January 19, 2009

Dear Sarah,

This is one of the first times that your monthly letter has been late. Mama has been sick with a high fever and just general exhaustion. Dad is keeping the ship afloat, Sophie can't type and the cats don't care. So, there hasn't been anyone to write to you until now. You on the other hand have been very busy this month. Your language is improving daily although not as fast as your climbing abilities.Your favorite word continues to be NO, typically heard as NO NO NO NO NO. With effusive head shaking. You are extremely good with the head shaking. When your Grammy was here she started asking you things phrased like, "We're going to change your diaper now. Do you have a problem with that?" In that case, the affirmative answer is actually no. In recent weeks you have gotten smart and now when we ask you if you have a problem with something, you answer YES. Hm. Guess we'll have to come up with something else.

This month you have really begun to be able to use your shape sorters. You can get the blocks into the holes without much difficulty and you are even starting to be able to recognize which block goes in which hole without help. You recognize the letters O, W and I. Go figure. You can say "star" and "heart" and distinguish between them. Your favorite books are Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed and Jamberry.

You have added a couple of new foods to your repertoire this month. Almonds! Cookies! Ham! Sometimes all in the same meal. And then there was the dinner a couple of weeks ago when you had an orange juice popsicle, a pickle and some almonds. You like the middle of Oreos and you prefer your almonds salted. When we eat lunch together we play this game where you stick out your lower lip and then I stick out mine. You put your finger to my mouth and I "surprise" you by trying to bite it off. How it can be a surprise after the thousandth time baffles me but, whatever, you like it. These are the moments that we wouldn't have together if you were away from me all day. Mundane, silly little games that can be played over and over again until my brain turns to mush.

The other day I came in to get you up from your nap having put you down fully clothed in your sleep sack. When I came in to get you, you had your diaper on. Only your diaper. Your clothes and sleep sack had been flung from your crib and you were dancing to a rhythm that only you could hear. Houdini's got nothing on you kid!

We went on our first overnight family excursion as a family of five this past weekend. I was told that when you have kids and you go somewhere it is a trip, and when you leave the kids behind it is a vacation. That's about right. We went up to Vermont with Uncle Chris and Auntie Jill to visit Chris' family. While Mama stayed inside for the most part you enjoyed all that the Upper Valley had to offer. You really loved to sled which was good to see as some of your previous snow experiences left a bit to be desired. I think that it all had to do with the speed you got going on that sled and the risk of bodily harm. You seem to like things better when there is risk of severe bodily harm.

This month I have been reflecting a lot on how much I am enjoying being at home with you every day. Indeed there are times when you are screeching and banging your head on the cold kitchen tiles, or when I'm changing the fiftieth poopy diaper of the day, that teaching seventh grade boys some math facts seems pretty peachy. However, the vast majority of the time I am so grateful to be here. If I wasn't here, I worry that I wouldn't know that you know how to make raccoon eyes, that you can drink really well from a straw cup when you're in the mood, that you can recognize nearly all of your plastic bath animals and that you can climb on the dining room table in under ten seconds. Most importantly, you wake up from your nap every day calling out MA! MA! MA! knowing with the absolute certainty of a toddler that I will be there to pick you up. I love that.

Love,
Mama