Dear Rita Marie,
Today you turn 18 months old. This has been the funnest month yet. You are turning into a little girl right before our eyes. Your hair is getting so long and curly, it's adorable. You have a laid back personality, prefer to play on your own and a sense of humor that is so awesome, I really don't have words to describe it.
You started to run this month. When you run, you giggle. Once you took off running, laughing, and ran straight into a cupboard in the kitchen. You hit it so hard it knocked you right on your butt and you hit your head on the tile with a thud. I felt so bad for you, and comforted you all the while thinking how truly funny it was. I still giggle inside when I replay it in my head. Had you done it on purpose it would have been pure comic genius!
You have an obsession with shoes! Flip flops mostly. You love to walk around in them. You get your little feet in them and clomp clomp around the house. It is so adorable! My U of M flip flops have your teeth marks in them. Sometimes you just wear one, and carry the other. You also try to walk in Daddy's work shoes and my sneakers! You have also stood there with both your feet in one of Daddy's shoes. Priceless!
You are babbling on and on and on. Daddy can't believe it. I'm with you all day, so it's the norm for me. You have conversations with yourself, or your Pooh bear, or Tigger the cat. Whoever is in the vicinity at the time. I can't understand you quite yet, but when you do start to make sense I'm sure you will NEVER stop talking. I will long for the quiet days of babble. Most kids say words, you will talk in paragraphs.
You still scream at the top of your lungs and shake with excitement when you see Eileen or Grandma. No one makes you laugh like Grandma. The belly laugh is so infectious everyone in the room can't help but laugh with you! You love to sing when we ride in the car. You really like Nickelback. Dancing is also one of your favorite past times. Sometimes there is no music, but round and round in circles you go. Also, you stomp your feet. A lot. We think you like the sound they make when they hit the floor. You never stop moving. Ever.
When we ask you if you want to brush your teeth or take a bath, you run as fast as you can to the bathroom door and hit it with your fists. When we open the door for you, you push it as hard as you can so it slams into the wall. You run up your two little stairs, point at your toothbrush and squeal until we hand it to you. You even move your little arm back and forth like you are trying to brush your teeth. I could just melt!
Yesterday at Miss Eileen's house I found you with kid sized pots and pans, scooping water out of the dog dish and drinking from the pan. You were completely soaked, along with the floor. I couldn't stop laughing long enough to discipline you.
The canned goods on the lazy susan in the cupboard have become one of your favorite toys. We had to lock up the pantry because you grabbed an envelope of taco seasoning mix and chewed a hole in it. By the look on your face I could tell you didn't like it much. Anyway, you take one can out at a time, place it carefully on the floor and head back to the cupboard for another. This goes on until you have about 10-12 cans on the floor. Then you proceed to gently put them back on the lazy susan. Stacking them carefully if they all don't fit.
The produce section at the market still gets you so excited I think you will fall out of the cart. Strangers laugh when I tell them "She loves fruits and vegetables." Everyone talks to you when they pass you by and tell me how beautiful you are. We hear: "Those eyes!" at least once a day from a perfect stranger. You've become quite a shopper with Mommy. A big change from just a few months ago. I keep you stocked with goldfish and nilla wafers and you can shop for hours!
This is going to be a great Christmas. I cannot wait. You are so good around the Christmas tree. I hung some Tigger & Mickey Mouse ornaments where you can reach them. You don't pull on them, you gently hold them and examine them closely. Your spirit is so gentle and sweet. You are an angel!
I can't express to you how much fun you are and how much me and your Daddy love you. Every day is an adventure. Seeing the world through your eyes is absolutely amazing. I almost forgot, you also discovered airplanes and birds in the last month. You stare up at the sky when you hear one and get really excited when you see it.
I love you with all my heart lovey,
Mommy
PS- There is no feeling I can think of to describe what it feels like when you climb up on me, put your arms around me and lay your little head on my chest. I love you.

Dr Q

That is what my hubby calls my chiropractor/acupuncturist. Dr. Q. Short for Dr. Quack. I say Phooey! Don't knock it till you try it.
I went in today b/c I've had a headache for two weeks. Normally that means my neck is out (thank you Brian Setser circa 1985). Dr. Q did some inter-oral TMJ work. I've never had it done before but I had seen it done to someone else. Who knew the muscles inside your mouth could hurt so darn bad? At one point I almost threw up on him I was so nauseous. Then he stuck me with needles. Before he did so, he sprinkled white powder on the floor, stood in it and kind of mumbled something. He inserted three needles in the top of my head, three in each ear, one behind each ear and one in my third eye. I got the giggles again. The giggles relative the goofy stuff you get before you go into surgery. Then my earlobes got super hot, as a matter of fact, they are still burning now! My headache instantly went away. He couldn't get my neck to adjust, which is uncommon for him. So I will go back Monday.
I just adore him!!