I am just loving the beginning of toddlerhood. Of course there is the random screaming in public places and the tantrums when she doesn’t get her way, but much more of it is adorable actions and silliness and fascinating new developments all the time.

This is what I want to remember about Meredith at 15 months old:

>She weighs 24 1/2 pounds (75th percentile) and is 30.25 inches long (50th percentile). Basically she is still a little chub.

>She is obsessed with her belly button. She pulls up her shirt constantly to point it out, and if you ask her where it is she will show you. She also knows where to find other people’s belly buttons.

>How she likes to hold our hands to walk, but only for a little bit. She wanders, but always makes sure we’re close by.

>The way she tips her head back over and over for us to tickle her neck when she’s feeling silly.

>Her “words” are: baby, no, mama, dada, hold it, & what’s this (the last two might be a stretch). She understands so much more, though.

>She’s full time in the toddler room at daycare now, and is completely off bottles. I quit pumping at work a few weeks ago, so during the day she just has water and regular milk. We’re still going strong nursing at home, though.

>The way she loves to feed us her food, especially out of her own mouth.

>One of the best things ever is that she totally dances. At first it was just to music every once in awhile but now all you need to do is ask her to dance and she starts bouncing, shaking her little booty, and waving her hands in the air.

>She knows how to take a disposable diaper off, so if we’re ever using those (like we did on vacation) we have to put pants on her right away.

>How she still loves playing peekaboo or “where’s Meredith” and thinks we can’t see her if she just covers one eye. She’s an expert climber and faller, and constantly has some sort of bump, bruise, or scratch on her. Other favorite things are her little car, riding in the shopping cart, and turning pages of books.

>The way she prefers to eat a banana like an adult and not cut up.

>That when she wants to nurse she gets very serious looking and fake coughs over and over. And grabs at my shirt.

>Seeing her “kiss” the dogs by delicately touching them with her forehead, and the happiness I feel when she “kisses” me and David too.

>How she reaches for me now, and when she’s not feeling well all she wants is for me to carry her. We are starting to see more and more how she recognizes us and mommy and daddy, and it’s the best feeling in the world.

In reality, as much as I try to describe her at this age there are no words or even pictures to capture her soft squishy body, her delicious smell, how it feels to see her smile and hear her laugh, what it’s like to watch her discover or learn something for the first time, and her abundance of life. I wish I could bottle it up and save it forever.