To our darling Isla...

Today you are eighteen months old.  While we haven't officially been "chronicling" your milestones or progress in any specific way, your wonderful life journey has been spattered in bits and pieces throughout this blog - something I treasure and hope you will too, one day.  Lately you have been blossoming into quite the little person and last night your daddy asked if I could write a little letter to you so we can try to capture this moment in time and preserve it.  Just a little something to let you know exactly how much we love you (though words really could not explain), and a way to remember all the funny and amazing little things you are doing these days because - even though we think we never will - we don't want to forget the little things like way you say "wruv you" when I kiss you goodnight or make funny faces on command to make us laugh.  So here goes nothing...

To put it simply, you are awesome.  Seriously, you are.  Your daddy and I talk about this fact as we're tucking ourselves into bed just about every night.  Believe it or not, we actually get in little "fights" over who gets to go and get you when you wake up in the morning...that is how excited we are to see your smiling face every day.  So you are the last thing we think about when we go to bed, and the very first thing we think about when we wake up.  You are loving, kind, funny, sweet, cuddly, intelligent, affectionate, inquisitive, thoughtful and goofy.  We are so incredibly proud of the little person you are becoming.

You love to make people laugh and you have become a veritable "funny face" making all sorts of hilarious expressions from "big eyes!" to "serious face" in order to make people laugh.  You absolutely LOVE other children and will go up to just about any child - older or younger - with a big smile on your face, ready to play.  Most of the time, you will even give that child a big hug and kiss - whether you know them or not.  You are going to be such a good big sister and already you excitedly reply "TWO!" when asked how many babies mommy is having.  You are incredibly coordinated - something we attribute to the fact that you have lived the bulk of your life on a sailboat - and climb like a monkey and balance precariously around the boat like a gymnast. You are fearless and one of your current favorite games is "timber" where you climb to the top of the companionway steps and fall into our arms on the count of "one, two, TIMBER!" It's quite impressive, actually.

You have also taken to running and jumping lately and on the command "ready, set...GO!" you will smile from ear to ear and take off running.  Dance parties continue to be a favorite past time and at the first sound of music you will raise your arms in the air and start bending your knees to the beat.  You have also recently incorporated the "spin" into your dance repertoire and love to turn in circles and make yourself dizzy. You've also learned to "slow dance" with daddy and put your arm around his neck and hold his hand when he holds you - it's adorable.  If we ask you to "dance like a ballerina" you walk around on your toes, like a ballerina, and twirl with joy.  Your favorite song is "Baby Body Moving" which is a Leapfrog music app on our iPad and you demand "body, body" at least once a day and delight us with your hilarious dance moves.

I mentioned before that your attention span for self-play has grown exponentially and you can happily entertain yourself for as much as 30 minutes at a time, playing with your blocks, reading books, or making tunes on your current favorite toy - the glockenspiel.  Speaking of toys, you have very little interest in them and much prefer to run around outside, swim off the back of our boat or go on adventures on the paddle board.  You love spoons and just about any kitchen utensil and have become quite the little helper around the boat.  You understand SO much it's incredible.  We can say almost anything to you and you "get it" which blows our minds.  You have so many words in your vocabulary and talk non-stop, something we attribute to the fact that you spend all day, every day with us and we are constantly giving you a running commentary on what is going on.  We feel so lucky and blessed to be able to spend so much time with you - and we are ALL are thriving because of this.

Your favorite word these days is "whoa!" and you exclaim it with wide eyed surprise anytime you see something you find neat or do something cool (particularly airplanes) and you are very good with your pleases (peas) and thank you's (sank youn).  Your excitement with the world around you is truly amazing to watch and such a gift to behold.  You give the best hugs and kisses, and nothing in this world brings me more joy than those spontaneous moments when you look at me, smile, and throw your arms around my neck to give me a big hug.  Your hugs are epic and your smile, wow, it still lights up a room.  You have the best smile I have ever seen, you literally smile with your whole heart and soul.  It is so awesome.  You are such a little beauty, inside and out.

What's best is the fact that you are a truly happy child.  There is no denying it.  You laugh easily and regularly and your giggles are music to our ears.  You wake up each morning with a grin, you smile all the time and you are a true joy to be around.  You have brought your daddy and I so much happiness that I could never find the words to truly express it.  I know everyone who has children says this, but it's so true:  I cannot imagine our lives without you.  We cherish every second we have with you.  You are a gift, and one that just keeps on giving.  It just keeps getting better and better.

We love you so very much baby girl, you are truly one amazing little person.  Thank you for showing us the world through your eyes and making us better people because of it.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy