Today, you are two years old!

I typed that and immediately got a little teary. I can’t believe it’s been two whole years since you were born and became a part of our family. What a wild and wonderful two years it’s been!

There are not words to describe the depth of my love for you. Papa and I agree that having you in our lives is a fantastic, incredible gift. I won’t lie, the past two years have been difficult for us in a lot of ways, but your presence throughout has been the one consistent source of joy and brightness for us.

Two years old seems to agree with you; these days, you are a happy, funny, exuberant, spirited little girl.

You seem to always be in motion: running, jumping, climbing, hugging, laughing, dancing. Just watching you is draining! You go go go until you simply crash from exhaustion. We’re working on finding ways to help you learn to calm down, which is challenging but something you definitely need.

We are so very thrilled that you’ve finally started talking to us! We know that you’ve understood practically every word we’ve said for months now, and just within the past three weeks or so, your language has completely exploded. You say a new word every day, sometimes more than one a day. It is so fun to hear your voice and to finally hear what’s going on in your little head!

Some of your favorite (and most useful!) new words and phrases include: help, I do it, come in, go, stop, switch, movie, watch, play, car, rain, wind, hot, sit, water, hold it…and on, and on, and on.

I’m sad that you seem to be slowly losing your signs, although you still sign I love you and please on occasion, and you are slowly losing your adorable mispronunciations of certain words. There are some mispronunciations remaining, though, since you put an –e sound at the end of words with –er. So water becomes “wah-wee,” butter is “butt-eee,” car is “car-eee,” and so on. I love it.

We’ve started playing with friends more often, which you can’t seem to get enough of. You have definitely inherited my extroverted characteristics. You love being with other people, and while you’re overwhelmed at first when there’s a crowd, you quickly warm up and become the center of attention and the life of the party. We had a party here in November, and there were 25 people here, and you just danced and played and had a blast. I barely saw you the whole night!

You have a keen understanding of how things work. If you see Papa or me do something, even a relatively complex multi-step process, you can usually replicate it. My favorite thing you do is that you drag a chair from the dining room table over to the shelf where the record player is, page through the records until you find one you like, pull it out, climb on the chair, take the record out of its sleeve, open the lid to the record player, put the record on, press play, and stand on the chair and dance. Watching you do this is hilarious and really fun.

Like your Papa, you love art and will contentedly color for quite a long time. The easel we got you for Christmas has already seen many hours of use. It’s really fun to see you and Papa put your heads together and create fantastic images.

You don’t seem to have a lot of favorite things. Most of your toys get equal play; your kitchen, your babies, your instruments, and your tea set are all things you play with on a regular basis. You don’t have a lovey or a special doll or blanket, either. (That role seems to be mine.) There are times I wish you did have one, and while you do show preference for one or two of your babies over others, you aren’t attached to them like many kids are.

Any Pixar movie will hold your attention, and you adore Curious George, Elmo, and Arthur. It’s strange for me to realize you’re at the point where you recognize characters and will respond to the way things are branded in the store.

Food is an area I’ve watched with bated breath over the past few months. Your tastes as a baby were so wide-ranging that I was nervous the pickiness of toddlerhood would be especially bad. I’m proud to say that unlike most toddlers, your palate remains as broad as it’s ever been. You enjoy moderately spicy food, ethnic food, and rather epicurean food. Avocado, cheese, hummus, pasta, anything with pesto, olives, yogurt, and tomatoes are some of your favorite things. Oh, and how could I forget? Butter! You still love it and I have to make a real effort to keep it out of your reach, or it tends to disappear!

You also love coffee, even black. You’ll drink an Americano, black coffee, or a cappuccino and beg for more sips. Funny enough, you don’t like juice. I guess you’re just an uncommon toddler.

On that note, you are still nursing at two years old, something I’m somewhat surprised but very happy to report. You love having milkies, or nums, as you call them, and our times nursing together are among the sweetest I can think of.

Another thing that surprises me (because I never thought I’d allow it this long…how naive I was, ha!) is that you still sleep with Papa and me. It’s getting harder these days, as you are a big toddler and take after your Papa’s habit of wild tossing and turning, but even though there are moments we wish we had more room, the benefits and closeness we derive from sleeping all together far outweigh the difficult times.

Elanor, I cannot tell you enough how much I love you. Having you in my life is such a blessing and a treasure.

