Month Twenty-Five

Thirty minutes ago, we were outside in my parked car. I was cleaning old receipts and gym passes while you "organized" my car paperwork in the glove compartment and drew pictures. Twenty minutes ago, you were running out the back of the house, yelling for the dogs to come back inside and stop barking. Ten minutes ago, you called me "Mama china" (Mama cochina) when you thought I passed gas. And five minutes ago you crawled up into my lap as I was on the computer, and asked to watch You Tube. I started humming a song and rocking you, and within about 2 minutes, you laid your head on my shoulder, grabbed onto my pinky finger with your little hand, and fell asleep.

I can't imagine life getting any better than this.

We didn't get to see fireworks this year, as we have the past two years. They started around 9:30, but by 9:00 each night you were begging Papa and I to let you go to sleep. Quite a change from the little baby we brought home from the hospital who was awake from 11pm to 4am. Every night. For weeks. We did go to the fair though, and you were able to go on your first carnival ride, even though you were about 4 inches too short. Papa carried you on the train and sat with you, and you smiled to me each time you went around the circuit. You also won a red monkey playing the game where you shoot water into a little target, you sitting on Papa's lap, white-knuckled as you gripped the handle, and smiling like a clown when the Carnie offered your pick of stuffed animals.

This month we also went to an ultrasound to see your little sister. You were so well-behaved, even the sonographer was shocked that you sat so still for almost 15 minutes, munching on your popcorn and commenting on the baby pictures. "Wow" and "Baby aca" were the most frequent, and I don't think you got what we were really looking at until you saw her face and got so excited. You still kiss the pictures they gave us and now say "baby sister" when you see some of them.

Your sister has gotten into the habit of kicking you when we're sitting together, though I remember you kicking the dogs the same way when I was pregnant with you. You have been such a helper, and so understanding of Mama's energy and mood fluctuations. When I need to rest a bit, you are happy to entertain yourself, or just snuggle up with me a read yourself a book until the dizziness or fatigue passes. You've also started singing again, and request certain songs when you are going to sleep, or we are going for a walk. The best is "Twinkle, Twinkle" which you know most of the words to, and sing along with me. But it's a bad one to sing before bed, because we both end up cracking up by the end, at the sound of our duet.

Your two year check-up is tomorrow, so I don't know exactly how much you weight, but the scale at home sys 23.9 lbs, so we've done well the past few months. This month in particular, you've been wanting to eat quesadillas every day. And seriously, you'll have oatmeal for breakfast, three corn tortillas worth of quesadillas for lunch and dinner each, and oatmeal before bed. And massive amounts of fruit, especially since now after work we can go on a walk while we wait for Papa to get home, and pick blackberries from the bushes by our house. Though you call them 'popcorn' and I can see why, you are much neater this year eating them than you were last year. So my wish for you is that you remember these summer days picking blackberries and taking long walks, drawing with your chalk outside, and riding your little bike, and you remember what it was like to be a kid and not have the weight of the world on your little shoulders, like your Papa and I did when we were young.

But like I was saying, I can't imagine life with you getting any better. I know it will, you are more beautiful, intelligent, and loving, playful, kind, sweet, the best at hugs and kisses, and simply the most amazing little girl I have ever had the pleasure to know. I had no idea you'd be so much fun, I knew I'd love you but I never knew that I would like you so much! Thank you for choosing me to be your mama, I know I've said it before, but I feel blessed to have you in my life.

I love you,
Mama