Dear Andie... You're 15 Months Old!

My beautiful baby girl,
I refuse to call you a toddler... yet!  I can't believe it's been 3 months since we celebrated your first Birthday.  You are changing and developing right before our very eyes and it is truly a pleasure to watch.  Sometimes, I just love to stare at you.  Your compact little body and the way you waddle when you run, goodness, I would freeze time if I could.  I am scared that I will someday forget the way you look and the way you sound right now.  You have the cutest little voice and your noises make us laugh.  I try to get them on video, but it's almost impossible because you are very aware of cameras and cell phones and immediately want to play with them.
You are saying several words now and it's fun to teach you new ones.  You say: mama, dada, baba, what's that?, nuts (when you fall or drop something), and hi.  If we ask you "what does a dog say?" you respond with "woof woof".  You are very aware of what we are saying.  If we say bath, downstairs, outside, ride in the car, time to eat, nigh nigh time, or let the dogs out you know exactly where to go to do what we are saying.  If we ask you where your ball or baby is, you will go on a hunt to find them.  It is truly amazing what you understand!  You also point at things when you say "what's that" and it is so cute to see your tiny little arm pointing around.  When you laugh really hard, you throw your head back and it is so darn cute!
You are quite feisty, and along with understanding what we are saying, you also like to test us when we say "no".  I suppose this is only the beginning, but we are doing our best to stay consistent and make sure we do our best to teach you what no means.  You are so darn cute, it's not easy, but I know if we don't start now, we may lose you.
Your favorite toys: your baby (you've got two of them), ball, Doc McStuffins toys, your red car that sings, your cozy coupe, and your clubhouse and slide that we put up downstairs.  Your favorite book is Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton.  You will bring that to daddy and I to read to you and you always light up when we do.  You even know the part to give us a kiss.  You love your blankets and chew on them for comfort when you are tired or upset.  You love to wave at people and sometimes you'll wave at complete strangers.  You've gotten a little better at riding in the car and riding in shopping carts.
You are wearing 12 month sized clothes from Carters, and 12-18 month sized clothes from Old Navy and Gap.  At your last check up a couple weeks ago, you were 21 pounds, in the 50th percentile, up from the 20th percentile at your first Birthday.  You wear size 3 pampers diapers and size 3-4 shoe.  We've had a lot of fun shopping for shoes for you and your favorite pair right now are your pink converse.  You've got 5 teeth, 3 up on top, and two on the bottom - and another on the top is popping through the gums now.  Teething was a little tough for you in the last couple months, but you're doing better now.  You sleep through the night and have been for several months - usually going down between 7:30 and 8, and sleeping 12 hours.  You take one nap a day for an hour or two.
You absolutely love the water and the pool.  Everyone is surprised when they see you in the pool because you're not afraid.  You will fall in and go under and it doesn't phase you.  You also love your water table we set up on the back porch and bath time is always a hit with you.  You love to play under the running water and fill up little buckets.
After you turned a year old, I started to wean you from breastfeeding because I am pregnant with your baby brother.  I was so proud to make it to a year, and it was a little tough for you, but you took the change very well.  Now, you have about 3 5oz bottles of organic whole milk a day, along with a bottle of almond milk if you seem to want it.  You eat pretty well, but not everyday.  You have good days and days where you aren't as hungry.  Your favorite food is definitely fruit... especially blueberries!  You will eat strawberries, blueberries, grapes, peaches... any fruit!  You also still like yogurt, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, mac and cheese, black beans, quesidellas, and you aren't too picky with trying new things.
You are quite the climber and adventurer.  You're very tough.  You fall quite often and it's rare that you cry.  We have moved all of our chairs away from the table because you figured out how to climb on them and then get on top of the table.  You also can climb up playgrounds, strollers, into the bathtub, up stairs (you love stairs), and anywhere you set your mind to.  You're an adventurer because you don't stay where we are - you go wherever you feel like going.  You will wander away from us to explore, something I have noticed is a little rare for a baby your age.  You enjoy going to the play care at the gym, so I try to take you at least 5 times a day.  The ladies there tell me you love to play with the big kids outside, and I am not surprised.  You have an older soul for your young age.  You do pretty well traveling, and in June, we took a trip to Carmel for a week with mama's family and we went to Seattle and Portland for 10 days.
You are so beautiful.  You have the most amazing round blue eyes and platinum blonde hair.  You are very sweet and love giving kisses.  Pops taught you how to give kisses on the cheek, and you never refuse giving pops a kiss. You love spending time with us and our family and friends and really thrive around other kids.  I am very excited to see you as a big sister, and I am enjoying my time with just us until he gets here.  I can't believe how much you have grown up and changed in such a short time.  You amaze me, sweet girl, and I hope you never underestimate how much I love and adore you.
Love you forever,
mama
At the Portland airport.  You're quite the little traveler! Sweet Andie... you are LOVED.