Letters to Tory: 14 Months

Happy 14 months, Tory Bean!

You continue to amaze me, little girl, with your intelligence and charm. You've really blossomed into a toddler now and run everywhere, climb everything and pout when you don't get your way. We're living in a house full of locks and levers because you've learned how to open cabinet doors, drawers, the refrigerator and scale up and down stairs. It's pretty awesome to watch you discover the world around you. You love to fill up a bucket with toys and dump it out again, and puzzles are starting to peak your interest. I dug out plastic Easter eggs from the closet and they entertain you for hours. Dump! Pickup. Dump! Pickup. Over and over again.

Classic Tory pout

Baby dolls continue to be your very favorite toys. You pile them all together and rock them in your rocking chair, feed them with toy baby bottles and sway side to side as your comfort them in your arms. It warms my heart to see you be so sweet and gentle. You really like other kids and give out lots of hugs to every friend you meet.

Likes to pick out her own clothes

Before you were born, someone once told me it's the best thing to have your firstborn be a girl because they'll always be mommy's helper. It's completely true; you love to imitate things I do like cleaning up messes on the floor or stirring make-believe dinner in your toy frying pan. When I'm cooking in the kitchen, you're right there with me, digging in the Tuperware.

Remember a few months ago (alright, the entire first year of your life) when I said you never slept? It's almost as if you've decided to cut your dear ol' mama a break in the sleeping department because my little Tory Bean, you are the best toddler sleeper! I never thought the day would come when I could lay you down in your crib, walk away and you'd actually go to sleep on your own. It is simply glorious. You now sleep through the night consistently from 7pm - 6am and take regular naps around 9am and 1:30pm. Don't you feel better when you're well rested? I know Mommy does. Thank you for sleeping so nicely and please don't change your ways.

One of my other favorite things about you these days is your ability to communicate with us. You aren't saying many words just yet, but through gestures and sounds you tell us when you're hungry by smacking your lips together or when you want to go outside by bringing us your shoes. You've learned temperature and blow on your dinner to cool it or say "brrr!" when we let Chloe outside early in the morning.

Tory, you love animals and can identify and make the sound for cow, bear, dog, sheep, cat, monkey, elephant and alligator. If we ask you what sound an animal makes and you don't know the answer, you'll simply shrug your shoulders as if to say "I don't know." I laugh every time. It is seriously so cute. I was pretty surprised the other day when I was singing "How Much Is That Doggy In The Window?" to you and you chimed right in with the barking sound, exactly in the right place. You also like to shake your finger when we sing "Five Little Monkeys." At least I'm not singing for own health; you seem to really enjoy all the little tunes we sing together.

Recently, you started to say "uh oh!" when something drops on the floor. Still no "mama" or "dada" yet and this one is driving Daddy crazy. He practices with you all the time and I'm starting to think you're holding out just to get to him.

One thing I've learned about being your mom is every month brings new challenges and experiences. This month was a good one - we had so much fun together - and I'm looking forward to all that's yet to come.

Love,
Mama