A Letter to my Son on his 15th Month Birthday!

 15 months

Dear Turner,
15 months. I am in a bit of denial that my baby boy is crossing into the threshold of toddlerhood. I can deny it all I want but it does not change the truth. You are on your way to being a big boy. You think you are a big boy, in fact and everything your brothers do and have is exactly what you must do and have. Sitting at the table on a big boy chair, drinking from cups or juice boxes - whatever they have, riding bikes, playing ball. You want to do it all!
You are not a full on walker, but you do walk often. Across a room, from here to there, with absolute determination despite the wobbly steps. Once you fall to your knees you will walk on your knees. This mode of transportation is not one I have ever seen before but you have totally mastered it and can get from point A to point B quickly and steadily. But, everyday you walk more and more and despite my denial I figured it was time for new shoes!  So, now you have shoes.  I am going to put off the haircut as long as possible. You can't go crossing that big boy line all at once, now!
At your 15 month well check-up we learned that you weigh 23 pounds 12 oz. (an almost 2 pound game from your one year appt) and are 31 3/4 inches long, which means you did not grow one inch, one millimeter even, since your one year.  This was quite surprising to all of us, the doctors, the nurses, and our only guess is that you were mis-measured at a year.  Then, you were in the 95th percentile for height which, given the gene pool you come from, seemed odd. Now, at this same length, you are in the 50-75th percentile, which seems much more likely.  Although there is no exact science to measuring a squirmy baby, I am pretty certain some of your pants are now too short so I am going to stick with the theory of mis-measurement.
You are a happy boy. For a while we were wondering if, perhaps, the happy baby you were was not the toddler you were as you had been a lot more mellow and a lot less smiley. As it turned out,you had a rough Winter, battling a three-peat of double ear infections and a bout with strep throat.  Now, finally healthy, you are the happy, smiley boy you always were.
You love to click your tongue.  You do it all of the time and it makes me laugh.   You and I will click back and forth as if it were some foreign language then we both start cracking up.  There are few better moments than hysterics with my son(s)!  I am not sure if daddy has heard you click yet.  But that's ok, it would possibly drive him nuts.  Sounds like that are not his favorite!
You blow kisses much more often, particularly at night when saying good night to your brothers.  Although you are still a fantastic sleeper you hate going to bed before your brothers.  Usually, it is just a few minutes before, but you scream and point and beg to go back into their room.  You want to play memory with them, which means scattering the cards about. The globe in their room is one of your favorite things to play with and though you can't say "globe" (or much of anything else) you seem to ask for it with a consistent use of "ggg" sounds.
You absolutely love the trampoline. The big outdoor trampoline!  You can't jump and you can barely stand on it, but you sit there getting bounced around like a Mexican jumping bean and you laugh.  Belly laugh.  The higher and harder the better, it seems, and when I cringe that your rag doll body is going to break in half that is when you seem to laugh the hardest.

on the trampoline

For a reason I am not sure about you not only know about Daddy's drum set in the basement but you insist on playing them, often.  You love it. It's rather adorable seeing a diaper clad drummer.  Who knew your birthday invitation would bare such relevance.  Sometimes Daddy and i joke that perhaps, just maybe, we have a Jonas Brothers situation on our hands.  Then we joke again, that we'd prefer the Black Crowes, The Allmans, even Oasis.

Now that the weather has broken and we are spending more time outside and at the playground you've been enjoying the swings and the sliding board.  You can climb around the playset a bit,but it is still tough because you do not fully walk.  You always want a ball in your hand and if Chase and Ryder are on their bike, you want to be on their bike too!

You are not a quiet child, you babble, babble, babble all day.  Perhaps, in your own mind, you are saying something!  But, you still do not have a lot of words.  "UH-OH" has been added to the list and you definitely say "da-da" when daddy enters the room. "Nana" is still how you ask for food and "ball" you continue to say consistently.
Your favorite toys are the Elmo doctor set, the v-tech train set, and the little people barn.  You, in your way, point and grunt until you get them!!
We celebrated Passover this month and you loved the matzoh.  You LOVED it!!  Nannannaing for piece after piece after piece.  It was rather unbelievable.

 passover

For the first time yesterday you gave me kisses.  You put your face right up to mine and instantly melted my heart.  Now, of course, I will want them all of the time!!  I am not sure how it is April already.  Nor, how it is 15 months after your birth.  The weather is nice, the flowers are growing, and you are becoming a toddler.  You are funny and love to laugh out loud, you are active, you are strong and determined, and you are adorable. You are my littlest love and every day, in every way I am so very proud of you!

I love you so,
Mommy