to our 20 month old steel trap

one more month passes and you have grown and changed and LEARNED so much. you have taken a sudden interest in letters and numbers, much the way you did with colors. and just like with colors, your interest coupled with us telling you names of letters has resulted in you learning several names of letters. you recognize the letters a, e, i, o, u, x, g ("for greta"), r, and t. not only do you recognize those letters, but you have started pointing out letters everywhere. on a stroller ride last week you pointed at a stop sign and said "letters". when we read books with numbers, you like for us to count the items on the page and tell you the names of the numbers. you don't know the names of any numbers yet, but are sure to tell us all the numbers that have an "O" in them, such as 6 or 8. lately you will count, "one, two three, nine, ten". you are also able to recognize certain symbols and pictures, such as when you see the cincinnati reds "c" you say, "go reds!"
your papa calls you a parrot because all of the sudden you are able to say (and repeat) just about anything. you are able to converse with us, answering questions about your day. the more words you learn the more i think you are satisfied that you can make your needs known, like when you stand at the front door and yell, "outside!" over and over.
you like to sit on the potty chair papa got for you, and all of the sudden you are very aware of when you have gone to the bathroom in your diaper. you will tell us "poo poo" when you have gone or are about to go, and once you have gone you aren't able to sit down until we change your diaper. sometimes you even get a diaper and a wipe (yelling "need a wipe!!" until someone gets you one) and then lay down on the changing mat and pretent to change your own diaper.
you have also been pretending to change diapers and give bottle to your baby dolls and stuffed animals.
you have some funny habits and behaviors. like when you are tired in the car, you fold your arms behind your head. and sometimes you like to rub your pointer and middle fingers together, almost in a "fingers crossed" sort of way. when you sit with mama or papa to read books or watch tv, sometimes you like to sort or rub or pinch on our wrists or hands.
you give hugs....you gave hugs before but now these are REAL hugs with your arms out wide and that contain an actual squeeze. i love your hugs. your kisses too.
your memory for names and faces continues to amaze us. i was telling you that jena was coming to visit, and that we had gone to her house once and you replied, "doggie". it took me a minute to realize that indeed jena does have a dog that you LOVED. could you possibly remember that from a few months ago?? i love listening to you read your books, and sing songs with most of the words such as ring around the rosy or baa baa black sheep.
you are such a sweet little thing with a such a sharp mind...thanks for keeping us on our toes.