Dear Jackson

Dear Jackson,

It's time to write you a letter to get you up to speed on what the 16 month old version of you is like. First, the boring detail. You're tall! You are pretty much growing out of your 18 month old clothes and can pull of the 24 month stuff. You wear size five kids shoes. Okay that was boring.

Personality wise, I would describe you as being pretty funny. And if a one year old is capable of being caring, you are. You are also feisty. Changing your diaper can be a challenge. You don't like to be laying down and not allowed to do whatever you want. Which is a problem when you have chunks of poop clinging to your little butt. So then sometimes you smack mommy and daddy on the arm, which makes us sad...but then you gently rub the arm you smacked and make an I'm sorry face.

You have pretty much laid off opening and closing the kitchen cabinets, but can't get enough of the garage door and the front door. You are becoming an expert at climbing the stairs, and actually can go down them pretty well. You do okay with a spoon, and experiment with a fork. You still use a sippy cup, but we try the cup without the sippy when we can. You love to dance. You love to read books, especially Purdue Pete, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? You like to point at all the things in the books and ask us what they are. You love balloons, and when you see them, whether they are hot air balloons or regular ones, you say malon malon malon malon (which is also your word for melon) and point and stretch. It is adorable. You say hi to the moon. You wave at every car and person and bike and dog that walks by. You run down the driveway, which terrifies me. I'm just waiting for a face plant. Lately you are more interested in cuddle time than previously. When we read books you walk over to us, hand us a book, then immediately about face and sit down in our laps for reading.

You like to climb, go down slides and ride in swings. You are still a good eater. You love blueberries, strawberries and all kinds of melon, especially watermelon. You start off your day with daddy at breakfast with a handful of Kix while he makes you pancakes or waffles or french toast. You still love dogs, and still call all animals doggies. You wave at planes and birds. You say "goooooooooo" whenever the car is stopped at an intersection for a long time. You like to run over to mommy and daddy and also grandpa and put your arms up so we will pick you up. You love to play ball and can both throw and occasionally catch. You do a good job with shape toys and have lots of words and even a sentence "get the ball."

You are a great sleeper and love to cuddle with your blanket and your doggie. You very unceremoniously gave up the pacifier the second weekend in September. You no longer wake up at 3 am looking for it, which makes me very happy. You got three molars at the same time in August, followed by getting three of your "I teeth" at the same time right now. You are handling it like a champ. You do lots of fun art projects at school, and for the most part you refrain from biting other kids. Sometimes you do it when you are provoked. It's not our favorite, but we can't blame you when we hear what leads up to it most of the time.

You are lots of fun to be around...you like to dance in your high chair during dinner, and you give lots of hugs to us and even sometimes kisses. Your are very sweet to animals and even made friends with Chip the Buffalo. We love you very much and can't wait to see what else you're going to do :)