Jovie 14 months

Dear beloved Jovie,

You are walking- as of June 26th. Everyday since then, you have gotten more and more stable. Now you dance (in circles) and do that adorable, stutter-step style toddler run. I had forgotten how precious those first steps are- and how cute chubster baby legs look when toddling along.

There are some things you excel in that I feel compelled to tell you about- You can put the cap back on a marker (which is pretty amazing to me), and you love to take things apart. I love watching that impish grin that comes when you are trying to take apart something you are not supposed to... Like the television and all of the wires that come with it. Now you can really "run" away when you are in trouble. Though you are still easily caught.

Markers are an obsession. An edible obsession. You draw in lines and scribbles- You seem to test the weight of the lines the marker creates by using different parts of the tip. You share this artistic obsession with your sister, who no longer eats markers, but loves to draw with them as well. Many a marker has been massacred by the mouth of my little marker monster. Blue is the most recurrent color. Followed by green, orange and pink tying for last place. And you draw ALL OVER YOURSELF.

To your father's chagrin, I indulge this behavior to a point... Eating, not so much... But creativity is cultivated early and if I force you to "color inside the lines" now, I might squelch that creative spirit. However, you may not color on the walls, the floor, or any of Daddy's books. Other than that- draw away my dear, I will always do my best to have paper.

Probably my favorite trait of yours right now is your tendency to do things with your feet. For example, we were all snuggling early on a Sunday morning- though you and I were awake. You kept trying to place your foot squarely into your sleeping sister's mouth. Sometimes you attempt to cover my eyes with your feet, or you grab your ankles and rest the SOLES OF YOUR FEET on your FACE. Today, you stole my cracker with your toes.

You constantly do things that amaze and surprise me- You went to the play kitchen and ran your hands under the faucet and "washed" your hair. Your father and I were in awe. And I will probably always be in awe of my girls.

And, I love you Miss Jovie. My brown-eyed girl. Those lovely dark orbs with striations that rival the most expensive tiger's eye jewelry. I love hearing your words (duck, dog, keys, peek, mamma, dadda and many other in "Jovie" language). And I love how you hug. And you cling to me like a baby koala and your rest your head at my neck... And life is good.

Love you, my little elf child.

~Mamma

PS- I would be remiss if I did not mention "What is that?!?!" You say this roughly 150 gabillion times a day. I love your inquisitive nature, but I can only tell you that "THAT!" is a door, or chair, or baby, or whatever it actually is so many times before my brain explodes. Ooops, there it went.