Love,

Mama

I’ve been writing this letter for about a week now, and even since I started writing it, she’s changed and said more words and done more amazing things. Truly, every day is different at this stage! Oh, and I’m such a slacker that I have almost no photos from the past month. I just haven’t been taking many pics since we moved, other than on my cell phone, and those aren’t really on my computer. I have a few that I haven’t edited yet and I’ll try to post some soon, as well as some video.

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Dear Elanor,

Today, you are one and a half years old!

I apologize for not writing you a letter for your fifteenth, sixteenth, or seventeen month birthdays. I won’t lie; the last few months have been hard all around. We’ve been through a lot, and between Papa losing his job and then moving our family to San Francisco, it’s been rather busy.

But more than that, I’ve found the past three months or so to be the most challenging yet in terms of being your mama. It’s only been in the past couple of weeks that I’ve felt secure and confident as a parent again.

If I look at who you were back in April, and compare that baby to you now, you have come so far. I know that part of what was so hard for me was that you were struggling while you were changing and growing so much. Combine that with all the turmoil surrounding our family, and it’s no wonder I found being a mama harder than I ever had before. I’m so glad, though, that things have evened out and I’m feeling content again, more often than not. I did not like feeling frustrated most the time!

You are now completely confident physically. You walk, run, climb, and navigate pretty much any obstacle with ease. You love sliding down the slides at the park, and you love to climb on everything at home. One of your favorite places to sit while you watch a movie is up on the back of the couch. You’ll climb up there and lay down and just hang out.

As such, I don’t wear you much anymore. You’re too big and cumbersome, and you just want to be down and going. It’s a little sad to see your days of riding on me come to an end, but it’s also a relief: you were getting really, really heavy!

Your understanding of the world around you amazes us. You have figured out how to turn on the TV, change the input so that it will show the DVD player, and then turn on the DVD player so you can watch a movie. It is exciting to me to see how your relationship with technology will develop, since it’s such an integral part of our lives.

Something else that amazes me about your understanding of the world is that you remember houses where cats and dogs are often in the window. We walk a lot of the same streets on a regular basis, and as we approach houses or businesses where you’ve seen a cat or dog in the window before, you’ll do your sign for cat or dog and click your mouth like you are calling to them. It astonishes me how you can do this after only having seen it there once before.

Sleep continues to be, um, interesting. For a while before we moved, you’d take all your naps in your crib and would sleep there for several hours at night once I’d nursed you to sleep. Since we’ve moved, though, you haven’t wanted anything to do with your crib. And that’s okay with us. I think. Most days, anyway. There are definitely mornings when Papa and I wake up and look at each other and bemoan our lack of sleep due to your restlessness, but those tend to be less frequent than the mornings we wake up and smile at each other over your sleepy, adorable head.

I’m starting to see you need to nap longer during the day again, too. For a while you were only sleeping for 45 minutes, which was rough on both of us. Now, you’ll sleep for a little longer if I go back in and settle you. I’m glad. You are a happier girl when you get enough rest.

It seems like you’re getting your two-year molars, a little early. That would certainly follow your pattern of teething thus far. Although I don’t feel anything back there yet, your hands are always in your mouth and I’ve noticed an increase in drooling, too. I’m anxious to get these out of the way since they’ll be your last teeth for quite some time!

Finally, we’re hearing you say more words. We’ve been waiting for so long now, and I feel like we’re still waiting, but at least we can tell that it’s coming. You now say Mama, no-no, ni-night, and uh-oh with regularity. You also regularly sign cheese, finished, cat, please, and a few others. I’ve seen you sign tree, sun, sky, clouds, and more, although you don’t use them very often. I’ve also heard you say door, shoes, out, Papa, and milkies, although you won’t repeat them at all.

You babble ALL the time. It’s clear you are desperately trying to communicate with us but you just can’t make your mouth say the words. Your inflection is often perfect but what you’re saying seems to be garbled. I can only imagine how frustrating that must get for you!

One fun thing you’ve just started doing is “reading.” You’ll take a book and look at the pages and just babble away happily while you read it to one of us. It’s one of the more adorable things I’ve seen you do.

You adore food, almost everything. You aren’t a huge fan of meat, although we’ve given it to you a few times despite my vegetarian-ness, and you don’t really like asparagus. I can’t think of anything else you’ve refused outright. You love yogurt, avocadoes in any form, pasta, butter (we caught you trying to eat it by itself the other day), ice cream, cheese, and hummus. I could keep going here but those are definitely the top things on your list.

