Month Twenty-One

Sweetpea, do you know what you have driven me to? Vinegar. On the goodies, capice? Last night, I decided that you've had run of the boobs long enough. For the last thirty months, you have controlled what I've eaten, drank, how much I slept, and when I can shower. But Love, no more.

I expected screaming, tears, pinching, kicking, a full-blown hissy when you realized no more chi-chi. But the truth? You didn't seem to mind much. I tried apple cider vinegar first, hoping not to shock to much more awake than you already were, but I guess it's on the sweeter end of the spectrum, and after an initial look of surprise, you kept on nursing. So then we went with red wine vinegar, and after one small tatse, you simply said "No chi-chi."

Then I told you that Mommy's chi-chi's had an ouchie, and no more milk, so you gave one a kiss, and asked for oatmeal. And that was the end of it.

Ohmigod.

I think we were both ready. You wanted to nurse for hours, presumably because you can't squeeze blood from a rock (but you don't know that yet) and after months of two to three times a day, there just wan't much left. The well has run dry, and Mommy is ready to get a tattoo.

So that was yesterday. The rest of the month? Talking. And jumpin. You had already started saying your two word combos a few months ago, mostly things like "Puppies, NO!" and "Agua, please" and "Mas chi-chi," and in the past week or so you've really started expanding your sentence repertoire. Now we her things like, "Mas cheese, please" and "You move aca" or "Please, oca (outside) coco (bird)." My favorite? "Sorry (sign language), no bite." Plus a kiss. How could I not forgive you for taking a chunk out of my shoulder?

And it takes me a minute to figure out what you are syaing sometimes, because Honey, you speak 3 different languages, plus throw in some signs and I'm just not on the up and up with everything that you know. I'm old, and slow, and you're just way too quick for me.

I also got you a chair booster, so you can sit at the table with us to eat. You had a pillow on a chiar for a few weeks, but kept sliding around, or getting stuck, and the pillow was nasty from the food dropping on it, so I figured this was the best way to go. It's fun, it traps your legs under the table and you can't push back from the table anymore to stand up and look out the window. Score!

You also went to your first wedding a few weeks ago, and had a blast chowing down, being passed from aunt to tio to cousin, playihgn with the kids, dancing "conga
like your Papa taught you on the bed, and finally passing out into a deep slumber hours past your normal bedtime. You were a hit, everyone talked about how well behaved you were, how adorable, and sweet, and even when you baurned your finger on a standing heater, you barely cried after we put a cold beer on it.

We're not bad parents, Jojo's friend was holding you when you got burned, and you kept trying to eat the ice we put on your finger first, and the only other available cold item was beer. It's called Make-Do Parenting.

In the store the other day, you were picking up Easter baskets and handign them out to the customers walking by in the store. You're getting over the stranger danger phase, though you are still a bit hesitant in new situations, you will now approach strangers, let people you haven't seen in a while hold you, and kiss random babies.

So my wish for you this month Angel, is that you always find a baby to kiss when you need one. It's such a lift, teh sweet smell, and innocent face. I hope you become someone to loves kids and isn't afraid to show your affection, because it'a appreciated by those aorund you.

I love you,
Mommy.