Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes – Part Two

For Part One.

The graceful neck that is hiding under the baby rolls.  Slowly getting exposed as you grow into the young lady.  Those little rolls that are so nommable and squishy and wonderful.

Those adorable shoulders that look so cute with puffy tops, showcasing the pudgy little rubber band arms and wrists.  The dimples around the elbows and fingers that are slowly disappearing, again as you grow and change into a young lady.

I love feeling your fingers on me.  At night, you must be touching me in your sleep.  We usually start out curled around each other but as the night passes, both of us splay out and move around.  Anytime I wake up, you always are touching me somehow.  Your little fingers curled around my hair, the straps on my sports bra or my neck.  Those hands are so strong and inquisitive.  So curious.  They will reach up to a table that you can’t see on to feel what is there.  Dig into a bag or a pocket to find surprises.  Your fingers are long and slender like mine, but your nails are all your daddy’s.

That glorious little baby tummy.  So much fun to nibble and raspberry on.  You are so ticklish there are well, another thing I am thankful for.  If you weren’t ticklish like your daddy, I would definitely be sad.  Since you are, he has to spread his tickling time over two people and gives me a reprieve!

Your fluffy cloth diapered butt.  How I love using the cloth diapers, especially on your tender skin.  Thankfully you heal quickly, but I cannot imagine the rashes you would get if you weren’t in cloth.  It also allows great cushion when you were learning to walk and a handle to grab when you try to project yourself off of the bed.

Those strong legs, so ready to walk at so young.  Crawling is something you don’t do anymore, because that’s a baby thing.  You are a big girl now and would rather walk.  Including down the stairs, holding onto the railing that you can’t. quite. reach.  You will only slide down the stairs if we make you, otherwise we can get you down if we hold an arm and help keep your balance as you walk down the stairs.

And finally, your perfectly nommable feet and toes.  Defined ankles, arched feet, long toes.  You have your daddy’s toes and toenails as well.  Graceful and blunted at the same time.  I love the smell of baby feet even as I loathe the look and feel of adult feet.  You can’t get me to do foot rubs, but I’ll stick your feet in my mouth if I get the chance.

One of the most cute things I’ve seen you try lately is to pick up your feet while standing on them.  You reach down, grab the toes and pull….stopping only when your audience can’t hold back the laughter and it leaks out of our mouths.  You do it all the time when you find something to sit on (your carseat, a box of file folders, booster seat) and will just grab your legs to throw them up and don’t understand why it can’t be done while standing as well.

When it comes to sitting, you get into your “big girl” chairs in the most amusing way.  Occasionally you will back into them, but the most common way of approaching them is from the front.  You walk up to the seat, place a foot on and climb up onto it.  You then will do a twisty rotate thing that somehow gets you facing front, one leg curved underneath you, the other out front.   This is also how you get into our laps if we are sitting on the ground to read a book.

I love you, little Princess.  Happy 14 months of life and love.  It’s hard to believe that’s only how long we’ve known you…imagining life without you is impossible.

Happy Friday everyone!