Little Man, Little Man

Dear Stinker Bug,

My how time flies!  You are 16 months old today.  We've been in Guam for 3 months and a day.  You've changed so much in the past three months (I can't even describe how much you've changed since you were born).  When we got to Guam, you ate different food than we did, you didn't walk and you really didn't have much to say.

These days, you love to eat whatever we are eating.  Your favorite foods are meat (especially cheeseburgers) and pasta. You'll really eat just about anything (except cauliflower- no matter how much cheese it's covered in and chicken nuggets).  We always have to bathe you when you eat any pasta with red sauce because you get covered from head to toe, even if you're wearing a bib.  Usually, when you have spaghetti, we strip you down to your diaper because we know you'll make such a big mess.  You always let us know when you're finished with your food by placing your bowl on your head.

You've also started walking.  Granted, you walk a little like Frankenstein, but you no longer need the assistance of a wall, chair or couch to get from point A to point B.  You still use them but are getting less and less dependent on them.  You only crawl if you want to get some where quickly, then you hit the floor, tuck your head and you're off!  It's fun watching you learn to gain confidence in yourself.  You have no fear when it comes to climbing either.  You are constantly trying to climb up on the couches, over chairs, anything that can support you, you want to be King of the Hill.

Daddy and I both think you're super smart.  Although you don't say a lot that we can understand, you are really verbal and you are starting to make connections with words and things.  I love when you do this!  You can hiss like a snake, you say "cheese", "this", "that", "night-night", "see" and several others.

Your favorite thing to do seems to be to take anything out of it's proper place (your toys, my pots and pans, bibs, ANYTHING) and throw it onto the floor and move it around.  I find my shoes in boxes of electrical equipment and your toys in drawers with the measuring spoons.  And even though it seems like I am CONSTANTLY picking up after you, I love when you're napping and I open a drawer and find a little goodie that you left- it makes my heart smile thinking of you.

Speaking of shoes, you love them.  You want to wear them all the time, even if you only have on a diaper.  You also love to take daddy's and my shoes off our feet and put them back on and I've even caught you trying to wear our shoes, but it's hard since we mainly wear flip flops these days.  (A shoe related side story-  Tonight we took you for a ride in your wagon and some neighbors asked if we had lost one of your shoes.  And sure enough on our previous wagon ride almost a week ago, you apparently tossed one of your shoes out of the wagon- your wagon is one of your favorite places to store treasures-  and it stayed outside, a block away from our house for 5 rainy days, but tonight it is safe and sound and reunited with its sole mate)

You are still such a joy to be around (although, you like to scream in a very high pitched voice when you don't get your way).  We love you so much and are so happy God chose us to be your parents.

Love,
Momma

PS-  Tonight was a big night for us.  I did something that I have been putting off for a while.  I finally broke down and cut  your hair.

I figured since you were 16 months old, and not a resident of Mulletville USA, and I was sick of your daddy complaining about your hair when strangers confusing you for a girl, and because really if you have enough hair to make a pony tail, and you're a boy and I really am accepting of the fact that you're growing up and not a baby then yes, it probably was the time to pull out the scissors and snip your locks.

I did it.  You lost some hair (bye bye baby mullet) and I shed a few tears.

You're beautiful, you'll always be my baby boy, and you sure are growing up fast!