Dear Evan-13 Months Old

Hi Evan-
Well you all ready turned 13 months old today. I was just getting use to the fact that you were a year old and now you have all ready passed that mark! You are a delight to be around. You are funny, adorable, lovable and smart. You have to be by far the most curious person I have ever met next to your Father. It must be in the genes!

You are standing on your own for longer periods of time now. You are taking steps on your own but don't quite have the awareness that you can walk at will. You are so proud of your steps! You giggle and almost always clap once you have completed a few. This is such a huge milestone.

You say all sorts of words now. Your favorites are "duck" and "truck". But you know so many more words than you can say. We can ask you what a butterfly does and you flutter you hand back and forth. We can ask you how old you are and you will stick up one finger. You love butterflies and ducks. They make you so happy. Whenever you see them in a book or know that they are pictured in a book you will rush to turn the pages and see them. You love balloons and balls. You love putting things inside of things and pulling everything out of anything! Your absolutely favorite toy is our telephone. You pull it down from the table and play with it off and on all day long. You love to push the buttons. I have no idea how many times a day I will hear the operator recording say, "If you would like to make a call please hang up and dial again". You love to put the phone in places that are hard to find. It is always a treasure hunt to try to make a phone call and when you do, you are sitting right next to them waiting to have the phone back.

You are showing us new emotions now. You showed such frustration the other day because you were trying to put the phone back in the holder and it was falling out. You were moaning and gasping because it wasn't working. I was sorry you were so frustrated but I couldn't help but smile and your new emotions being shown.

You are very friendly. You love other kids. You like to watch them and talk to them. You love dogs. You see one and will point and then look up at me and pant.

You love books. You like to page through them on your own. I have a big basket for you in the living room full of books. You like to sit there and go through all of them. In the last couple of weeks, you will pick one up and hold it out for me so I will come and read it to you.

I am so excited to share life with you. I love showing and experiencing all that life has for you. I love you more than I can ever say.

Happy Birthday

M