15 Months

Will, my sweet, precious Will,

Who you are at the wonderful age of 15 months...

You are officially on the move and into everything.  You walk/strut/run everywhere you go and you squeal with delight if someone tries to catch you.  Being chased is one of your very favorite thing.  You love climbing the steps outside and my heart can hardly take watching you teeter up each one, holding on loosely to the rail.  But you insist on doing it yourself, rarely allowing me to hold your hand and guide you up or down slowly.  You are faster than I remember your older brothers being at this age.  You disappear in a flash and can be beside me in the driveway one minute, and scaling the ladder of the swing set the next.

You seem to enjoy making mischief and I'm realizing more and more that your personality is a lot like Jack's.  In other words, you keep me on my toes, just like he does.  Your newest tricks include...flooding the bathroom floor with water while you're in the tub if I step out of the room, resetting the dishwasher over and over and over again, opening and shutting doors and sneaking away to the toilet so that you can dip toilet tissue in the water and sling the wet paper all over the wall and floor.  

You still love Daddy's cows and you run to the door when he starts to head outside.  You fuss at the cows just like your Daddy, too, waving your arms wildly at them as you ride around on the gator.  Watching your Daddy feed has led to your new obsession with buckets.  You love a bucket and will play with a bucket and water longer than you do with any toy.  Your small, toy buckets are okay until you see one of Daddy's big feed buckets lying around.  You instantly drop yours and rush over to grab his. You hook it to your arm and struggle to walk with it as it drags the ground and bangs against your leg.  You'll be helping your Daddy feed in no time.

You are teething like crazy these days and I can tell your mouth really hurts.  You currently have eight teeth and you are cutting two additional bottom teeth and four molars.  Your determination to run everywhere means you take your fair share of tumbles throughout the day and that I am in a constant state of worry.  I've already lost count of your bloody noses and busted lips.  You seem to get bigger each day and I see your appearance changing from a beautiful baby to a beautiful little boy.  Your hair gets a little lighter every day that we spend outside and I'm so happy that your sweet curls still appear on humid days and when your hair is wet.  

You dance anytime you hear music and watching you makes me ridiculously happy.  You are so friendly, waving at everyone you see, happily smiling at strangers.  You are so sweet and loving and you freely give us all hugs and kisses.  Your brothers adore you and you light up every time you see them.  You watch them closely, learning so much from them.  

I am so thankful for you and the abundant joy you've added to our lives.  It's been a wonderful fifteen months sharing my days with you.  And I know every day to come will be just as wonderful.  Because of you.  My sweet, fifteen month old you.  I love you, Will.  More than you'll ever know.