Dear Scarlette,
I’d like to start off this letter with a few disclaimers. First, I realize you’re going to look back on these photos and roll your eyes at your ill fitting clothes. I am aware that your pants look a bit like Hammer Pants, which is a reference that will most likely go completely over your head. The problem, Scarlette, is that you are tee-niny and at a weird stage where none of your clothes fit properly.

Second of all, I can’t get a decent picture of you because you find yourself highly amusing and spend the entire time I have my camera out cheering for yourself. That’s okay though, because we’re cheering for you too. You’re doing so many big girl things! You can do all of the motions to the Baby Bumblebee song and sometimes you’ll crawl over too me and start showing me your “bumblebee hands” so that I’ll sing it to you. You also learned how to give us high-fives and when we’re not high-fiving you, you’re content to sit and high-five yourself. You’re a very confident little thing.

You took your first steps to daddy last week and now you’re toddling around the house a couple of steps at a time. Lucy Dog is keeping a wary eye on you because chasing her seems to be your motivation for moving about on two feet.

You’re starting to really test your limits with us. Before when we told you “no” you would stop and stare at us. Now you smirk at us and slowly continue to do whatever naughty thing we’ve told you not to do. But it hurts your feelings if we really get on to you. If you get a firm “No Ma’am” from one of us, your lower lip trembles and you start this pitiful cry and then become completely inconsolable. It probably works in mommy’s favor that we aren’t allowed in public during this phase.

You also tell us no often. You don’t say the word yet, although I mentioned to Daddy the other night that currently “mama” seems to be synonymous with “no.” When you don’t want me to do something, like put your PJ’s on or feed you peas, you’ll put your hand out at me, furrow your brow and say “MAma MAma MAma!”

This past week I had a doctor’s appointment and ended up having to take you with me. I was pretty worried about that because you’re not used to having to sit in your carseat. And also because you’ve taken to hurling objects across the room at high speeds. I really didn’t want you chucking your toys at the nurse practitioner. I linked your Elmo phone to your seat, packed a few bottles and hoped for the best. You did remarkably well and when the doctor walked in, you grabbed his pants legs and growled at him. Growled, like a puppy. He was completely charmed. Actually, it was the first time my team had seen you since they delivered you and so they were all charmed and a bit teary eyed. So was your mommy, as those doctors worked so hard to keep you safe and give me these moments.

Books are some of your favorite things right now. You know how to get them off of your bookshelf and you will spread them all out in the floor and look at them for hours minutes. Toys don’t hold your attention so much right now, you are much more interested in making messes. Yesterday I turned my back and in that short amount of time you managed to find a pacifier, pop it in your mouth and proceed to remove all of the wipes out of the wipe container. You’d already unfolded all of the laundry and scattered it about your bedroom. Then I had another cup of coffee and it was only ten in the morning. You’re the best bit of a hand full.

Bathtime is also your favorite but you’re afraid of the water running. You clutch my legs and say “mama mama mama” over and over. Then I sit you in the tub and you splish splash, rub-a-dub like a champ. You prefer to have your Abby Cadabby bath book in the tub and you will flip the pages saying “AAH! AAH! AAH!” The only problem with bathtime is that lately, you’ve managed to confuse “bathtub” with “potty” and kiddo, that is getting old. As soon as you figure this walking thing out, mommy is plopping your tushie on the toilet.

You’ve taken to randomly screaming at inanimate objects. This video? This is the soundtrack of my day. A couple of weeks ago you drove your cozy coupe down the hallway, positioned yourself under our wedding portrait and proceeded to yell at our images for five minutes. I have no idea what is going on in your little head but I think you are the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

We love you punkin pie,
Mommy

(and because I’m such a proud mommy, I’m including this video of you doing the baby bumblebee song even though I sound exceptionally shrill in it. Ignore me, focus on the cuteness)