Month Twenty-Eight

Oh Child, the things you say nowaday. Rather, the things you repeat, shock the bejeebus out of me sometimes. It's mostly cute things, like how you've picked up on my "Ummmm .... no" instead of just saying no, but you also started the habit of saying "Shhhhh! Baby sleeping!" when you are playing with your dolls and we are talking too loudly. I can only remember one time that you've been shushed when there was a sleeping baby at the house, but I guess it's good practice for when your baby sister is born.

Last month you were much more into singing and dancing together, but it seems like the last few weeks you've only wanted to really sing. And sing. And sing. You sing in the bathtub, in your carseat, when I get you up from a nap you are typically awake in your toddler bed singing to Osito or a baby doll. It's awesome how well you know the words to songs, how you can hum the tune of your favorites, and how after you sing Happy Birthday (or insert part of it into another song) you blow out imaginary candles.

Speaking of toddler bed, you transitioned amazingly well to it. The first week was a piece of cake, though the second week we did have to set some limits on geting out of bed and you cried a few times when I left you in there, but for the last couple weeks you are excited to go to sleep, and even when we read books at night you want to sit in your bed, propped up with pillows like Mama does, and turn the pages yourself. And the only way I can leave is by singing ABC and Twinkle Twinkle, and I'm tripping because it took me 25 years to figure out that they have the same tune. Thanks Doll.

We've also moved on from board books to actual stories at night, 101 Dalmations, Winnie the Pooh and Snow White have been in rotation for the last week. It's much more interesting (for me) to read these than to recite your other books from memory with my eyes closed, and you have a trick of putting your squishy little finger over the witch or Cruella de Vil's face and saying "Opa scary!" with a giant grin on your mug. I'm excited to share my love of readign with you, and I'm so happy you are into Fiction (so far) instead of history book, like your Papa. My wish for you this month Angel is that you nurture your love of books and are able to use them as an escape, as a vacation, and as a learning tool throughout your life.

Kiddo, we're going to have so much fun this holiday season. We've already been to several pumpkin patches and a Halloween party, and you are so adorable in your kitty costume, though it's already filthy and needs to be washed...again. You have a small pile of pumpkins that you've picked up at each event, and which you periodically set around the house 'just so' or walk in your shopping cart. This weekend for your sister's babyshower will be a blast, seeing all you kids in costumes and playing games and getting hyped up off massive amounts of candy. We have a couple more HAlloween events until the big day, and as soon as I'm on leave from work we'll tear down Halloween and start working on Christmas, with lights and trees and decorations everywhere. Yes!

I love you my Sweet Girl. And thank you for being honest. Usually when I wear my hair down and curly you roar at me like a lion, but I got a very expensive, and very cute cut, and when I came home you ran your fingers through my hair and said "I like it." My Angel.

Love,
Mama