17 months, a bit late

Dear Amelia,

Wow. You are 17 months old. You are now a completely different entity than the tiny newborn we welcomed into this world. You are a Sassy Toddler! Aunt Amy and Uncle Tom started calling you Sass and the name is more fitting than we ever realized it would be.

You keep us on our toes all the time. We can never turn our backs or avert our eyes when you’re around (it’s kind of like living at a federal prison, only without the tattoos and shanks). The second we open the door, you dart outside, calling “Bye-bye, Mama, bye-bye!” and head straight for the road or a complete stranger or hissing rattlesnake, whatever is closer. That’s why we keep you attached to us with a handy leash and shock collar. I’m just kidding (the shock collar hasn’t arrived yet, it should be in our mail box any day now).

Your intense personality extends into your happy times. You laugh and giggle until you pee your diaper (I am guessing that’s why you’ve only peed in the cute green little potty we bought you once). My absolute favorite development is your constant hugging and kissing you give to me and Lola. Hug, play, throw some toys at me, kiss, hug, read a book, kiss, kiss. That’s your routine when we’re playing- you just drop everything and run over and wrap your arms around my neck and burrow your head against me. My heart just melts and at that moment, I would totally let you leave the house in whatever you choose to wear when you’re 16 (good thing your father has been practicing his aim with his shotguns to ward off the boys).


This month has been a month of changes for our family. We left the home you were born and raised in and moved down to the tropical locale of Key West. You don’t realize what a lucky little girl you are to be living here. We have been creating the most amazing memories, bringing you to the beach 3-4 times a week. In particular, you are fond of throwing rocks and sand into the ocean and walking up to the happy male couples in their tiny fitted boy shorts (what can I say? They love you) and giving them high fives. You have adapted so well to this move; you are such a little trooper! It’s helping to make this transition easier for me, too. It’s been hard to move away from your grandparents and our friends.

Here's a picture of you at the Southernmost Point, where we live:

Here's a picture of you feeding the chickens on our back deck (you call them coo-coos):

Your vocabulary is amazing. At our last count, you say almost 75 words and names, so we stopped counting. Your favorite is “Pway!” for the playground, which you freak out about every time we pass it. We go almost every day and you “pway” until you decide you’ve had enough and wave bye-bye and promptly walk away from all the other little children. Sometimes they follow you. Like the Pied Piper. You are still really into reading and books and you can amuse yourself for hours "reading" them to us, pointing out the moon and fish and frogs and stars and anything else you recognize.

You'll notice a lot of these pictures are taken with the hose on our back porch. Your Grandma created this hose/tupperware game when she was here visiting you and you LOVE IT!! You beg to go outside and "pway wa-wa."
Every night, we read in your room together- I read a nur.sing textb00k or trashy celebrity gossip and you read "Goodnight Moon." Then we read about 15 books together (while you say and sign "more" after every one) and sing a few songs. Your current absolute favorite song is the Wheels on the Bus. You bring the book over to us, sign and say "more" and instantly start shaking your butt before we even start singing. Your daddy and I like to make up new verses of the song (like, "the Lola's on the bus go meow meow meow") to keep it interesting. You also LOVE the Sound of Music songs, which I sing to you when you occasionally wake up crying at night. Your favorite is "Sixteen going on Seventeen." I just downloaded the album and we had a dance party in the kitchen to it.

Here's a picture of you after getting in trouble "helping" me to highlight my Nursing Fund.amentals textbook:

I'm sorry I haven't been more diligent about these monthly letters, but I'm trying to finish my dissertation, pass my first semester of nurs.ing sch00l, and hang out with you and your daddy. I'm sure you'll understand one day. You'll probably be just as busy when you're old enough to read these!
Thank you for making our lives so amazing and full of fun, Amelia Sass!

Love, Mommy & Daddy