Dear Lena,
Sweet girl. You are four months away from your second birthday and I gasp when I think on it. Many things have changed in this last month as you have suddenly gone from baby to toddler. Things I thought were safely out of your reach are suddenly on your radar. You are a climber and a monkey and sneaky as can be climbing on or up bookshelves to reach your desired object. You even place chairs on top of chairs or couches to get higher up for that bell or snow globe. This month you've discovered the potty. Lets just leave it at that for now. Oh my. You know how to open doors, lock doors, open the refrigerator and help yourself. You dumped a bottle of almond extract all over and baby locks- nope. You figure them all out because your fingers and hands are so tiny. You're tall baby girl- in the 95% for height but still a peanut for weight. You need 12 month pants for waist but 18 month for height, which leaves us wishing they made girl suspenders. You chatter and discover repeating words and pointing. You LOVE snow, though you call it rain. Not that we've had much to talk about around here, but still..... you're enraptured. You have fallen in love with baby dolls and pretend play with animals and cars, dance with your sister and continue to love Country Fiddle Music. You sing some songs now too: ABC's (two versions), Row Row Row, Silent Night, Holy Holy and a Swedish lullaby I sing at bedtime. You're suddenly a picky eater- still needing LOTS of food, but your favorites change daily and you evidence many traits of the two year old independence. You're growing a little more shy, clinging to my hand in larger unfamiliar groups, and have a tender little heart, crying if you think you have disappointed. But oh, you have a tempter too! You ask to pray and willingly apologize when Emmie says "say sorry Lena". In fact you say it even when you didn't do anything naughty. You love cats, books, dolls, pomegranate, snowmen ("oh man"), bath time and Papa. How we love you and your sister.
