Dear Lily Bean,

You’re now 18 months old, that’s a year and a half and that’s a pretty long time. You are amazing my little sweet girl.

The last couple of months have been full of change for all of us.  One of the biggest things was that we moved to California to be closer to our family.  The move wasn’t the easiest thing for you, you don’t do great with change and new people.  We could tell that you missed the old house a lot; for the first week or so every once in a while you’d just look around and start crying.  It’s been about three and a half weeks and you are doing much better.  You are still my super shy baby girl but you are starting to get to know some of the family and starting to come out of your shell a little.

My sister, your Aunt Jody and her boys were visiting here from Oklahoma and in the last week you really took to Aunt Jody and her boys.  We were at the Tribble Family Reunion the other day and you crawled across the table leaving me to go see Aunt Jody.  It was great.  She took you into the bounce house and made all the bigger kids sit still so you didn’t get scared, it was so cute.

We are currently living with your Grandma Rita and Grandpa David and true to form you took your time getting used to them.  Grandma Rita got smiles after about a week and now you will let her hold you.  Grandpa David had a much harder time winning you over but he finally got you on his side.  It didn’t surprise me or Daddy at all because you have always been slower to warm up to men.  Last Friday 6/18/10 Grandma Rita and Grandpa David took you on a walk to the park.  This was a hugely huge thing for us.  This was the first time that someone other then Daddy or I were watching you.  You did much better then I did.  I was teary and worried the whole time you were gone.  When you all got back Grandma told us that at one point you looked around for us and when you couldn’t find us you just shrugged it off and enjoyed your time at the park.  I was so glad to hear this.  I feel that the attachment parenting that we’ve been doing has totally paid off.  You are comfortable in your trust that Mommy and Daddy will be back soon so you don’t have to stress on it.  Of course this doesn’t always work, you have some serous separation anxiety when I use the restroom or go to do the dishes some days. 🙂

Some of the other changes that you’ve made lately and some things continue to stay the same.  I love it both ways.

• I’m still your comfort item and I love it.  When you get a bump or hurt feeling I’m the person you look for and more often then not you want to nurse.  I’m happy to do it.
• You sign banana, drink, nurse, eat, more, please, thank you, you’re welcome, cracker, brush teeth, all done, and I think one or two that I’m missing.  You don’t have very many real words, we mostly count on sign to communicate and it’s working great.  We talk to you all the time so I’m sure the words are going to come soon.
• You do have some words.  You say Hi and Bye when you are talking on the phone, which you love to do.  But you won’t talk to a real person on the phone.  When you hear someone on the phone you just look confused, like how did they get a real person in that tiny thing.  You also say kitty and jibber jabber all the time.
• You love water.  I took you swimming at Grandma Gail’s and you just loved it.  We are going to take a Mommy and Me swimming class with Aunt Jolene and Olivia next month, I can’t wait.
• You will eat just about anything these days.  Grandpa David has a few fruit trees and so far you love everything you’ve tried.  Cherries, nectarines, apricots and plums.  We’ve also give you watermelon and grapes and you can’t get enough of either of them.

You are dealing with what I must assume are vampire teeth coming in so you are practicing your monster personality.  And by that I mean we are dealing with your monster personality. Wednesday and Thursday of last week were particularly bad,  clingy, easy meltdown, cranky days.  You must have seen me looking up phone numbers for local gypsys to sell you to because Friday you were back to your sweet wonderful self.  The last couple of days are a crazy mix of sweet monster attitude.

I have so much more to say to you and about you but that will have to wait for another day.  We need to go play outside a little.

I love you,

Mama.