16 Months!

My Ruby Joy,

You are 16 (and 1/2) months old now! You are getting close to a year and a half. Amazing! Time has flown by. Your first year of life I got really emotional with each passing month that you were getting so close to one year old. Now, each month is exciting to me. I enjoy watching you learn and grow so rapidly as time passes. You are my precious girl, and I love spending time with you. I want to take a minute here and document some of the mile-stones you've come to since my last update.

Recently you....

Have been talking more: You have known a few words for a while now (mama, dada, other basics), but lately you have been surprising me with more. The other day I asked you to dance to some music and you, clear as day, said, "dance!" I was so surprised! We have discovered that you really like to snack on pistachios. Whenever you see the bag of pistachios you say to me, "nut!" It's so sweet, and I'm glad you like to snack on nuts! It is a win-win. I called your name, looking around grandma and grandpa's house for you, and I heard you say to me, "Ruby." You pronounced your own name - clear as could be! I was shocked, and had to pause for a moment to soak that in. I haven't been able to get you to say it again, but that one time was so special. You love your Auntie Becca. Next to mom and dad, and occasionally "nana" (grandma) you know she is your Aunt "Gocca." The way you say her name is so precious! You are also getting very good at animal noises. There's a select few you really like; horse, dog, and gorilla. Whenever you see a picture of one of those animals (or something that looks like it) you get really excited and make the noise of that animal. It is sweet as could be!

You love being outside: It has been extremely sunny the past few weeks here in Salem, which has been amazing! But ever since I introduced you to playing outside, that's all you want. You love walking around the front yard and sidewalk, picking flowers (daisies from the yard, or flowers from my potted plant) and smelling them. You usually like to have one flower in each hand.

You love babies: Whether it is a real baby at church, a baby crying at the store, or your baby doll, you want to take care of it. You have a routine at our house and at Grandma Miller's house of putting your baby down for, "ni-ni" with a blankie. After you lay the baby down, you sit there and wait for about a minute, then get the baby up and feed it a bottle. It is SO sweet to watch your tender heart and personality unfold. I was the same way when I was little. I have a feeling once your little brother or sister is born, that you will learn how to nurse your baby doll. Just like mommy will nurse her baby. I know you will be a wonderful big sister!

You are sensitive: When mommy or daddy catch you doing something you shouldn't be (usually something dangerous), we sternly say, "NO!" You do not like this word. As soon as you year it you hang your head in shame, drop what you were doing, and a minute later start crying. You get embarrassed that you were doing something wrong, then pout about it. It is precious and we usually scoop you up with lots of hugs and kisses. We are only looking out for your safety and well-being, little Miss. One day you will understand that.

You love animals: Along with babies, you love animals. So far you've only been around cats and dogs, but you run toward them with open arms. This is precious, especially since your momma has never, ever, been a fan of animals. When momma was little she was scared of animals, and still doesn't really like them. I am glad that you are braver than me. However, I know this means we need to keep a close eye on you around strange animals. They won't always be as loving toward you as you are toward them.

You were dedicated to our church: Last Sunday, Mother's Day, we got to dedicate you in front of our church. There were lots of your little friends who also got dedicated that day. While this probably won't mean much to you, but it means a lot to daddy and me. When we dedicated you, we were making a proclamation to the church that we will do everything we can to raise you to love the Lord. We will love you (by His grace) like he loves his children. We will discipline you like he calls us to. We are responsible in these short years we have with you in our home, to show you the love of Jesus, and pray that he will draw your heart to his own. The church, in response, will help us when we need help as parents. They will counsel us when we need advice, or when we are doing something wrong. Ruby, we wouldn't have it any other way.

Those are some of the big updates for now. We love you so much, sweetheart! Keep growing and learning as you are, and we will get to enjoy watching it happen.