Fifteen Months Old!

Ethan,

You are a bit like Jekyl and Hyde right now. When you are overtired or your molars are working their way through (you have gotten your first three in the last five weeks) you turn into a demon. The rest of the time you are so sunshin-ey and funny and entertaining we can hardly believe it!
I don't know where this funny little person came from (YOU!) but I'm glad he is here - it is hard to think of you as ever being a baby even though it was only a five or six months ago that couldn't walk or say anything...
Your favorite game right now is teasing the dogs with biscuits or squeezy toys. Poor Cooper entertains hours of merciless teasing - you got the teasing gene from the Robinson side by the way... When Uncle Fred comes over from next door - you pick on his dog Levi for a while - laughing and squealing the whole time. You walk up to the dog(s) holding a biscuit or toy in your tight little fist and as soon as they motion towards you you spin around and run to the lap of the nearest big person to take cover. Then you do it again, and again...

You love the moon. Whenever you see a picture or something that looks close or the real thing you say "ooohhnn". Some nights you can see the moon from your bedroom window above your crib so everytime we go to lay you down for the night you have a look for it and point out the window. Sometimes, before bed, you and your daddy go out on the back porch bundled in a blanket and have a look up in the sky. Dad usually picks the clear nights when Mr. "ooohhnn" is up.
You run now. And you run pretty quick! You also have started walking on your tippy-toes and rocking from side to side and lifting one leg up in the air like a sumo-wrestler. We don't really know why - I guess just to test out your balance like the crazy chicken walk you were doing last month. You provide hours of entertainment for us.

Dad gave you your first hair cut a few days ago - you look more like a little boy than ever! I didn't really want to cut it but the fly-aways on the sides were out of control and your bangs were always in your eyes. Dad trimmed the front and took clippers to the sides but he left some of the baby curls in the back - you look very handsome. Baby-mullet I guess you could call it...
I honestly can say that I am not sure what we did to keep ourselves busy and entertained before you came along. You make us laugh all the time. You impress us with you mimicking and parroting skills. Sometimes you get very serious and give a monologue of gibberish - your voice low and your brow heavy, gesturing and nodding for emphasis. We try not to laugh obviously, because we think you mean business - but it really is very amusing and difficult to keep a straight face. Every day there seems to be something new you can do or say. You amaze us, you inspire us and you challenge us - sometimes with your mood - but usually to be the best parents we can be by keeping you engaged and exposing you to new circumstances and situations. If we find ourselves sitting around the house and you are getting antsy - we give our heads a shake and we get on the move: to the mall, to the museum, for a walk. Even when we were exhausted we are always glad we made the effort because the wonder you have for everything gets passed on to us and the world becomes an awesome place again when we explore it with you.

All my love,
Mama