and shoulders drooped.

Photo by Shannon

You love books, marshmallows, chocolate chips, bubbles (even bubbles from the dishwater or the pot boiling on the stove), puppies, climbing stairs or ledges, birds, smelling any and every flower we might happen to pass (your "word" for flower is a deep inhale through the nose--if you see a flower you'll point to it and "SNIFF!" and I have to reply, "oh yes, Ellie, do you see the flower?" "Yeah.")  You also love going places, being outside, and stomping on bugs (while you declare, "step!" as you squish them.) And sleeping. You love to go to bed, and frequently you tell me "naa" when you want to take a nap.  

Yes, I realize how amazing this is and how lucky I am to have a baby who actually asks to go to bed. You are a wonder, Ellie.

You do not love going to nursery class at Church, meeting new people (you cling to Mama like a monkey whenever anyone unfamiliar is around), other children, or waiting in lines.  All of these things make you very nervous.  You were kind of an emotional wreck at the airports last weekend--so many new people and lines to wait in.  

We're also going through a rough phase with you--maybe it's teething?  The past couple of weeks you are a yeller.  You shout about everything-with your fists in the air and your face turning red and your tongue out you scream and holler and then cry and pout.  I think you're realizing that you have things to say but no words to say them, and man is that frustrating.  

Lately you've been waking up sometime around 5 or 6 am every morning. You're still tired, but you lay in your crib and yell "Mom! Mama! MAH-ma!" until I come in.  You want a little back rub, blankets readjusted, and sometimes a quick snuggle in the armchair, and then you're ready to lay back down and go back to sleep for a couple more hours.  Now that it's been a few weeks of this, I have to admit I kind of like our morning cuddles in the early light.

You've started spontaneously giving us hugs. We call them "Minnie Mouse" hugs because you give this determinedly girly sigh as you hug us.  And just recently you've added in a spontaneous and voluntary "love you!" with your little squeezes.  I love to feel your little arms wrap around me from behind and your sweet little "love you!"

Ellie my girl, you are sweet and determined and silly and affectionate and a complete mama's girl and I can't imagine our world without you.
Love and squeezes,
Mama.