Other kids interest you now. Your little friend Rogan is your pal; despite the fact he’s a few months younger than you, the two of you play together really well, pushing each other around in your respective carts and stealing each others’ snacks and sippy cups. You love to hug him and even give him kisses. Hee. Your first little boyfriend, I guess.

Water remains a huge attraction for you: in the bath, a pool, the ocean, in the sink, a bowl, a cup. No matter where it is, you’ll play with it. We’ve got to get you in some swimming lessons. I think you’d love it!

Elanor, you are so hilarious and funny and special and fun. I’m very glad to be your mama!

I love you!
Mama

That said, I desperately need to update my links section to the right, but that is going to have to wait a while.

Anyway, I know I skipped last month’s Elanor post. I just didn’t feel like writing it, so I didn’t. (Bad Mama!) I mean, really, I know I write them less for the benefit of my blog and more for my own and Elanor’s eventual benefit. It’s my substitute for a baby book, or, I suppose, my supplement to the baby book.

All of that to say that here’s this month’s. I took the photo yesterday, because we got home from the beach late Saturday night and I was exhausted and it was a very long and fairly chaotic day. So, here it is.

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Dear Elanor,

Today you are fourteen months old!

March 15, fourteen months old, one day late

You walk all the time now, and at times even run a little. You love to be in motion, to be exploring and discovering everything around you. This has made you impatient with all contraptions that are meant to contain you: the stroller, the Ergo, the high chair, the car seat, most grocery carts, etc. And that makes life a lot more challenging, since, if we have to make you stay in one of those things, you get very upset and let everyone around you know how angry you are.

March 10, running to Papa on the beach

It’s clear that you are your own person now, with desires and frustrations and disappointments, all of which you share with me and Papa and everyone else. It’s a daunting job as a parent to try to teach you how to deal with those things in a compassionate, understanding, and caring way.

March 3, really angry while taking a bath with cousin Jacob

We’ve been trying to get you to sleep more in your own bed, a crib that Mema bought for you, which we’ve set up in our room. You are just so big these days, and you’ve inherited your Papa and Auntie Rachel’s violent sleeping habits, making it tough for Papa or myself to get much good sleep when you’re in bed with us. You will sleep in your bed at least until we come to bed, usually, and sometimes almost all night. It’s a slow process to get you to sleep in there, especially as you will no longer suck on your fingers to soothe yourself (only Mama will do for that job), but I’m in no rush to get you out of our bed entirely. I love snuggling with you.

March 8, sleeping in our room at the Ace Hotel in Portland

You absolutely love all of your amazing Christmas and birthday presents. Your playroom is full to the gills with beautiful toys, and the closet is full of more as well. You are quite spoiled by our family! Your favorite toys include your tea set that Auntie Amy and Uncle Seth gave you, your kitchen from Noni and Grumps, and your bowling set from Mema.

February 14, thirteen months old

Food continues to be a great love of yours, and you eat almost everything, although you weren’t a fan of the clam Papa gave you to try the other night. You adore bananas, and pasta, potatoes, cheese, beans – the list goes on and on. We got you some kid-sized utensils recently and you now love to eat with them, and if we forget to give them to you at dinnertime, you get very annoyed. It’s pretty amazing how skilled you are already at using them.

March 1, eating yogurt with a spoon

You have nearly all of your teeth now, or at least all of them that you’ll get until your two-year molars. It feels like the last eight or so have been coming in for a very long time — about two months. But thankfully it seems like they are just finishing up, which I’m very glad about.

March 10, being cute while riding bikes in Seaside

It’s been so fun to see you picking up more signs. While you don’t say many words yet, you do sign quite a bit. You’ve learned the sign for please, and use it quite often, which is fun to see. You still sign milkies, more, and finished, and you wave hello and bye-bye as well. I was able to teach you please in about a week; I need to be more diligent about teaching you more signs. I think you could learn them easily and quickly.

February 28th, singing Itsy Bitsy Spider (and doing the motions!) with Great Aunt Melissa

Although you don’t say many words, you do recognize familiar people, places, and animals. Papa and I call Audrey the cat by clicking our tongues, and you’ve learned how to do the same thing, out of the blue. You now call any cat, dog, bird, or person you want to see up close in that manner, which is pretty hilarious.

