Letter to Baby

Dear Owen,

You are a fifteen month old and still attached to that pacifier of yours.  Somehow, though, I just can't work up the courage to snatch it from you.  It still means you're my little baby in some ways.  In others, it just means I'm pitiful.

You bit me again.  On my stomach.  It wasn't pleasant and you would be wise not to do it again.  And you also tried to pinch me.  It would behoove you to keep your teeth and your little pinchers to yourself.

You love playing outside but hate being in the grass.  Your dad raked up a bunch of leaves for you and Luke to play in, and you weren't so thrilled with the idea.  Even watching Luke run through them didn't make it more enticing.  You were much happier when your dad set you back on the driveway...back on solid ground.

You and Luke are doing a great job 'playing' together for the most part.  Sometimes he likes to torture you by stealing your toy, and sometimes you like to torture him by stealing his.  But you really do love playing with him and enjoy when he'll play with you.  You two even figured out how you could sit down on one of the push toys and Luke could push you around outside.  It was great fun till Luke took a turn a little too sharp and you toppled out.  You ended up with a scratch on your nose and some pavement burn on your forehead, but it didn't take too long to get over it and move on to the next activity.

You love to tackle me and your father and you'll run at us full speed when we're all in the floor playing and throw your little body at us.  We've nicknamed you 'Mack'.  It's because it's equivalent to being hit by a mack truck.  Funny thing is, your middle name was almost Mac, because that's your Great Grandma's maiden name....well, part of it at least.

You are still a good eater, not too picky like your brother.  You won't touch a hot dog with a ten foot pole though.  You will throw it all in the floor, which is just fine with Baxter.  As a matter of fact, you throw a lot of food in the floor for Baxter's enjoyment, but that usually signals you've had enough and you're ready to go do something else.  Every once in a while you'll wonder back to the table and beg for a bite of whatever your dad and I are eating.  And you still love ice cream.  That has to be your favorite treat of all, and your Pa loves feeding it to you.

We met your new cousin, Brooke, last week and I kneeled down with her to let you see and you kissed her side.  It was so sweet!  I must admit, I was a little worried you were going to scream and hit with the sight of me holding another baby, but you had Rylie (the dog), Luke and Uncle Jon to play with, so it didn't phase you too much.

We haven't really added any words to your vocabulary, which is sad, but you love reading books and your receptive language is great.  You do know how to get your point across and show us what you want.  You are an expert at shaking your head 'yes' and 'no' until we get it right :).

You're hair is getting longer and starting to flip up in the back, but you are not in need of a haircut quite yet!  It has a little red tint to it so I know where you get the temper :)

You're perfect in every way and we love you!
Mom and Dad