Andrew John, you are 18 months and you

Are Affectionate

Love all things music:

Music comes on and you can not help but dance.  Either you're bobbing up and down, or swining your right arm, or both.  Sometimes you just start jumping.  Your entire face lights up.  Your eyes get big, your smile takes up your whole face (you inherited that from me), and you look around just assuming everyone else would join in.  And why wouldn't they?  Your unihibited joy is contaigous.

Are Kind and considerate:

I know it seems like a stretch to say that an 18 month old is considerate, but you really are.  You see someone start to put on shoes and immediately bring them more shoes to put on.  They aren't usually the right ones, but it doesn't matter.  It's a thoughtful gesture.  You bring things to Gabe - like if you have an extra pacifier, you'll go give him one.  You often reach out from your high chair to share whatever you're eating.

But most obviously, and what I am excited to see grow in you, is the way you delight in other people's joy.  For example: when your dad is throwing you all in the air.  He'll pick you up, throw you around, and you'll laugh and laugh and laugh.  Gabe will rush over wanting (demanding?) a turn.  And when he starts to giggle and laugh, you just love it.  You really like when other people are having fun.  Dad was tickling Gabe last night, pretending to be a claw (like the kind in the machines that grab toys out).  He was laughing so hard.  You rushed over and started mimicking what dad was doing, taking your little hand and tickling your brother.  You just love when other people are laughing.

Enjoy doing your own thing

I'll often see you sitting in a pile of books, just looking at them, babbling to yourself.  You like playing with everyone, for sure, but you also tend to occupy yourself easily.

Raise your eyebrows and make your mouth into an "O" and make a breath in and out quickly, loudly, and exaggerated when you're running around. 
I mention this because it is hilarious.  It's like I asked you to act like you were running hard, and you do. But you're not tired at all.

Have started really bonding with your big sister:

You ask for her, get excited when she walks in the room, and love saying "sissy!  sissy!" She loves it too.

Have a frustrating habbit of throwing things you like out of reach and immediately bursting into tears:

You throw toys over gates.  You drop your pacifiers into the abyss between your crib and the wall.  You drop your water off of your high chair.  WHY, FOOL?!

Today you were sick

Both you and Gabe were up from 3-5am last night with stomach stuff.  I'd like to say that I know you'll thank me later for scrubbing throw up off of your sheets before I put them in the wash at 4:45 in the morning, but I know better than to think that adolescents actually appreciate their parents.  But before your nap, you were fussy.  Dad was home so I got the rare opportunity to snuggle and rock some before putting you in your crib.  You were pretty fussy leading up to it, but as soon as I sat down, it was like you were in a trance.  You just snuggled up to me and laid in my arms while I rocked and sang "come thou fount".  Eventually you fell asleep.  It's been so long since you fell asleep in my arms.  And any time it happens, I know it could be one of the last times.  It was such a rare, beautiful moment, and I actually got to sit and enjoy it.  I couldn't pull myself away.

A deep, very deep, sense of gratitude filled my heart and seeped into my soul.  I am so grateful that I get to be your mom.  And I know that in what feels like no time, you won't want my arms for comfort.  My presence and snuggling with me won't be best physical representation of God's delight in you.  But for now, it is.  And I'll keep trying to be the best vessel I can be for the love of God that will.

So Cute
Your hair is blonde, whispy, with one curl at the nape of your neck. I never want to cut your hair for fear that you'll loose that curl.  Your eyes are a beautiful blue eyes that match your brothers.  sometimes it feels like that's one of the only things about you two that match.  The last few months have marked you all growing from babies into toddlers.  My little boys.  Which is ok - you are two distinct, amazing little boys.

Clever

You are the first to figure out something new: puzzles, how to climb something, how to open a door, how to fall out of your crib, whatever.  You see the possibility of what's on the other side of something and want desperately to get there.  You also have figured out how to be sneaky - you know we're not always watching. And you are constantly trying to figure out the line.  If I say "don't throw something", you'll look at me with a mischevious little grin, keep eye contact the whole time, and slowly drop it as if to say "So what exactly do you mean by throw...".  Or I'll say don't hit or don't touch, and you'll slowly reach out your finger while staring at me.  You're our builder, loving to systematically stack and connect into patterns.