House of Estrogen

Letter to Addison, 18 Months

Dear Addison,

You are a full-fledged walking, talking, tantruming, inquisitive, fun, sweet, aggravating, wonderful little toddler now. You definitely keep us on our toes. If we set you down with an open bathroom door in sight, you race to it as fast as you can, stop at the doorway to see if we are watching, and then dash inside to start your mayhem. If a gate at the bottom of the stairs is left open, you are up the stairs in a flash. You clearly know what is off limits and like to test us. You'll pick up a small choking hazard sized toy off the floor, look right at us as if to say, "Check it out! I'm going to put this in my mouth. You gonna try to stop me? Cuz I'm doing it right now. Here I go. You can't get here fast enough!", and then pop it in your mouth, with great anticipation to see what we'll do.

You are communicating more and more which is just a delight to witness. You are most efficient when signing, and regularly use signs for "food", "more", "all done", "want a diaper change", and "want to go to bed", along with the sweet kisses blown at anyone and everyone. Your verbal skills are coming along slowly. You have mastered the names of most of the family - Dada, Mama, and Nana, but Elise's name was elusive until yesterday. You finally said "sis" which absolutely thrilled your oldest sister! We had told Elise that perhaps your verbal skills would improve once you got tubes in your ears since you would be able to hear better. She had high hopes that you would come right out of surgery saying, "Sissy" or "Leecy". We had to temper her expectations, but little did we know that just one day after surgery you would say her name. I have no idea if that is coincidence or whether you are actually hearing the 'S' sound for the first time. Regardless, Elise ate it up! 

Most of your other words are a bit multi-purpose. "Meh" seems to mean "milk" or "more". "Bah" is ball or balloon. "Bop" is "WOMAN! WOULD YOU GET ME THAT BOP THAT I DESPERATELY WANT RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND???? NO! NOT THAT ONE! NO! NOT THAT ONE! WHY AREN'T YOU GETTING ME THE BOP THAT I'M SO CLEARLY ASKING FOR???? HELLO!!!  I NEED THAT BOP RIGHT NOW!!"   Occassionally "bop" is something easy like "blanket" or "bottle", but often I fail miserably when it refers to "the tiny pink pig up on that high shelf hidden behind the stuffed elephant" or "the green block, not the red one, not the yellow one, not the orange one, in that ginormous pile of blocks."  I'll be glad when not quite so many things are so affectionately known as "bop".

Your dad has decided you are old enough for chores, so he has you helping empty the dishwasher on a regular basis. That is a hoot!  You have learned exactly where the kids' cups and plates go and where the tupperware cabinet is located. He hands you things to put away and you set off about your task. It cracks me up. You do a good job though, so I guess he is on to something. Maybe he can teach you to cut the grass next, and we can quit paying the kid next door to do it.

We've had several rough months of ear infections involving lots of screaming. That and, uh… more screaming. Did I mention the screaming? Just when I thought I might have to ship you off to live with a grandmother for a while, your doctor finally referred you for tubes, so we're hoping for smoother sailing from here on out.

You are still a Daddy's girl and take great delight at sitting in your carseat pointing at him in the seat in front of you, squealing, "Dada!! Dada!! Dada!! and laughing uproariously if he responds or turns around. When I try to get you to say "Mama" instead, you look at me with a bit of disgust like, "Where's the fun in that?", then humor me with a simple "Mama" and then go back to shouting "Dada" and laughing hysterically. Ahhh… feeling the love!

You can throw a tantrum with the best of them and have mastered the art of making your body completely limp, heavy, and almost impossible to pick up. Where do toddlers learn that?  You are tipping the scales at just over 30 pounds now, so when you don't want to be picked up or protest being buckled in the carseat, you are remarkably successful.

 

Most of all, your sweet, smiling face, and excitement about life are just infectious!  The hugs, kisses, giggles, and light in your eye far outweigh toddler tantrums and ear-infection-induced screaming. You make my heart smile.

You are a sweet girl, and I love you dearly!

Love,

Mamma

Letter to Addison, One Year

Dear Addison,

Today you turned one. Although you maintained the activity level of a meatloaf for 11 months, you are definitely moving now. Your funny, awkward, endearing bum scootch is getting faster, and in just the past week, you've started to crawl short distances. You are even pulling up to standing and beginning to cruise. The inquisitive toddler in you is beginning to emerge as you explore the house with your new found mobility. Last night as I was running your bath, you threw both your shoes in the toilet. Awesome. Thanks.  Last week, I caught you just as you were inserting a small metal object into an electrical outlet (Yes, all outlets were babyproofed immediately following that incident). The most astonishing thing about that was the identification of the small metal object. You had somehow managed to unscrew the screw that holds the outlet cover to the wall and that's what you were using to try to fry yourself! I think you may be following in Nina's footsteps as a little junior engineer.

