Baby Mira, nearly 16 months old now.

Our little princess started nodding for "yes," when we ask her questions and she wants to respond affirmatively. It's quite a sight. She does it several times, almost slinging her head down and back, down and back, down and back.

She has also started responded to my, "Eh Eh Eh," which is the sound I used to use to keep my dogs from getting into stuff. It works well with her. Today, she started to walk behind the van into the parking lot, I made the sound, and she turned around and walked back to me.

I wish I could describe how excited she gets when she sees me. When we're driving somewhere, and I get out to open her door, she acts as if she hasn't seen me all day. She smiles and wiggles in her seat, just itching for me to get her out. She's so precious!

Occasionally, in the morning, I'll open her bedroom door and see her lying in her crib, just babbling away. When she finally notices me, she scrambles to her feet as fast as she can, leans against the crib, and stands with her arms raised, giving me me the biggest baby girl grin I've ever seen.

I often think about how Judah, who tends to be more laid-back, resembles his Daddy in temperament, and how Miriam is definitely the daughter of Her Royal Excitedness.

Today she sounded as if she said "socks." That's what she was holding, and that's the sound she made. Judah's first intelligible word was "ball."

The sound she makes when she wants something is usually, "Shuh Shuh." Her happy sound is "Baah Bah!" Her sad sound is "Muh Muh." And sometimes she'll just babble, "Da da da da da." I love her little voice.

I also love walking ahead of her, turning around, crouching down, and having her pick up her pace and lean into me for a big hug. The sounds she makes are hilarious, and we giggle before moving on.

For the past two days, after she pats me on the chest to let me know that she wants to nurse, I lay her down, getting her into position, and she says, "Agh!" and grins. What a little crack-up. I think she has quite a sense of humor for being not quite 16 months old.

Have I mentioned how much I love that little girl?

I keep meaning to write down our bedtime routine (just for my own memory):

One last drink of milk from Mommy.

Goodnights and kisses and hugs to the boys.

Read one more book on the floor of her room.

Pick up toys, get room ready (close windows, drapes, closet).

Get on pajamas and a new diaper.

Brush teeth.

Walk into her room while holding her and turn off the light.

Stand by her crib while she lays her head on my chest and I sing to her:

Are you sleepy, are you sleepy, Mira Todd, Mira Todd

I love you so much, bitty bitty baby,

Time to rest. Time to rest.

I sing this two or three times, then pray:

Thank you, God, for Miriam. Bless her sleep. Bless her dreams.

I pray that she would sleep peacefully all through the night,

and wake up feeling happy and refreshed in the morning.

Then I pray specific things about her destiny, her (future) husband, and our family.

I've recently been praying "The Lord's Prayer" next.

Then, I sing our little song once more, and lay her down.

She rolls over and goes right to sleep.

Precious, precious, beautiful girl. I love you.