How can I love you even more?!

So it dawned on me today while I was walking hand in hand with L that this age (almost 18 months) is my favorite. Of course I look at M and I love watching her grow all together, but with L today I was just reminded of how much I fell in love with M even more at this age. I looked at L and she just seemed like a little person now and not a baby. She changes more and more every day. She is finally getting into books and is obssessed with the photo albums and pointing to the pictures. She enjoys trying to get her clothes on and is starting with "What's that?" for everything. My husband has been working so much that pretty soon I joke she is going to be calling him daddy-na nigh because he sleeps during the day and I always am telling her that he is na night. For the last week or so she has been really picking up on daddy and mama and really using it when she is talking to us. Last week it was Da-die, but tonight she finally said Daddy. And for the past couple of days anytime she has needed to have my attention it has been Mama.. Mama..Mama.. until she gets my attention. I also love that she says bath now. When she tries to say it she says Ba and then sticks her tongue way out when she is trying to make the th sound. It's cute. I love how I can be going along and then all of the sudden I am shocked by something she says or does and I find myself saying "I didn't know you knew that!" I find that with M too. Tonight in the bathtub she was actually putting her head under the water and holding her breath. A year ago she would have freaked out if water got in her eyes, but I think with all the swimming with Grace that she sees someone her age doing it. Last week we went swimming and I heard a big splash and saw M completely under water and I thought "I have to get to her before she comes up and starts freaking out and starts drowning!" , but she came back up and wiped her eyes dry and I asked her if she jumped in on purpose to which she said "Yep!". I about had a heart attack...I didn't realize she had become so fearless, but I am so happy. We met her teacher on Wednesday. I think she and M will get along. M's desk is right across the room from her best friend Ryan. Now they can stare into eachothers eyes all day. (haha!) Actually his mom called me on Wednesday and said that Ryan was so excited M was in his class and he wanted to talk to her. So they talked and talked for a good 5 minutes. I think that's fairly long considering I can't get M to talk on the phone to anyone. She was so excited. She wanted to call him so bad over the summer, but I didn't want his mom to think I was crazy letting my 5/6 year old call her 6 year old on the phone. Soon she will be on the phone all the time. I feel I will soon enter the stage where my parents were at and wonder " How can she be with her friends all day at school and still have stuff to talk about after school. " It has been a good last week. Hard to believe Tuesday we will be back in school, but then again time goes so fast I always know soon it will be summer again. It's funny though that just when I think I can't love the girls anymore than I already do I find out that everyday I love them more and more. M and I have been playing the game LIFE the last few nights and when she gets married I always pretend I am crying and she always says "Come on mom, quit crying." She already knows I'm an emotional bag. I am very excited to see what changes and adventures lie ahead for her in 1st grade and to see all the changes L goes through too. I am so blessed. The last month has been hard. I've felt more like a single parent than ever before, but the kids definently keep me occupied and soon the husband will have time off...unfortunatley I'll be back at work, but it will be nice to have him home again.