Dear Zoë,

Two days ago you turned 21-months-old.  That is 21-months going on 3 or 4.  You are a personality to be reckoned with and you never let us forget it.  You are at that age where you are so rapidly changing and developing. You shine so bright that it is impossible not to notice you and become washed in your zest for life.  Your smile and laugh are infectious and you consistently crack yourself up over and over.

You have really ceased being a toddler and are rapidly becoming a little girl.  A little girl who likes dolls and cars, pushing strollers and pushing spiderman or batman, who loves lip glass (thanks for that grandma anne) and getting dirty.  But most of all you love to have fun and you have a lot of it.  You dance and wrestle with your big brother–and he loves that.  You will stand by the back door for as long as it takes for someone to come look for you and take you outside.  You would live outside if you could.  You want to be outside all of the time doing all sorts of things–but mostly playing in the kiddie pool and swinging.  You’ll have me push you in the swing until I want to poke my eyes out with spoons.  You and Noah both would swing all day.  All. Day.  Just so you know it is great that you like to be outside and that you don’t enjoy watching much tv.  But your mom does love watching tv.  How I miss TV.  Oh, wait this is a letter for you.

You are still such a tiny little thing.  Which blows my mind as you eat like a linebacker and would be happy to have a constant stream of food going into your mouth.  You will eat just about anything we give you–unlike your brother who doesn’t venture out of the hot dog, avocado, noodle, cheese, grapes food groups.  You are a champion eater.  Thank goodness eating is the one thing you do on your own with out any consulatation with your older brother.  This is the only thing that you don’t consult/copy your brother on.  You have to do everything Noah does. Still.  I should count myself lucky that your brother is a pretty good kid.  You have recently begun singing and since you really don’t have enough actual speech ability to sing all of the words its a cross between humming and singing.  “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and the “ABC’s” are your two songs of choice and often you combine them and it is pretty funny.  Cute but funny.

We have added a kitten to the house and it has been a few weeks (maybe a month) but you love that kitty and it is pretty cute.  You look for her and call out for her.  She comes to you often–she must love being manhandled by toddlers becuase she doesn’t complain.  You do have a scratch or two–but you are learning to not grab and to be gentle.  You are learning slow–not beause you are being mean to the kitty but because you want to hug her–aka squeeze her.  Your love of animals is amazing.  You seek out any animal you can and you want to hug it and pet it and kiss it.  You are not afraid.  Maybe you will share my love of animals and become a veternarian and I can live vicariously through you.

You are growing so fast and it is hard to believe how much you have changed from that confused and scared little baby girl who came home nearly 14 months ago.  You are beginning to blossom and your flower is gorgeous.

Love you,

Mommy