Dance and other ramblings

Dear Parker,

Sorry I haven't written in a couple of days. Things have been pretty busy here. We are trying to sell the house and it's been really stressful the last couple of days. We've had two showings in the middle of the day, which means we have to hide many of your toys and that you have to leave with Aunt Lauren and go somewhere else. I'm sorry. I know it's probably hard on you, but you're a trooper! :)

So, here's what I've been noticing about you lately. First of all - you say so many things and you speak so well. (I think I say that about every time I write you a letter.) You've been putting together more words than you used to. You will say "Hi Mommy" or "Love you Mommy."

You are getting much more opinionated. If you don't want to do something, you will scream. I don't like that as much, but I suppose it's part of the deal! :) Luckily, you are easily distracted and it can be contained fairly simply.

You love to dance! You will shake your little fists and run around the room. Or you will sway or head bang or just spin in a circle. It's cute.

You are a Big Girl. We had our first Kindermusik class of the semester on Tuesday. It's a class for 18months-3 years. (You are only 16 months old) There was only 1 kid younger than you and you caught on pretty well. That's not to say that you were running around with the 3 year old boys, but I think you were doing just as well as most of the kids. I was surprised. I don't know why, but I was.

You are beginning to like just snuggling. :) Tonight you were sitting on my lap at the kitchen table. I started playing with your little curls. I stopped and you said, "more!" You liked me playing with your hair. We just sat there for about 10 minutes snuggling and me stroking your hair. It was the best 10 minutes of my entire day.

I think you are amazing. We are embarking on a very busy part of the year for Mommy. We've got lots going on and we are making things more crazy by trying to move (which I think has enough emotional stuff attached to it for an entirely different post if we actually sell!). You probably won't get the Mommy-time that you deserve and I'm very sorry. I'm going to do my absolute best to spend as much time as possible with you.

I love you, baby. (BigGirl!)

Love,

Mommy

Random thoughts

Dear Parker,

This is going to be completely disjunct, but I have a couple random thoughts about you right now. So, here goes...

Last night we had pep band. Before the game, you wanted to sit on the throne of the drum set. So, we let you and gave you some sticks. You had WAY too much fun! It was super cute. I got a pretty grainy, blurry phone picture. I wish I had my actual camera. Your friend, Nancy, wasn't able to watch you last night, so you were on your own with your moms. It was way past your bedtime, so you were really tired and clingy. I often had to resort to conducting while holding you. You were so funny. You would imitate my conducting and try to conduct yourself. It was adorable.

Today, you were playing with your blocks and I noticed that you have started building towers with your square alphabet blocks as well as building things with with your lego-type blocks. You filled up an entire platform with the lego-type blocks and then started getting creative and adding other things on the top. Where did my little baby go? You are such a big girl.

I just don't remember when it happened. I don't remember when you became a real little person. I think you are truly the most amazing thing. I love you so much.

Love,

Mommy

Missing Me?

Dear Parker,

I just got a text from your Aunt Lauren that said you are really missing me today. :( That makes me sad. I miss you too, but I feel especially horrible when you miss me as well. I feel like it's my job as a mommy to stay home and take care of you, but I can't do that all the time. I'm sorry, baby. It will be okay and I will see you in a few hours (after my lesson with Abby) but please know that I love you so much and I miss you too.

I hope you have a better day after your nap.

I love you,

Mommy

Ridiculous Reading

Dear Parker,

You are taking this reading thing a little too far (well, maybe not, but it's pretty funny.) This morning, you were crying "Mommy! Mommy!" from your bed. I went in to get you up thinking that you wanted some snuggles. Boy, was I wrong!

I walked in and the first thing you said was, "Book!" while pointing to the pile of books leftover on the floor from last night. I asked if you wanted to get out of bed and read some books. You said, "No!" You wanted me to give you some books so you could read them in bed by yourself.

You wouldn't put the book down during your diaper change, while getting dressed or when I was doing your hair. You almost had a tantrum because I wanted you to eat breakfast instead of read a book. We had to compromise by keeping the book open on the table!

You are so funny. I have a feeling that you are going to be the little girl that reads under her covers with a flashlight!

I love you,

Mommy

Reading

Dear Parker,

You have always loved books. When you were little you chewed on them, you got a little bigger and you would look at the pictures. Now, you are reading them to yourself. Yesterday, you picked up "Mr Brown Can Moo, Can You?" and while flipping the pages, started saying some of the sounds in the book.

Today, after reading "If You Give a Cat a Cupcake" for the bazillionth time with me, you took the book to the other room and started going over every page. When there was a funny picture, you laughed, when the beach page came, you said, "beach." Along came the second sprinkle page, you said, "sprinkle!" I think it's pretty cool.

We are going this afternoon to look at "schools" for you for next year. I'm nervous because I want you to be able to stay home, but I know it can't last forever. So, off looking we will go.

I love you. Keep reading!

Love,

Mommy

Proud

Dear Parker,

There are many things for which I am proud of you; here is the most recent. Before you were a year old, we took most of your bottles away. We did it slowly and one at a time. The week before your birthday we were left with your bedtime bottle. Then you got sick. We didn't want to try to take away what we thought would be the hardest bottle (for both you and us) when you already didn't feel good and were cranky. Then, you just didn't get better until right before Christmas. We were doing lots of traveling and you were on a strange schedule. We didn't feel that would be the right time either.

At the beginning of January, we started giving you less and less in the bottle, thinking we would wean you off slowly. When we got down to 2 oz, you had a fit. I was very nervous for what no bottle would look like. But, it had to be done. You are a big girl. So, we didn't give you a bottle last night. You asked for it. We said there was no bottle. You pouted and looked like you were going to cry - real sad tears, not tantrum tears. We told you that you were a big girl and that big girls went to sleep without bottles. You stopped pouting, said, "ok" and laid your head down. I was shocked. You didn't even ask tonight.

You are such an amazing little girl. I'm so proud of you- and I'm kind of sad that my baby is gone.

I love you,

Mommy

Dear Parker,

It's always really hard for me to return to week after a break (even a little one, like a day!) I think of all the fun times we had together and how much I love being with you. I'm glad that we don't have much going on this week so that we can spend every night together. I think it will be the last laid back week in awhile.

I know I say this all the time, but I just can't get over how big you are getting. Even in the middle of the night when you wake up scared, you tell me what you want. I'm so proud of you for being able to communicate so well at such a young age.

Okay, little (Big!) girl. I know this is very short and I didn't really say anything, but I have to go to work. I love you and I hope you have a good day with your Aunt Lauren.

Love you,

Mommy