March 13, happy to be swinging

You also recognize our house when we come home. I was walking from the bus stop with you a few weeks ago, and we were coming up the sidewalk. I didn’t tell you we were home, but you walked up the sidewalk and turned up the path to our door all by yourself. I was amazed!

March 11, family snuggle at the beach

The best thing, hands down, that you have learned to do lately is to give hugs. You wrap your arms around my neck and pat my back, and it is, without a doubt, the sweetest thing in the entire world.

February 28th, hugging Papa before he leaves for work

Elanor, you continue to be an absolute joy, and Papa and I cannot get enough of you.

I love you,
Mama

You are a whole year old! It seems like you’ve been with us forever, and yet it seems like just yesterday you were born.

Brand new, January 14, 2008

You are such a little person now. I love seeing your personality — even when it manifests itself in willfullness and tantrums  — emerging.

One year old!

This past month has been full of more firsts, with two notable ones: you walked on your own and we celebrated your first Christmas.

Walking with Papa, January 3

It was amazing to see you walking! Papa and I were thrilled when you did it. We were both giddy, seeing you take those steps by yourself. And, even more fun, it happened on your Noni’s birthday, which pleased her greatly.

Snuggling with Papa early Christmas Morning, December 25

Christmas was wonderful. We spent the day with our families, who spoiled us greatly. You love all of your new toys. It was high time you had some big-kid things to replace the few baby-like things you had before. You love your pots and pans, your new Cabbage Patch babies, your big fabric tunnel to crawl through, and all of the musical instruments you received.

Playing with pots and pans, December 25

Food continues to be something you love. It’s really fun to see you eating and enjoying food so much. You love cheese, and pasta, and beans, and avocado, and scrambled eggs, and hummus, and plain yogurt. You eat pretty much anything we put in front of you now and you definitely enjoy mealtime. When you see me getting your tray or bib ready, you run over to your highchair and stand at the bottom of it, waiting for me to put you in. You still love milkies, though, and nurse frequently, even though you are eating a lot of regular food now.

Eating hummus and cucumber at Pa and Grandma Sandy's, December 28

You just learned how to drink from a sippy cup within the past week or so, and you love water. Your other favorite beverage, besides, milkies, is coffee. Yes, coffee, and not just the foam from a cappuccino, although you love that, too. You love straight coffee, even the crema from an espresso. It’s hilarious to see you, when you know that there’s coffee nearby and no one’s given you any yet. You get quite upset.

Playing with the espresso machine at Papa's work, December 15

Your sleeping has changed quite a lot over the past month or two. You’re usually taking one nap now, instead of two. And you are going to bed at a fairly regular time, usually between 7:30 and 8. Plus, you are sleeping more at night, too, which has been nice for Papa and me. You’ll also sleep in a bed or pack & play or something, which is very nice. I had almost forgotten all of the months of you only sleeping on us or with us, and it’s so nice that you’ll finally sleep by yourself.

Snoozing in the makeshift sled, December 21

We’re still cloth diapering at a year, and I love it. Well, as much as anyone can love diapers, I suppose. You, however, have come to detest having your diaper change, and almost every diaper change results in a colossal meltdown and tantrum. It’s difficult, but I know it’s just a phase and I need to be as patient as possible and it will eventually improve.

At the Portland Children's Museum, December 27

You aren’t saying much yet in the way of real words. It’s adorable to hear you say your little babbles, like “Bee doop, bee doop, bee doop,” and to hear you talk to your baby dolls or your toys. Even so, we want to be able to understand you and hope more words are forthcoming soon.

Getting splashed at the Children's Museum, December 27

Happy birthday, my darling girl. I am so excited to see you continue to grow and change. Although this year has been extremely difficult, you have been the one consistent bright spot in it, and we are so happy to have you in our lives.

All my love,

Mama

Today you are 11 months old! You have changed so dramatically in the past few weeks; your development has just exploded lately. I’m not even sure where to start.

Official Ten Month Photo

You are not walking without support, although we are thinking more and more now that it’s coming any day. You will push various items around the house and walk behind them — the bar stools, the ottoman, the dining room chairs, your exersaucer — and you’ll walk if we hold your hand, but you won’t do it by yourself yet. You will, however, stand unsupported on your own, which is one of those many developmental things you’ve just started doing over the past week or two.

