April 19, 2009

Dear Sarah,

Hard to believe that this is your last letter as a one year old. Starting next month we will stop counting your age in months and you'll be "just two." I wish that I could tell you that you are creeping toward two quiet as a lamb but the last ten days or so have been really tough. Lots of crankiness, tantrums and general agitation. I have to say, I was grateful that this morning you had a temperature over 100. Seemed to provide some explanation for the unpleasantness. I guess you're just getting us in shape for the terrible twos and all that has to offer. However, it would have been nice had you given us some warning that a new training regime had been put into place. As we bumble our way towards two I know that there are so many more good days ahead once we get over this hurdle.

I think that some of your agitation is being caused by the increased pace of your language acquisition. You are adding a couple of words every day and combining them in different ways. I think that this makes your brain tired. However, it sure is exciting to hear what comes out of your mouth. I took you to the zoo this morning and it was great fun to hear all of the things you had to say about and to the animals. You keep up a constant chatter - about 20% of which I can actually understand - in the car. I imagine that you're remarking upon the various things that we are passing. To translate, "Mummy, look! a bus! with wheels! a dog! leash! tail! running around! hungry! crackers! eat them now! now! NOW!"

You are, at present, very into ducks and diggers. You love to chase ducks so we've been frequenting local duck establishments. We try not to go back to the same place two times in a row because those ducks? They know you by now. When I let you free you run after them screeching like a viking plundering a ship. We went to the same duck pond two times in one week and, I kid you not, the second time we came, the second you got out of the car and headed in their direction they got the hell outta there as fast as their little waddley legs could take them. As for diggers, you are particularly partial to backhoes but any real construction equipment will do. Especially if it is operational.

With improved weather systems in the Boston area, we have started to spend a great deal of time outside. It is fascinating to see what catches your attention - little rocks, pebbles, pieces of grass, the trunk of the tree in the back yard, bugs on the slide. You have very strong opinions about what should go where and we do a lot of brushing off of things and moving things around. You kick balls, play with your basketball hoop and get pushed around on your push-trike. You swing on the swing, go down the slide and generally muck around like a little toddler. You especially like pushing pieces of yard waste through the holes in your fort. Sometimes I go out there during your nap and put more sticks and leaves in your fort because it gives you such pleasure to "clean up."

We have been going on lots of outings recently. We went to the zoo this morning. We went to Drumlin farm over the weekend to see the baby goats and lambs. We went to the Natural History Museum at Harvard to see the dead stuffed animals and the HIPPO!!!! The hippo was really big and exciting. You roar-ed at all of the big cats and lions and had long conversations with the penguins. You've been to the Children's Museum and several birthday parties. Every Thursday you go to a preschool program with Early Intervention for a couple of hours. You seem to enjoy it and you're always exhausted when it is over - this makes Mama happy. You have started to really follow directions there extremely well and you have started to get more involved in the singing and the stories. You don't know it but I check on you through the window with the curtain at least a dozen times while you're there. It is amazing to see what you can do these days. And as we are so rarely apart, it is such a treat to see your glee when we are reunited. Your smile, your outstretched arms, and the little wiggle that you do to get good and close is worth not being with you for a little while.

I officially resigned from my job this month making me completely, utterly and entirely an at-home mom. I have to admit, it was hard to write that letter and have it be officially over. I love being your mom. And Cole's mom. And Owen's mom. But I also really loved my job. However, for now, the right thing is for me to be at home with you guys. Wiping your nose, changing your diaper (not for much longer - hello summer and potty training!), reading you stories, and adhering vehemently to your schedule. Everybody says that it just goes by so fast and I want to be around for all of it. Thoreau wrote: Only that day dawns to which we are awake. By being fully and presently Your Mom, I can be completely awake and alive. And I won't miss a thing.

Love,
Mama