Dear Evan-18 Months Old

Dear Evan-
I was just thinking about the day that you will read all of these messages. Maybe you will maybe you won't. I hope you do. I know it will be a nice thing for me to read someday too. These are precious times and they are going by so fast.

This month has been so much fun. You are doing so much and we are now having conversations! You know so much more than you are able to actual say yet. Although you do a great job at communicating in all the ways you can. You point and gesture and let us know when we are doing what you asked with an outright laugh or giggle. You are a delight. You have such a great disposition and are pretty laid back. You have patience which I appreciate so much since you are a Toddler and I wouldn't fathom you have that concept down yet. I will ask you to hold on as Mommy is busy doing something and you are wanting me to do something different. When I ask you, you will pause and let me have some time to get it for you. It is so sweet and so understanding. I love that you know I am there for you and if you give me a few seconds I can get you want you need and more. I think that this month has really shown our attachment to one another in a different way. You give us kisses and hugs now. If you can't give us a kiss you blow one to us. Daddy and I love this!

You have a teddy bear that you are growing fond of now named "Fozzy". You love your legos. You enjoy pulling them a part and pushing them back together. You have gotten quite good at this. You are so curious and are always looking to discover how things are made and how they work. You still love garbage trucks and everything truck related. We went to the garbage truck open house this past month. It was fun. Your favorite books right now are: "The Icky Sticky Frog"; "Llama Llama Mad at Mama"; "The Hungry Little Caterpillar"; A book on trucks and "Good Night Moon". You love these books and we read them multiple times a day. You love your barrel push toy and will walk around with it in your hand while you do other things. You are still nuts about the water. You just love it. Lastnight, I was cooking and I pulled up the red stool for you to stand on and you played in the sink and washed off vegetables for me.

You are talking more everyday. Yesterday, your new word was "Empty". I had given you some bottles of water to pour out and play. You came up to me and gave me the bottle and said, "Empty". I was so surprised and happy to hear you tell me what you needed. It made my day. You are constantly repeating what we say and it is fun to watch you grow and use words at the right place and time.

You understand pee pee and poo poo. The other day I was in the living room and had left you diaper off for some air. You came in to get me and pointed to the other room and said "Pee Pee". I knew that I had left it off for too long! It was nice you came in to tell me.

You understand choices and tasks. I will ask you what kind of juice or which shoes you would like to wear and you chose one. I ask you in the morning to go pick out your clothes and you run into your dresser and start to pull out pieces of clothing. Today Daddy asked you to come over and get the phone and bring it to Mommy and you did. I love to ask you to go and do things now because your comprehension is amazing. I will ask you to close the door or turn off the music and you will do it. You are a little helper!

I have found in the last month or two you are really my shadow. We are always trying and doing new things. You have gotten pretty good at using crayons and markers now. I want to show you finger painting next.

This next month we are going to be away from home while the construction is taking place. It will be interesting to see how you are in a new environment for an extended period. We will have a house and pool to ourselves and I can't wait to be able to let you play in the water everyday!

I love you so much.

Mommy