Pushing the barstool around, December 5

You will also climb; you climbed this morning from my lap onto the dining room table, and we must be very careful to leave the door to the stairs shut because you’ll head straight over and try to climb them as soon as you hear the door open.

The bath is one of your favorite things. Another thing you’ve started doing recently is you try to climb into the tub when we are in the bathroom. You just love bathie time, and you’ll happily play in the tub for as long as possible. You especially love it when Papa comes in and sits next to the tub and splashes and plays with you. The grin on your face when he puts his face in the water and blows bubbles is huge.

Waking up from a nap, November 26

You now have ten teeth. It’s been a rough month, with you getting three more teeth (including your upper canines — ouch) and you still seem to be working on a molar and your lower canines. This round of teeth was by far the worst ones yet; you seemed much more bothered by them than the previous ones. In conjunction with teething, you’ve had a cold for what seems like six weeks. That, combined with the teeth and Papa’s traveling, has made you one cranky little girl. Thankfully, you seem to be handling this next set of teeth better, and maybe once they’re through, your cold symptoms will lessen a bit and you’ll get some relief in general.

Looking like a big girl with first pigtails, December 12

Papa and I love to watch you eat. Again, the past few weeks have shown a huge increase of what you’ll eat and how much you’ll eat. Before, you would just play in your food, but now you actually eat. I usually just give you a little of what we’re eating, and you usually eat it right up. You love black bean soup, channa masala, olives, any potato product, cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes (which I just gave you last night and you loved), pizza, Annie’s Mac, and, of course, Veggie Booty.

Eating Annie's Mac, December 4

While we were relatively sure you were signing back at us last month, there is absolutely no doubt you are now. Again, in the past week or two, you will sign milkies, finished, eat, more, and hi/bye in the right contexts. One of my favorite things is when you are nursing and you look up at me and sign milkies as you try to grin despite the fact that you’re eating. You want me to acknowledge what you are saying and you keep looking at me and signing it until I say, “Yes, Nor, you’re having yummy milkies!”

Grinning all the way down the Prom on a bicycle ride, November 16

We had a fun month, including a trip to the Walker family house at Seaside. We just spent a lot of time hanging out as a family that weekend, riding bikes on the Prom, walking downtown, and just playing at the house. It was wonderful. We also celebrated your first Thanksgiving this past month. You were very tired by the time we ate dinner, but you managed to eat some stuffing, mashed potatoes, some of your roll, and some peas anyway.

On the Prom at Seaside, November 16

I can’t wait to see what this next month will bring. It seems every day you master a new skill or want to do something new or grow and change in some way. It makes waking up every day so much fun, just to see how you’ll be different from the day before.

I love you, Magoo.

Mama

Today you are ten months old, and every day it seems you are more a toddler rather than a baby.

You are pulling up on everything, and cruising all over the house. Papa and I are waiting with bated breath for you to take your first steps. It’s coming, soon. You crawl like a pro; you move so quickly that we can barely keep up.

Climbing the stairs at Noni's house, October 22

We’re also waiting on you to say more words. You babble all day long, and it is as though you expect us to understand what you’re saying. You definitely say Mama, as you have for a while, and we think you are saying Kitty, too.

You’re beginning to use sign language back to us as well. You signed finished back at us over the weekend when we asked you if you were finished. And you’ve been trying to sign more for a while, we think. It’s really fun to see you acknowledging our signing. Auntie Rachel taught me several more signs while she was here this past weekend, and I’m looking forward to using them with you.

At the Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie's Island, October 26

You’re into everything you shouldn’t be into. The stereo, the records, the bookshelves, the rug by the front door, any piece of electronic equipment within your reach: you want to explore it all. Turn the knobs on the stereo, pull the records and books off of the shelf, rip the dust jackets on the books, eat the fringe on the rug. It’s all just part of how you’re learning, I know, but redirecting you every 10 seconds gets tiring. But that’s okay. Even if it’s tiring, it’s just what babies do.

It’s been very fun to see you growing to acknowledge your papa more. When he walks in the room, your face absolutely lights up. You squinch up your face, and grin, and squeal. It’s really precious, and I know your papa loves it.

