To My Sweet Baby

Dear Julian,

It is such a blessing and honor to be your mother. It's so amazing to watch you grow and develop. I see your eyes light up with excitement at familiar things that you love (like the book "Where is Baby's Belly Button?"), and curiosity at the new things yet to explore. You so love to be around other babies and children. You get so giddy when you see another small person, and it's just adorable. Today I witnessed you and a little boy about 9 months older than you interacting and laughing with one another...you chased him by crawling as he ran. It was amazing to watch. At your friend's house, you became acquainted with a beach ball...I've never seen you be SO entertained with a single toy for so long! It was awesome:)

You get an inquisitive look on your face when a stranger stops and talks to you, then you point at them,

and then you wave at them, and then you smile big at them! You received a compliment this week on how professional your wave is-- a real side to side motion with your hand! You also will wave at objects you enjoy looking at, like the mirror above the couch, or the CD player in your room. Yesterday you ripped a Pottery Barn Kids magazine to shreds, and had a blast doing it.

You have learned SO much and done so many new things this last week! Where do I even begin?

Well, last Thursday you enjoyed thoroughly your very first "Puff". Mommy let you try organic puffs about a month ago on which you almost choked and died (even though the label says they dissolve in baby's mouth!), and mommy had to do a quick baby heimlich maneuver which resulted in an intact organic Puff on the ground- NOT.COOL. So, needless to say, mommy has been nervous to start you on big people food. But the doctor gave me the go ahead and so munched you did on a little baby Puff, and another, and another. The next day you decided to grab a big Cheeto off of your toddler friend's plate and thought it would be a good idea to munch on that, too. Mommy was in the kitchen at the time of said feeding, but daddy quickly let you know otherwise...after you'd devoured half of it! On Sunday you were with daddy in Elder's Quorum in the chapel, and apparently climbed the stairs up to the stand like it was no big thing. Let me correct you: this WAS a big thing! You've never had a go at stairs. So for you to just go up them like it was nothing...well...it means you're growing way too fast! :(

On Monday you learned more about sharing with your friend Kiley. You seem like you will be pretty good at it! Let's keep it up, Boo!

On Tuesday you had real bananas for the first time (as opposed to the Gerber organic you're used to). YUMMY! That evening, you had mashed potatoes! You fed yourself some of them, and you loved doing so! Tuesday night you had mashed potatoes as well! I think you're definitely a fan!

You've also been learning to feed yourself with your baby spoon...that one will take some practice!

Putting you down for naps and bedtime lately has been a cinch. You're just so sweet. You get in these moods where you will just talk, talk, talk like it's going out of style! And I must say, your little voice is soooooo cute! Sometimes you get this smile on your face, not your signature "Capital D" smile, but another one that's more of a long, pleased looking smile, and then you go "ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma" and smack your lips together. It's so cute! It's almost as if you're saying "look what I can say!" and "I love you!" at the same time.

Mommy has been singing "Pattycake" and "If You're Happy & You Know It" to you since your first months here on the earth, and over Labor Day weekend, you all of a sudden started clapping with me! It was sooo exciting! Ever since, you clap not only at those songs, but also at any music. You will also sway your head and move your little body at the same time. You did this today when no music was to be heard, actually. You must have heard the angels singing and were clapping & dancing for them. Your favorite thing is the guitar. You point to the one mounted on our wall all the time, and say "GHeee-oo", telling us you want us to take it down and play it. If you're fussy, you point to the GHee-oo, and you snap back into happy mode as soon as we take it down and play it.

You are SUPER fast when it comes to crawling. I just don't get it. Weren't you just born? How are you already a crawling machine? You delight in the tiniest discoveries you find while on your crawling treks, whether that be a tiny seashell as your crawled on the beach a couple weeks ago, or a tiny piece of lint that came out of the dryer with the clothes. While we're on the subject of doing new things, a while ago you started pulling yourself up...and my oh my! It was like no one had ever performed such a feat before! The look on your face each time you accomplished your task of standing up was one of sheer pride and joy. It was adorable!

Your hair gets curlier everyday!

Today daddy and mommy noticed your newest curl right on the very top of your head! I love, love, love your beautiful blue eyes. They are amazing, and seem to get bluer each time I stare deeply into them.

You still love Spot and Little Quack,

and never tire of reading them! But you also love to read new books too. When asked to point to certain things in a book, you will do just that! So far, you have showed us repeatedly that you can point to the kitty, to the puppy, to the guitar, to the light, to the ball and to the flowers!

If given the choice between a book or a toy, you'd choose a book and be happier with it longer than with a toy. This is not to say you don't looove your little baseball bat, your little piano, and your piggy puppet!

Speaking of the piggy puppet, you and I have practiced learning what a kiss is with our favorite snouted animal! Mommy says " give a kiss!" and then kisses the little snout with an enthusiastic "mmmmm-aaah!" and you just giggle! Then it is your turn, and you open your mouth wide to give the little piggy a kiss! It is so cute! Tonight mommy got several wide open mouthed kisses from you, and she loved every one of them!

You have already said several words, and there have been witnesses each time you'd said them! You say puppy, quack (when you see a duck in your Spot books), light, book, mama, and dada. For any readers out there, remind me if I've missed something!

When you're in the bath, you try desperately to grab the stream of water as it flows out of the faucet. One thing is for sure, you're a persistent little guy!

Your eyes LIGHT UP when daddy comes home. There is just something about daddy, isn't there? Well, you and I sure seem to think so! Your daddy loves you and you know what? You crack daddy up! Daddy was the one who taught you how to splash like crazy in the bath tub a couple months ago, and this continues to be one of your favorite pastimes! You love it when mommy and daddy are silly and make funny faces! That is one sure fire way to make you laugh! And oh, your laugh! It's hilarious! Kind of raspy and definitely contagious. You really are my sunshine. I think your Aunt Marissa put it best when she called you the "joy manufacturer"! You make everyone around you happy, especially your family. We love you so much, little one. Thanks for choosing us.