And honestly, actually is like that, nearly every waking moment.
I also feel a tad guilty, though, because I'm not really chronicling her sweet life so far. So here are the quick stats:
* Crawled at 5 1/2 months
* Walked one week before 11 months
* First word was DADA.
* First word other than hi, bye, daddy, and mommy was OUTSIDE. That's my girl.
* At 15 1/2 months, she says the above four words as well as ball, inside, here we go, eyes, belly button, doggie, baby, quack, P-Pa (that's D's dad), and her own name.
* She points and laughs and waves and runs and tries to jump, and she understands all kinds of directions from us.
* Loves to read. Favorites include Hand Hand Fingers Thumb, If I Built a Car, and most Sesame Street books.
* Favorite toys: stuffed animals, push carts, and puzzles.
* Favorite foods: Bananas, cheese, pasta, strawberries
* She absolutely loves being in the center of everything, and prefers being in the middle of it all with everyone looking at her so she can cheese her face off and make everyone cheese their faces off in return.
* She's starting to discover that she wants to have control over things sometimes. So she'll swat away her food if she decides it's time to stop eating, or she'll complain (loudly) if she wants to go somewhere (like, somewhere really amazing such as the bathroom with me) and I direct her elsewhere.
She's funny.
Her laugh is absolutely amazing. If anyone in the whole wide world is having a bad day, I am 100% positive that watching this video will make it better. Swearsies.
She plays games with anyone who will play with her. She looooooves peek a boo, she loves to be startled, loves to play chase. She also makes up lots of games right on the spot- if you start something, she'll be thrilled to go right along with it and play with you.
Mini had no fear at her age, but Pumpkin has fears. She is afraid of our motorcycles, she's afraid of pools until she decides they're ok. She is a little intimidated at first by new adults who want to hold her. Yesterday, she fell in the baby pool and she whipped around like lightening to find us for reassurance. Since she was born, I have gotten a feeling that she is a wise soul. Her eyes are deep, she looks intentionally, those little blue eyes communicate a whole lot more than her little mouth can say at this point. She seems to know already how to capture a heart, how to bring someone into her. She looks at me and I can get a sense of how she's feeling- just from the look in her eyes. And I'm not the only one. Everyone hangs out with Pumpkin and they KNOW. They just respond to her. People who don't like babies have a huge crush on this little girl, because she is just so communicative and happy.
She is my sunshine. But really, she is sunshine to every single person that interacts with her, every day.
But I watch her, friends. I watch everything she does. I listen for, and count, every word. I have looked up every single developmental milestone for children her age and slightly older and I do the math ALL DAY. EVERY DAY. How many words does she say? How many times do I say her name before she looks at me? Does she follow one step directions? Look strangers in the eye? Does she make odd hand motions near her face? Does she get obsessed with anything odd? Play with toys in the right ways? Does she ever seem to go off in her own world? The answers to all of those questions, so far, have been the correct answers. Every night I put my head on the pillow and feel grateful that my little girl is "neurotypical" (that's a term you learn when you have a child who is NOT neurotypical). I have looked up the M-CHAT probably four or five times in the last three months. She passes with flying colors. So far.
We aren't out of the woods yet. It is common for ASD kids to develop very normally to a certain point, and then either stop or actually regress. Mini developed very normally until about 18 months, and then the signs were so subtle that I really didn't start to notice he may need me to intervene until about a year later. And then about another 9 months until I admitted it. I won't be so hesitant this time around. The very second I notice something with my girl, we will MOVE. I'm educated now. I get it.
But until I notice anything, I thank the Universe that I have been given a reprieve so far... That I haven't had to deal with two developmentally delayed children at the same time, at least so far. The learning curve has been painfully sharp and steep this year, and Pumpkin has been a refuge from the pain. I burst into her room every morning and tell her how much I missed her overnight. She smiles, she leans in to kiss me through her binkie. She gives the most fabulous hugs. Naptime and bedtime are my favorite. I get to stare at her face and kiss her all over. She giggles and stares at me, and we talk in whispers. I never want those moments to end. Her beautiful little face just bursts with light in those precious moments and I feel like if I put her down, she'll reach in and grab my heart and take it to bed with her.
They didn't have you where I come from
Never knew the best was yet to come
Life began when I saw your face
And I hear your laugh like a serenade
How long do you want to be loved?
Is forever enough, is forever enough?
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