Fourteen Months

Dear Zachary,

You are now fourteen months old. Each month when I sit down to write these letters I go back and read over the one I wrote the month before. I am always amazed that you can change so much in just one short month.

I think the biggest development that I’ve seen this month is that you are really starting to show that you understand what other people say to you. One day when I was picking you up at daycare, I asked you to go get your shoes so I could put them on you. You walked directly over to the cubbies and waited for me. When I grabbed your shoes, I asked you to sit down and you did just that. Also, when Daddy or I ask you to go get your cup or to get your ball you will look around the room, find what we asked you for, and bring it to us. That’s quite an improvement over the blank stares that we used to get when we asked you for something.

Along with your greater understanding of language, you are also talking more and more. You have several words that you can say pretty clearly now. There are the old words, Mama, Dada, and Bubba that you have been saying for a long time now. Then there are some new ones: ball, Dylan (your cousin), no (which amazinly you don’t really say often), yes (which is usually accompanied by a head nod), bye-bye, this, and drink. Then there is the jibberish which you go around saying all the time. I know it must mean something to you, but I haven’t quite figured out your language. Lastnight I asked you a question and you turned, looked straight at me, and gave me your answer. I was trying to make meaning out of what you said so I repeated the question several more times and you answered the exact same way every time. I really wish I could have understood what you were saying, because it was obvious you were really trying to tell me something.

Sometimes, for no reason at all that I can see, you break out with a loud scream. I haven’t been able to figure out whether you are just wanting some attention or if you do it only to hear yourself. I’m guessing it is the latter of those two. The other funny thing you do is spin in circles. I’ve caught you doing it a couple of times now and it just cracks me up. You’ll just be standing there and then all of a sudden start spinning around. Then you bust out laughing. You laugh a lot these days. It seems you can find humor in almost anything, so of course, Daddy and I sit around all the time just trying to come up with things that will get a giggle out of you.

The weather has started cooling off a little bit in the last week or two and I am starting to get anxious for Fall. I started digging through your clothes and I’m pretty sure that most of the warmer clothes that you wore in the Spring will be too small for you now. I’ve been out doing a little bit of shopping and have been buying you new clothes in a size 2T. I can’t believe my 14-month-old little baby is already wearing 2T’s. Granted, most of them are a little big on you right now, but I’m sure they’ll be fitting just right by winter time. I weighed you the other day on our home scale and you weighed just over 26 pounds.

In a few weeks your day care provider will be having a new little baby boy. I’m anxious to see how you react to a baby so small. You won’t be the little guy at day care anymore. Granny and Papa are going to come up and stay with you for 3 whole weeks while she is on maternity leave. I’m guessing that will be sufficient time for them to spoil you rotten. I think you will have a great time with them while they are here. I’m sure that they are really looking forward to having some bonding time with you.

As I sit here writing this letter, you are lying in your bed sound asleep taking your afternoon nap. While I treasure every minute I get to spend with you, I am also learning to really enjoy those times when I actually have a few uninterrupted minutes to myself. I usually spend those minutes cleaning up after you, looking at pictures of you, or at the very least thinking about you, but I guess that is all part of being a mom. It is quite a job, but I think it’s the best one I’ve ever had.

Love,

Mama