My little toddler is 15 months old!

I took Ashlyn to the pediatrician on October 11th, and she seems to be tall and skinny. She weighed 20 lbs and 8 oz--14th percentile and she's 31 3/4 inches tall--84th percentile. I felt terrible that she had only gained 6 ounces from her 12 month checkup, but Dr. McCorkle ressured me that she was growing fantastically...and weight and height are are genetically influenced. She is Jade Vickery ALL OVER. The way she's tall and skinny, the way she grabs a piece of her hair and plays with the end of it, her easygoing and laidback temperament--thank you Jesus! However, she's learned to frown and throw herself onto the floor and cry when she wants something. Ah, the joys of toddlerhood. She's learning to talk and say things like, "Dora!" "Rabbit," (which sounds like Rabbi), "Bubbles!" (which she's obsessed with), "Mo-meer," "Dog," and "Deer." And then she babbles like she's carrying on a normal conversation...all of which you cannot understand.

I look at her and think back to when she was a helpless little warm body and couldn't even hold her own head up and I see her now, and it makes me feel like she's grown way too fast! I know in reality that she has, but I've really tried so hard to savor each and every moment I spend with her. Even then, the time is flying by too fast. I love her so much. I try to give her everything I possibly can without her expecting something all the time. But when I see her in the store and she squeals in delight over an Elmo doll, and then she starts talking to it , even though you can't understand, I just can't resist buying that toy for her because I know how happy it makes her. And I want to make her happy.

I went without so many things growing up. Even the basic things like food and clothing. Ashlyn has all those things and THEN SOME. All because Jade and I wanted her to have all the things we didn't have growing up. We worked hard to go to college to have respectable careers so that our little girl and hopefully others in the future can have nice things. We love her so much. I never thought I could know a love like this. Sounds mushy I know, but I really didn't know I could feel like this and it just grows stronger everyday! It's different from love I have for Jade--that kind is VERY different. And it's something you work on everyday. Yes, I care deeply for him and love him deeply, but it's different from the intense 'Mothering' instinct I have for my perfect little angel.

I'm so lucky and Blessed by God to have such a wonderful, loving little family that Jade and I created together.