Dear Baby Sunday,

My compassionate, expressive, and extremely affectionate daughter... can we even call you a baby anymore? You are so big... a real little girl now. Wanting this and that, not wanting this and that, bossing the dogs around, climbing all over things, giving kisses galore... You are so, so big. Stop it. Stop growing!

I know, all moms say it... but I want you to stay little forever. I look back at pictures of you from just 6 months ago and I can't believe I was waiting for you to get bigger then. No no no. Please go back to just crawling and laughing and having very mild opinions. (And I should apologize that there's been a six month gap between these letters! You've changed SO much!)

These days you are eager to explore new places and things. You have the perfect balance of not being scared, but being generally cautious while exploring on foot. (You really don't enjoy losing your balance.) Luckily, I never had to worry about you trying to go up and down the stairs on your own before you learned how. Oh what a blessing. However, you do get bored quickly and on days when we stay home you always end up asking me "Bye bye? Bye bye?" No, honey, we're not going out today. :) But it sure is cute that you like to go, go, go!

You have the sweetest little manners, saying "Pease!" and "Tank-Yoo" all on your own now. You are beginning to speak with confidence and at a higher volume. You're talking a lot, and each time we ask you to say something, you give it your all! Words you are using regularly, but are not limited to, are: "Aww man!" "Pease, Mama!" "Help!" "Milk" "Noo-nee" (Banana, actually) "Dog dog" Oh gosh, this list could go on. You are picking up animal noises and love to growl at dogs and cats. It cracks us up!

You love to be silly all on your own just to make people laugh. How fun is that! I'll randomly be focused on something and you'll say "Mama!" I look up and you are putting a napkin in your mouth or blowing raspberries on my belly... whatever silly thing you can think of to make me laugh. Girl, you are so. much. fun!

You also love your baby doll. All babies, actually. You can spot a baby from blocks away - I am not even kidding. You just did it at the farmer's market last weekend! I had to look long and hard for the stroller you spotted and labeled "baby!" You kill me. Amaze me. Surprise me. I am in awe of how smart you are, how much you catch on to, and how much fun you are. (And if we had only known 9 months ago how much you'd be into babies... hah!)

Your nanny, Allison, moved about 4 months ago and we were on a hunt to find a new child care situation for you. We finally settled (after a lot of conversations and taking a big leap of faith!) on a place and you are thriving. You love to interact with the other kids and you are learning some good life lessons already. You know, things like not hitting other kids, and how to share when you don't want to. And the difference between climbing in Mrs. Mer's dishwasher (totally cool) and climbing in mama's dishwasher (not cool). Whenever we pull into Mrs. Mer's driveway you start kicking your feet and squealing... then you take off! We've come to a place where you can tell me "Bye bye" and give kisses and be completely content watching me walk away. What a relief. It took us about 6 weeks, both of us, to get over our nerves, but we did it! And now we're both in a happy place. You only go two days a week, enough time for me to stay caught up on work so we can still have good Sunday & Mama days in between. It's perfect.

You love people. One of your favorite activities is people watching, and you LOVE when we go out in public because you are always entertained. No one can make you laugh like your Daddy, no one gives comfort like Mama. And you're kind of obsessed with your Papa. When we start the 2.5 hour trek to Grandmommie & Papa's house, I try to prep you along the way... "Are you SO excited to see Grandmommie?! We're going to Grandmommie's house!" And then we pull in the driveway and you promptly squeal "Papa!!!" Any time you see him all you want is for him to hold you. Nothing else will do. It's so precious.

At night you sleep with your "Baby," and you FINALLY enjoy watching TV. I'm not gonna lie, I've been waiting for that one. We're still working on electronic entertainment in general, as you seem bored with the iPad and my iPhone... but you're your mama's daughter, so I am sure we will get there sooner or later. No rush. :)