They say it’s sugar and spice and everything nice, but you, my dear, are a whole lot of spice mixed with the teensiest amount of sugar. Even strangers can tell you and Amelia have completely different personalities (with you being Miss High Spirited). Oh those opinions! We know you have some very specific ideas for how you want everything to go down since you tell us ALL. THE. TIME. Half your frustration, I think, comes from us not being able to understand your grand plans!

A huge milestone was reached this month when you surpassed Amelia in your ever-growing vocabulary. All those months Amelia was so far ahead of you, you were just sitting back, listening and absorbing so that this month you could shock us with all the words you know. You repeat back everything you hear (guess Daddy and I will have to be careful from now on) and have caught on to the fact that Daddy and I get excited when you say a new phrase. You milk it, girl.

Stringing words together was an exciting new development this month. You were reading a book with Daddy and he was talking about the horse eating carrots. Matter-of-factly, you turned to him and said, clear as day, “I like carrots.” Daddy yelled for me to come in the room to hear you say it and you had the widest grin on your face as you repeated it over and over. Amelia soon copied you after seeing our reactions, but you said it first!

Curiously, many of your three-word phrases have something to do with food…like when you said, “I want that,” and pointed to an ice cream cone. You are one smart cookie, choosing your words carefully and saving them for when you really want something.

“Airplane,” “dog,” “moon,” “thank you,” “car,” “ball,” “pasta” and “bubbles” are your favorites. My all-time favorite is when you call your scrape a “Boo booooooooo!” I melt. In a puddle. Every time.

We know you have some deep thoughts going on in there and can’t wait to hear everything you have to tell us. You certainly have a lot to say to Amelia…just wish we could understand it too.

In the mean time, your favorite word to communicate is “Dada,” which you have on repeat all day. You bring me his shirts and shoes, frustrated that I seemingly don’t understand to whom you are referring.

Instead of saying, “Dada is at work,” I’ve switched to asking you if you like giving Dada hugs and kisses and then we talk about you running to the door and giving him a big squeeze when he walks in. Instead of bursting into tears when I tell you he’s not home, this usually puts a smile on your face.

Despite the many tantrums that occur per day (sometimes per hour) due to Amelia taking one of your toys, you love your sis and always want to wake her up whenever she sleeps longer than you so you can play. When she comes up to give you a hug or kiss, you act like you tolerate it, but inside, we know you love it when sis loves on you.

When Amelia tackles you with a big bear hug, you simply put your head on her should in return and then get back to whatever you were doing. You may not wear your heart on your sleeve, but you certainly show your love in other ways.

One thing that hasn’t changed much is that you remain a champion eater. Breakfast of quiche and Daddy’s crepes is your favorite meal, but you will happily eat up (or at least try), everything I put on your plate, from fruits and veggies to fish and chicken. You absolutely devour the entire bowl anytime I make soup, which is quite frequently now that I realize you love it. Chicken noodle, minestrone, pumpkin chili, split pea, bean and barley, dairy-free chowder– you take a few spoonfuls and then carefully lift the bowl to your face and slurp the rest up. A more thorough soup eater there never was.

You certainly need that fuel the way you take off like a jet. You’ve taken to running up the jungle gym and sliding down as many times as possible, as well as playing keep away with me. You’ve earned the title of “daredevil” at the park as you love to stand right at the edge of a drop and then throw yourself into our arms. It gives us heart attacks most of the time, but you just giggle like it’s the best game ever.

Other than being outside, you love crafts, painting, sensory bins, water play, music and all things artistic. Toys and puzzles don’t hold your interest very long as you tend to flit from activity to activity, but you would be perfectly content to spend the day curled up on the couch reading.

You have your own ideas about which side up the book should go and in what order the pages should be turned (again with the opinions!) You point to every object, waiting for me to say it’s name before moving on and you love playing I Spy, with me asking you to find objects on the page.

Ever the mix of contradictions, you are fearless at the park, never afraid to try new things and brushing yourself off without a tear after a fall. Around others besides mommy and daddy though, you are a shy little bird, burying your face in my legs when you don’t want to look at someone.

You have very recently decided that you will tolerate your gym teachers helping you on certain activities, but you never reward them with so much as a smile– it’s a frown and sometimes tears the entire time, unless I’m holding you.

Despite your shyness, you have decided you want to be completely independent. You pick up things and throw them in the trash, walk Bandit (heaven forbid he walk too fast for you…cue tantrum!) help put things on the conveyer belt in the check-out line, always want to help prepare your food, love washing your hands, and you even tell us when you have to go potty (most of the time it’s a little too late, but I know you can definitely recognize the sensations).

You are so proud of yourself when you go potty, especially when you get your special hand stamp ( that always makes Amelia pretty jealous!) You get pretty upset when you go #2 in your diaper these days since nine times out of ten you tell me in time so we can whisk you to the potty. You absolutely hate being the least bit uncomfortable, whether it’s a dirty diaper or a dot of peanut butter on your hands.

