Month Sixteen

Dear Colin,

Happy sweet 16.

Another month. Another post. There's been discussion as to how long to continue these public monthly letters and while I sometimes struggle as to what to write, I'm not quite ready to stop yet. Perhaps a part of me thinks stopping means you are growing up too fast, mostly though as challenging as it is sometimes to come up with things to write about, I know I'll be bummed years from now when I want to remember these simpler times.
I will want to remember (and compare) your milestones. Remember when you changed from baby Colin to mobile Colin to Toddler-I'm-All-Boy Colin. You have become the stereotypical boy. You love being loud and being heard. You love pushing Daddy over along with others I'm afraid. You love anything that has to do with the outdoors. If you can't be outside, the front door better be open so you can atleast see outside. You love the sand, the dirt, dead worms, chasing birds. You are learning to run and mastered the quickest ways up when your short legs don't move as fast as the rest of you. You love choo choo trains and making car noises and big trucks and anything that beeps. You climb on everything and insist on doing most things yourself.
I say this each month but you continue to astonish us with how much you are learning, understanding, and saying. It's amazing to see how quickly you catch onto things. You've learned how to lock the bathroom door from inside the bathroom. (Lord help us since we don't have a key!) You know the exact spot to kick/push on the baby gate in order to move it slightly. You know if you continue doing that it will eventually topple over. You walk to your high-chair and say "seat" when you are hungry and want to eat. You continue to love reading and have 'memorized' most of your 50+ book collection. Animal noises, silly songs, and "whats this" questions are big parts of our day.
Colin as you continue learning, so do your father and I. We continue to learn new meanings of true love. True love is cancelling a much needed and wanted vacation opting to stay home because we knew it would be easier on you. True love is longing for your open mouth (with tongue! GASP!) kisses because its the way you show love and affection. True love is Daddy putting his finger inside your diaper at night to see if you pooped because your room smells stinky and we couldn't get close enough to your bottom. True love is watching you color as I order a grilled cheese to share with you at Big Boy on me and Daddy's 3 year anniversary and realizing this very non-romantic meal couldn't be any more perfect because you are here with us.

Love always,
Mommy