Camila: 20 Months

Dear Camila,

Where has the time gone? You are 1 day past your 20 month birthday, only 4 months away from turning 2 years old (!!!) Oh sweetpea...time just slips away so easily. Where do I begin? Well, I will start with saying that although you adore your daddy and you light up so much when he walks into a room and you scream with delight "Dad-dy!," you are definitely a mama's girl. We would be attached at the hip if it was up to you sweetheart. You are in this clingy stage where you only want me and you are happiest in mommy's arms. Truth be told, it can drive me a little crazy at times because this just means mommy gets very little time to herself. But at the same time, I keep reminding myself to cherish this phase and that I'm so lucky you want me around your every waking minute. Before you know it, you'll be asking me to drop you off at the corner. I try to enjoy the time and simply swoop you up and carry you with me wherever I go.
You're talking a lot more now and able to repeat 2-3 word phrases instead of just one. It's so much fun hearing your sweet voice and listening to you repeat something Abbie said. I look forward to having the same conversations with you that I have with your sweet sister. I know it will be here in the blink of an eye.

You got your first official haircut on June 12th at the same place we take your sister to regularly. Unlike Abigail, you wanted nothing to do with sitting in the pink car. You had to sit in mommy's lap or nothing. I laugh now just thinking about it. Oh Cami. How did I get so lucky that you want me around so much?

One thing's for sure...you and your sister are so different. You never picked up drinking milk ever since we took you off the bottle in January. You throw these awful fits when you're angry about something and tend to throw your entire body back. You are one tough cookie, constantly falling and taking hits and you don't even react. You can also play rough with your sister but she seems to enjoy it most of the time. I love watching you two play and giggle together. It's the best sound in the world. Although you are very feisty, you are still extremely sensitive and always try to make things right by saying "please" and "sorry" when we ask you to. You're a much messier eater than Abbie ever was and you get into every drawer and every corner you're not supposed to be in.

You make the funniest faces and sounds ("meow," "frock" for frog) and I delight in watching you learn something new daily. You and Abbie are amazing and your daddy and I are incredibly lucky to have been chosen to be your parents. We get to shape you into the adults that you will be become. That's a big responsibility and at the same time, an even bigger honor.

We recently took you girls to Disneyland for a couple days and stayed at the Paradise Pier Hotel. You both had an absolute B-L-A-S-T! I wish we could relive it again. The only thing I would change is that you were both fighting colds and you even got a little feverish on our last day. We all know what happened the last time you had a fever so mommy and daddy were heartbroken that we couldn't spend the day at Disneyland on our last day there. Thankfully, those fevers didn't turn into anything serious and I pray every night that we never have to go through that again. Other than that, it was wonderful. According to Abbie, she LOVED "her hotel" and wanted it to be our home. Ha! I'm sure you felt the same way.

We went Strawberry Picking at Tanaka Farms this last weekend which was also 4th of July weekend. Again, we made some beautiful memories that entire weekend. Oh Camila, I am so blessed beyond words. I am so happy. Daddy is feeling good, you're both growing and learning and laughing...what more could I ask for? Well, I do with I could spend more time with you both. Mommy's job takes up a lot of her time but I've tried explaining to you both that mommy needs to work in order to spend more weekends at Disneyland :) It will still take you some time to understand but eventually, I know you will both get it. I have some upcoming trips coming up which makes me so sad to be away from all 3 of you but it has to be this way sweetheart. Mommy has work obligations and I only hope I'm teaching you both to be strong, career-oriented women.

We love you so much Cami. I cannot wait to see what the next month will bring. Happy 20 months my little firecracker.