Speaking of independence…girl– you test it. You know EXACTLY when I want you to do something, and you’ll usually do the opposite. It’s not uncommon for the neighbors to intervene and take Amelia while I run down the street after you as you stop and look back every so often with a huge grin on your face.

You dislike hate loathe me trying to help you with anything and will leave whatever you were doing alone rather than accept help. You often don’t do something simply because I told you to do it, and do something because I told you not to do it. “Hmmmm….wonder who she gets it from?” Daddy says every time you decide to be stubborn. No idea what he’s talking about!

You are absolutely my mini, a girl after my own heart and a total Daddy’s girl to boot. We love you, Samantha!

Lots of love,

You, my sweet girl, are always on the lookout to make sure everyone around you is happy. Sister is crying? You search the house for her wub and then kindly stick it in her mouth for her. Sister wants to play with a toy? Unless it’s something you really love (your shopping cart is the exception), you give it up with a smile.

Even your dollies are not forgotten. You cradle those babies in your arms with a blankie and never forget their paci and bottle.  You gently place one, two, or five dollies in your cart to go shopping and, unlike mommy, always let them pick out a treat on the way.

Carefree is the best way to describe you this month. When sister was having a hard time during music class, you sat there singing and clapping the whole time, wondering what all the fuss was about. Your gym teachers love you and often pick you as the example when learning a new skill. I can always rely on you to run around happily while I hold your sis when she’s cranky.

Easy-going also describes you as you are never so committed to something that you freak out when we have to transition to something else. You go with the flow and keep a smile on your face through it all– that goofy, toothy grin melts us every time!

That’s not to say you don’t become immersed in certain activities– books, puzzles, sensory bins, playing tea with dollies–you are often so absorbed in your little world you don’t even notice me whipping out the video. Whether feeding the fish during Spanish class, focusing on a puzzle, rolling balls out of play dough, when you are into something, you are all in.

Eating, oh, eating! It’s no wonder you are a good two pounds lighter than your sis– you eat like a little bird, often literally waiting for me to drop food in your mouth. You taunt us by expertly picking up broccoli with your fork, almost putting it into your mouth, and then putting it back with a sly grin.

You know how to push mommy’s buttons, and one of those is not eating your veggies. The carrots you used to love? A thing of the past. Anything green? Forget about it. You devour sweet potato like it’s candy, but that’s it. Mommy spent a lot of time in the kitchen “hiding” veggies into your omelets, muffins, smoothies, and creating baked concoctions out of anything from zucchini to kale (you like no-sugar zucchini muffins and kale chips!)

You are the best little helper I could ask for, from unloading the dishes (and smiling every time I tell you thank you for the bowl, thank you for the cup), throwing clothes in the washer, helping find yours and sister’s shoes, walking Bandit, and even wiping down the table.

Sometimes, for helping with the big stuff (like bringing groceries in the house), you become beside yourself with excitement when I give you a hand stamp….that is, until you get angry because YOU want to stamp your own hand and start grabbing it away from me.

Your independent spirit was off the charts this month. From picking out your own accessories to brushing your hair to attempting to put on your shoes– YOU can do anything. At least, that’s your attitude, which gets your uber-frustrated when  you can’t get something right.

That shoe won’t go on your little foot? Watch out for an Amelia meltdown, including chucking said shoes onto the floor in anger and throwing yourself into mommy’s arms in frustration. Your ideas are too big for your motor skills sometimes!

You are SMART, Amelia. You understand everything I say and often respond– with what, it’s hard to say– but I nod anyway. It’s never crossed your mind that anything you might say is completely unintelligible to others. “Blehslkjf” you state, completely matter-of-factly.

“Dog,” “moon,” “doll,” “thank you,” “go” and every animal sound under the sun are your faves. You saw daddy and I freak out when Samantha started speaking in three-word sentences, and you immediately followed suit, with the phrases, “I like dogs” and “I like that.” It’s not that you learned it from her– you knew it all along– you just didn’t know mommy and daddy would think that was so great!

You love your animal figurines, shopping cart, dolls, barn, puzzles and pulling around your wagon, but your favorite things of all are books. And any time is a great time for reading– especially when I’m busy vacuuming up the rice from the sensory bins you just threw everywhere. How can I say no to that sweet face holding up a book with an expression that says, “I know I’m cute and I’m confident you’ll stop everything to read with me”? Works every time.

Doesn’t matter that we’ve read the same, “Violet’s House” picture book for the umpteenth time that day– you treat it like it’s brand new and always impress me with your ability to point to every object I say on the page. That’s the one thing you don’t want sis to join in– she gets within ten feet of you and you let out a warning screech: “This is MY time with mommy! Find your own lap!”

During quiet time, I’ll often find you in your crib, “reading” to yourself out loud, quite impressive considering Samantha is usually bouncing around, dropping things into your crib in an attempt to distract you. And it’s not just books– the mail, flyers, cookbooks, my phone– you read it all out loud in the most serious narrating voice.

You act like you’re 100% a momma’s girl, but Daddy is your ultimate hero and the keeper of your little heart. We love you, Amelia!