 

Your daycare teacher described you well one day recently. After watching Nina pick you up (all 28 pounds of you) and drag you awkwardly around the room, she said, "Addison, it is a good thing you're a big baby. I'd be worried about you if you were a little delicate thing." I think that is true for you both physically and emotionally. You are not a "little delicate thing" by any stretch of the imagination. You are a tough cookie both inside and out. You are not easily frazzled and usually roll with whatever the day holds for you. I think you got your father's disposition. You are pretty self sufficient when it comes to eating or taking a bottle. I think that comes with the territory of being a third child though. If you had to wait for mom or dad any time you were hungry, you might just starve.

 

 

Tonight we had a small birthday dinner for you at Carrabba's. Your dad and I decided that you will have many years to torture us with birthday dinners at McDonald's and Chuck E. Cheese, so since we got to choose this year, we chose one of our favorites. We ordered you a small serving of whipped cream for dessert, and I don't think you liked it nearly as much as your party hat.

 

   

This first year has gone by lightning fast, and I can hardly believe it is over. Although a big part of me doesn't want it to come to an end, I also know I'm blessed to have had a healthy baby who is growing up and developing as she should. You add a touch of sweetness to a house often filled with drama and chaos. Of course, you will add your own level of chaos in the coming year as you get more and more mobile and start exploring your world. Age twelve to twenty-four months is always a wild ride, but I know it will be fun. I can't wait to see your interpretation of what it means to be a toddler.

Happy First Birthday, Addie! I Love You!

Love, Mamma

Letter to Addison, 6 months

One of my favorite bloggers, Dooce, writes a letter to her daughter Leta every month. I always enjoy reading them, and I know some day Leta will treasure them. I love the idea, but trying to write three letters every month would just be setting myself up for failure. I've decided to try for twice a year instead. Here is my first.

Dear Addison,

 

You turn 6 months today. It is hard for me to believe half of your first year is already behind us. It has flown by way too fast.  You are such a love and delight. I'm relishing in every moment of this too short baby time, absorbing it all, and trying to keep every moment in memory... the snuggles, the coos and gurgles, your sweet little toes, the smiles and belly laughs, the squeezable rolls on your belly and legs, your burps that would make a frat boy proud, that soft fuzzy head, the little open mouth kisses you give, the sheer delight you find in splashing in the bathtub, and even the crying and screaming. It all goes by too fast, and soon you'll be chasing after your big sisters, rolling your eyes at us, and singing High School Musical songs at the top of your lungs along with the two of them. For now, you seem to have almost endless patience with your sisters. It amazes me. Occassionally your big blue eyes glance at me with a look that says, "Mom, what is this crazy sister person doing? Why is she in my face singing like that?", but for the most part, you just watch their antics and sit quietly while they climb on top of you or shake toys an inch away from your face. One of these days, I'm sure you'll figure out that hair pulling is your best defense, but you haven't quite mastered that one yet.

 

 

You've rolled over once, but despite the great fanfare we gave your big accomplishment, you have yet to do it again. I'm sure you'll be glad when you can roll on your own though. Right now, Nina likes to roll you, and that's just a broken arm or dislocated shoulder waiting to happen. Let's just say she isn't as gentle as she could be.  You're sporting one tooth now with another soon to follow, and you're eating solid foods which I can't shovel in fast enough. Oatmeal and peas must be a delicious combination. You have started attending daycare two days per week. I can't say that you're thrilled to be there, but you seem to like it just fine, and it gives me a chance to recharge my mommy batteries by writing code a couple days per week.

 

Our adjustment to being a family of five has gone pretty smoothly... not without mishaps, of course (like when I left my car running outside a restaurant while we ate dinner, or when your Dad left you in the car), but overall, I think we've handled it fairly well. You get all the credit for that though. You have rolled with the punches. You get dragged to school functions, swim lessons, birthday parties, the bus stop, and you just take it all in stride. You have a sweet, laid-back disposition. I can't wait to see more of your personality as it continues to emerge.

 

 

Happy 6 month birthday, Addie! I love you!

 

Love,

Mamma