Snuggling with Papa, October 18

You are also more attuned to what Papa and I are doing. If we’re doing something on the computer, for instance, you want to do it, too. Same goes for the cell phone. And if we laugh, you laugh too, looking from one of us to the other, as if you are asking, “So, guys, what’s the joke?”

We are very ready for Christmas and your birthday to come so you we can give you some more toys. All of your current ones are getting a little boring for you, I think. They’re very baby-ish and are more along the lines of glorified rattles, mostly. But I can’t justify buying anything new for you because you have those big events coming up quickly, and I know you’ll be showered with gifts.

Eating guacamole, October 17

You enjoy eating all kinds of food, but your favorite things tend to be guacamole, bread, and cheese. You also loved the quesadilla we made for you the other day. You are clearly taking after your papa.

It is so very fun to see you becoming so much more of a person, with a developed personality. You are usually happy and playful and good-natured, although we’re finding that you do not like it and protest very loudly if we try to make you do something you don’t want to do (like go in your carseat or go to sleep, even if you are exhausted). I guess that’s just part of being human, but to us, you seem especially strong-willed. Papa and I say that we’re in for it when you get a little older.

Playing with non-toys, the camera bag and the stroller, November 12

Happy Ten Months, my girl! Being your mama is the best gift in the world. I love you!

Love,
Mama

At her appointment on Friday, Elanor measured thusly:

28 inches long
23 pounds, one ounce

Okay, if I’d thought this out better, I would have just had people guess on her size, because the chances are slim-to-none that anyone would guess both right on.

And, of course, no one did, so I guess I will have to declare two winners:

For weight: Meg, whose guess of 23.5 pounds was only off by a few ounces
For length: my sister Melissa, who was right on with her guess of 28 inches

Congratulations, ladies! The prize is a $15 gift card to Powell’s Books, my favorite bookstore, because everybody needs more books! Meg, send me an email to the address in the sidebar with your mailing address and I’ll get it out to you, and Liss, I’ll get yours to you when I’m down there next week.

Thanks to everyone who participated; it was fun! I will have to think of some more contests in the future.

My two cents on her weight and height is that it sure as heck seems like she weighs a lot more than that. *shrug* I was downright shocked when I put her on the scale and that’s what it said, but there’s no arguing with a scale. It means she’s still 95th percentile for weight (only 75th for height) so it’s not like she’s small, she’s just lighter than I guessed. I suppose she just seems a lot heavier since I carry her in the Ergo so often. Go figure; apparently I am just bad at guessing these things.

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Dear Elanor,

Today you are nine months old! I am not sure what to write without it sounding trite or full of clichés about how wonderful you are or about how much I love you or about how much of a joy it is to be your mom or about how fast you’re growing. (All of those things are true, though.)

Eight month picture, September 14

You are getting bigger all the time and are continuing to develop into a fun, hilarious, curious, good-natured child. That said, Papa and I are starting to get glimpses of how strong-willed you are. If we’re doing something you don’t like (usually involving holding you in our arms and trying to get you to go to sleep), you protest vehemently with crying, grunting, and arching your back to try to make us let go of you and let you keep playing.

Playing, September 24

You are both crawling and standing up with ease. A few weeks ago, when Noni was here, you stood up in the bathtub, holding onto the side with your right hand. You then noticed that your rubber duckie was in your left hand. So, you let go of the edge of the tub, standing on your own and playing with your rubber duckie. Noni and I looked at one another in amazement and disbelief as we watched you stand on your own for at least 30 seconds before sitting back down on your bum.

Standing up, October 13

Since then, your pulling up skills have vastly improved, and you will now pull up on anything. You cruise around the living room, holding on to the edges of the furniture. We can’t leave you alone for a second anymore; that’s how long it takes for you to get into something you shouldn’t or to lose your balance and bonk your head.

Making malarkey, September 26

These days, your favorite toys appear to be mostly non-toys: our camera bag (best.toy.ever), Papa’s hairbrush, a plastic clothes hanger, your shoes, and a silky ribbon belt that came with a pair of your pants. I gave the belt to you to play with because I just could not fathom putting a belt on a baby. It appears to be a good decision, since you love it so much.

Nom-ing another favorite non-toy, Papa’s deodorant, October 12

You are eating a lot more table food. We recently got you a high chair and you enjoy sitting up at our level for meals. You have not rejected any food yet (including Kalamata olives, which was a huge surprise for us) and you enjoy eating all kinds of different things. You pick up the little bits of food with your thumb and forefinger and bring them to your mouth. If things are crunchy, your (now seven) teeth take care of it, while making a really cute crunching munching sound. You still love to nurse, though, and I’m so glad.

