Dear Griffin - 16 months

My dear, sweet boy:

Today you are sixteen months old. Sixteen months! Time sure does fly. You have been walking for nearly two months but you are flat out running many days. You climb steps like a pro.  And you are fiercely fearless - you have no hesitation about going down giant slides head first. When you do take a tumble, you're pretty good natured about it. Rarely do people hear you cry. Griffin, you are sooooo friendly, too; many times we enter a store and you greet every.single.person.you.see, and same thing on the way out. I stopped counting at 60 words in your vocabulary, because everyday you seem to learn something new and surprise me with a new word or understanding. You can follow multistep directions and are quick to tell us what you need - sleep, diaper, "na na", hunger, etc.

This month you went back to school, and there were a few rough mornings when you cried as I left but for the most part you've adjusted well.  You are happy to see your teachers, you love your toys, and it is perfect that you go outside most days since you adore being outside. The kids in your room are mostly older than you, but you talk the most. You smile the most, too. Everyone knows who you are, that's for sure!

Suddenly you're really interested in your blankies.  They're all muslin blankets with ribbon around the edges, of various prints and sizes. They are all equally loved and comforting to you. I love how soft they are now from your gentle touch, and how they smell like you. Some days I want to wrap myself in them at work and just remember how good you smell and how sweet your kisses are.

Some of your favorite things this past month include: slides, walking up slides, books, blankies, rubber duckies, planes (why do you call them bees, anyway?) wheels, veggie rice cakes, dancing, cheerios, and cows. This past month we also discovered you are allergic to pineapple (your poor body was covered in a rash almost instantly!) and don't care for the classic kid food of spaghetti o's (well, not the organic kind, anyway). 

You are growing so insanely fast, both physically and mentally. Right now you're solidly in 18 month clothing, some 24 month stuff. I am always so eager to see your new developments but so sad, too, since each step is further and further away from your babyhood.  Time flies when you're having fun!

Love,

Mama