Dear Del... 13 months

Hi Big Girl,
Time is flying by! I didn't realize until this moment that I am several days overdue with your letter. Oops!
As it gets warmer we get busier. We're planting plants, clearing the yard of some trees, raising our first flock of chicks.... we're busy busy busy.
And you are right in the middle loving all of it.
You sit in the dirt while we ready the garden, hang out in the wago watching the prickly holly trees coming down, and lunge for the chicks when you can- you even started "bock, bock"ing when Noah was telling you what the chicks will say when they are grown up.

You and Noah have started playing more together. Yesterday in the car Noah was laughing at Mommy and you didn't know what he was laughing about but you cracked up laughing seeing him laugh. We recently turned a big box that was in the living room into a fort for a couple days. You spent many minutes crawling in and out with Noah and giggling all the while.
You can walk holding on of our hands and stand for a while by yourself.... until you realize what you're doing and get scared. The crawling thing is working out well for you so far, why fix what isn't broken. And when you do get frustrated with that you just ask to be carried and then point to wherever you want to go... in the basement and outside are your favorite. To ask to go outside you sign dog (smacking your chest). I think because our neighbor has a dog that is often outside. I'm not sure if you really want to see the dog... I think it just means you want to go outside.

You are always so very excited when I get home from work and sign "milk" immediately. We start nursing but if anyone offers something to eat- goldfish, bagel- you pop off and lunge for it.
You are making yourself more and more clear between hand gestures, sounds, and body language. You play with toys we think are too old for you (pounding balls into one of those hammer and hole things, retrieving balls, placing them in holes, and hammering again). Yes, we are amazed by this.

We've been looking back at your baby pictures and we're amazed by the person you've grown into in just a year. We are the first to say that you were not a very cute baby and now... yeah, we are overwhelmed by cuteness. You imitate everyone which adds to the adorableness- for sure!
Anyway, family is visiting, more is coming, and Kate etc. is also coming over today. Things to do... oh, and you've just remembered I'm not holding you so you're crawling over, pulling up on my leg, and begging to be picked up.
Love you forever and beyond!
Mommy