Surreal Grace: 15 things about 15 months

Miss Mary Kate Frances,

You are 15 months and one week old and since I am one of many who use this blog as a baby book, here are 15 things about your little fire-cracker self.

1. You are becoming more of a toddler each day. I ache at how big and old you look.
2. A part of this little pre-toddler phase is fit-throwing. It is pretty humorous (when we're at home.)
3. You love to take a phone and talk like the whole world knows what you are saying. You change your inflections, tilt your head and use your hands. I have absolutely no clue where you learned this.
4. You don't walk. I'd venture to say you are not even close, though you'll cruise along everything and stand up a few times without holding onto anything. You can crawl at the speed of light and see no reason to slow yourself down by using only two appendages.
5. You are very aware of what you want these days. Seeing as how all your babbling is indecipherable, this is posing some problems. Definitely going to work on teaching you some more signs this week.
6. You still hate the cotton picking carseat. That's all I will say about that.
7. (inserted by dad). You seek out mom and dad's love. Our love for you has been on display for 15 months (and before). But now we are starting to see that you love us back :) You now freely giving kisses. When I took you in to wake up your dad the other day, you leaned in and woke him up with a big kiss, totally unprompted. It was precious.
8. Dad says you miss your puppy Monty. You crawl to the edge of the bed and look for him. We met a new puppy today and you didn't miss a beat, petting him and loving him.
9. You still wake up at 6:30 each day, unless mom is on a run and dad is on morning duty. Then you sleep until 7. Good thing I love you!
10. You love to be outside. Anywhere, anytime, any temperature. I do not look forward to the winter time. Your cold hating mama might just have to take one for the team and bundle up. We are spending lots of qt at the Atlanta zoo, the duck pond behind the library and Taylor-Brawner park.
11. You are a H.A.M. For every bit of whining and fussy you give me, the minute we step into public, you smile and wave and laugh- willing someone to smile at you. It's very clearly an act but also very funny. And I love watching you make someone laugh by shooting a scrunchy nose smile their way.
12. You have not yet begun any major separation anxiety. Once you are in a new place for a few minutes, you are happy to let anyone hold you, tickle you and play with you. This brings indescribable joy to the Sisters, to your grandparents and babysitter.
13. Your favorite food is any kind of bean- black bean, kidney bean, navy bean. It is our only "go to" food. Other days you are exerting that lovely toddler behavior of loving a food one day only to toss it across the room the next.
14. Your favorite activity is to ride in your red push car. Your grandfather took you out in it so many times that you now push it to the door, put your seatbelt on and wave bye-bye at the door. We have to have grandparent detox whenever we leave one of those 4 wonderful people.
15. You love books and will sit in your little reading corner in your room for an hour, reading and taking books off your shelves. I hope this is a lifelong love!

Mary Kate, we could not be more in love with you. We could not be more thankful to God for trusting us with you. We could not be more proud of the little person you are.