Dear Charlotte, 11

Dear little girl (You can hardly be called a baby nowadays),

You are a crawling, standing, cruising, scooting, climbing, biking machine... And I love it.

It brings my heart so much joy to see you moving and playing all over our house. Your favorite activity of late is to ride your little Y-Bike around the first floor... from the front door, across the living room, through the dining room, and into the kitchen. You've basically mastered getting over the little hump between the dining room and kitchen, and you can go SO fast from one place to the next.

It's funny, though, because you can't get off the bike. When you are done, you ride over to me and hold up your arms to be helped. You're always making some noise to get my attention. I try to treasure these little hints that you need me; your independence is wonderful, but you are growing up so fast that sometimes I'm a tiny bit sad.

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Oh, and another awesome thing about you lately, little worm?! YOUR GIGGLE. My word, that giggle is music to my tired ears. 

You giggle when you see someone you love, when you hug a stuffed animal, when you throw yourself onto our bed, when you fall back into a pile of pillows you've gathered on the floor, and when you are wrestling with your dad. You get really close to giggling when you concentrate really hard and stand up on your own for 20-30 seconds at a time. But the giggle doesn't quite happen because you are working so hard and feeling so big and cool.  

Gosh I love you, Charlotte girl. You make me so proud. 

xoxo, Momma