Coco at 20 Months

Dear Chloe, 

I could not be more delighted with you as my daughter! Your infectious laugh, sweet and spunky smiles, spontaneous hugs, kisses and "I love yous" are pure joy. You are joyful, expressive, dramatic, generous, loving, and full.of.life. People describe you as beautiful, petite, intellignent, B.U.S.Y., peanuty, and sweet. 

You care deeply about people, especially the people closest to you. You constantly ask, "Where's Daddy? Where's Mimi? Where's Bapa? Where's Jack?" and want to call everyone under the sun (especially if FaceTime is involved—"Call Grandma, see GRANDPA! Call Uncle Drew?"). You also ask for people to come over all the time!

Daddy was gone for three nights in a row this past week. By the second night, you woke up four times before he came home. Finally, you had had enough and demanded, "SEE DADDY!" Thankfully, Daddy was home and sleeping at this point and so I took you to see him. You snuggled right up to him and promptly fell asleep. After returning you to the crib, you slept peacefully the rest of the night, reassured that the people most important to you were home and nearby. 

Mornings are so fun. I often wake up in a fog, listening to you sweetly chatter to your animals and babies in your crib (usually an hour earlier than I think is reasonably acceptable, wink, wink). One day I went in to see you and you had every one of them lined up against the crib and you told me proudly, "Baby bath! Sheep bath!" It was apparently bathtime for your friends. I love hearing your sweet voice when I come in, "Good morning Mommy! Jack sleeping? See Daddy?"

Two of your favorite loves are books and shoes, the latter of which you try on constantly. You are quite the fashionista...you often demand to "choose!" your own clothes. This morning as I rummaged through your dresser drawer with you in arms, you lept out, said, "choose!" and then "purple!" You picked out a purple skirt (hands down your favorite color) and loved it when we put it on right away. You frequently strip down naked, quite proud of your accomplishment as you run to find me...

You ask for all your books by title and have definite ideas about which one we are to read at which time. Cinderella is a current favorite and you love it when I do all the different voices dramatically. You love to sing little songs and rhymes with me. Some of your favorites are, "Baa, Baa Black Sheep," "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," "Ring around the Rosies," "If You're Happy and You Know It," "Five Little Monkeys," "I Know an Old Lady," "The ABC's," and more. "Again? More songs?" is a common phrase.

You name all the little people figures we have around the house and have named many of your babies too. You also named the pull-toy puppy, "Sarah Beth" all on your own. I think I'm flattered...

Puppies, babies, and all things farm animals bring much joy to you (although you know your construction trucks and cars and trains well, thanks to your older sibling). I love watching your relationship with Jack grow. You both adore each other, love to wrestle, sing, and dance together, and have started to play more and more pretend games with each other. You trade toys with your brother and already know how to tease him. You want to be able to do everything Jack does (if he gets a bandaid, you must too, in the very.same.spot.). Both of you snuggle up for books all day long with Mommy...a deep joy.

Chloe, you love to scribble a bit and paste stickers all over paper. Often our coloring sessions end up in me drawing your demands, typically a moon, a dog, a girl/boy, a cat, a circle, a star, a cloud, your hands and feet, and other random requests. I know when I haven't met your standards because you will ask for it again...

Chloe, you love life. You love bathtime and excitedly yell "Time for Dinner!" appropriately each night. You adore "Go bye-bye! Shoes on!" to anywhere and everywhere—especially the zoo, the park, or a walk. You are independent and know what you want and communicate these desires with skill and a masterful cuteness. You melt hearts whereever you go and have been known to chase people down to say "Hi!" to them if they don't immediately return your sincerest affections. 

You are learning your colors, know many shapes, and demand your grapes and cheese to be cut in semi-circles. You are fascinated by the ABC's and I've caught you telling bits of story while reading books to yourself on several occasions lately. 

Much of the time now you speak in two to five word sentences, including yelling at the grocery store today a whole series of phrases: "I need milk! I want that cup! Where's Jack-o-lack? Go see fish? No, that way!" 

Chloe, you started calling yourself "Coco" at 16 months whenever you saw a picture of yourself or your reflection in the mirror. The nickname stuck and embodies you perfectly. I am in awe of all you do, say, and how much light you bring to those around you.

Love, 
Mommy