fifteen months

Introducing our sad 15-month-old:

Here's her happier self (still on her monthday):

Somewhere in the middle of this photo shoot I made a video, too, of her walking. I don't know exactly what happens in a child's mind and body, but it suddenly happened. It was like she decided (this was five days earlier) that she wanted get around by walking on her own. One night she took 24 steps down the hallway, and the next night she did 37! She can turn a corner and keep going. She still does her funny crawl a little, but she responds to our encouragement as we tell her to stand up or walk to us. Now when she stops walking it's usually because she has reached something or someone, not because she falls. Toddling is so fun to see, I think.

She enjoys taking things out of a container and putting them back in. Like when I fold clothing and start putting it back in her drawers (from which she has pulled the clothing out) she picks one up off the floor and sets it in the same drawer. She also helps put crayons or toys away.

She always likes bath time. Outside of the tub she likes to play with liquid, too. In her seat at the table, she'll tip her (mostly-spill-proof) cup upside down and shake or tap it. Then she rubs the water or whole milk or whatever it is around the tray with her hands. I guess she's different from her big sister, who doesn't like having any kind of food on her hands.

If I'm sitting on the floor, or if she's next to me on the couch, she comes over and sits on my lap. She enjoys books (often looks at them upside down). Sometimes she can get annoying, like when she is clingy because she's tired. Mostly I would say she's a curious little sweetheart. I'm looking forward to hearing her say real words besides Mama and Dada, although one time she did answer my question with what sounded like "yeah" . . .