Eating peach cobbler, October 6

Every week you seem to babble more. You now say many, many different babbling sounds. While you don’t have any real words (other than Mama) you do seem to be putting the pieces together about how language works, varying your tone when you babble and listening to everything we say. You’ve begun to say Papapapa, and I believe you are starting to understand it means that big, hairy, bearded guy who likes to tickle and snuggle you. And it’s no surprise that you’ve figured out how to tell us you don’t want to do something, which is when you say Neenaynaynay.

Peering over the edge of the couch while starting to stand up, October 13

You also seem to understand some signs, especially the sign for more, which you seem to do by clapping your hands. This afternoon, you were sitting in your exersaucer and you clapped your hands. I looked over and asked you if you wanted more Veggie Booty (your favorite food, ever, hands down, no contest) and you got a huge smile on your face and clapped your hands together more, as if to say that I understood you. You now patty-cake, too, (which Noni taught you) on command and love to clap your hands even if you aren’t trying to say more.

In the Ergo, about to leave for community group, September 23

The best thing that’s happened in the last month is that I’m done with my job and I have been able to be home with you all day, which I love so much! We have a good time, going for walks, playing toys on the floor, or rolling around and laughing on the bed.

Being gorgeous, October 13

Waking up next to you and Papa every morning and seeing you smile at each of us in turn is a beautiful thing, and I look forward to it every single day. I know, I say this every time, but you are truly a joy and a pleasure to spend my time with and to parent. I love you, my girl!

Love,
Mama

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Dear Elanor,

Today you are seven months old. It seems sometimes like you are so much older than this; I often have to remind myself that you are just a little baby who doesn’t understand as much as I sometimes think you do.

At Carkeek Park, July 20

You seem to be continually ahead of the curve in terms of physical development, especially in getting teeth. You have four now – three on the bottom, one on the top – and two more top ones coming in. It’s been a rough week or so with that happening. I can tell that your top middle teeth have been the roughest so far. They are big and seem like they’ve really bothered you as they have been popping through. It’s strange now to see you smile and have your mouth be full of teeth. Gone are your gummy baby grin days!

In a big-girl car seat on the way home from Portland, July 27

Along with teeth has come biting. It’s not so fun. You don’t know any better – although we are trying to teach you not to bite – so we can’t get mad when you do bite us, but it hurts! Your little teeth are really sharp.

At the pool with Mema holding you, July 26

Your preferred form of transportation is now a combination of crawling and scooting. You can also pull yourself up to standing and do so with startling regularity and growing ease. It’s actually quite frightening. You are so quick to move across the room or the bed or around your changing table, especially when you have a motivation like trying to grab the cat. (You love the cat, by the way, and will dart across the bed just to try to catch her. You think it’s the best thing ever. Her? Not so much.)

Playing and snuggling with Papa and Miss Kitty, August 3

You also seem to really know what Mama means now. I love it. You’ll be across the room and see me and say, “Mamamamamama” and reach out your little arms for me. It is the most precious and heart-melting thing I’ve ever heard.

Having a bath in Aunt Amy and Uncle Seth’s sink, July 25

On that same note, you definitely know when someone other than me or Papa or Auntie Rachel is holding you, and there are lots of times when only one of us will do. Separation anxiety, they call it, which makes sense to me. Of course you’d be anxious at being separated from one of us; you are with one of the three of us 99% of the time so it’s probably weird and scary when suddenly none of us is right there.

Meeting baby Ezra at Leah & Kevin’s wedding, August 2

You now eat fruit regularly, especially peaches, nectarines, and banana. You love peaches and nectarines! Auntie Rachel had the brilliant idea the other day to slice one and then freeze the slices before putting them in your mesh teething feeder, giving you a cold treat that not only tastes good, but also feels good on your teeth. (The upside for us is that it doesn’t get sticky juice everywhere since the juice is frozen.)

Family picture at Leah & Kevin’s wedding, August 2

Your hair just continues to grow and grow. The hair on the top is thick and sort of strawberry blond, and the hair in the back is just very long and mullet-y. Or maybe rat-tail-y. Really, it’s like some insane combination of a mullet and a rat tail. I am not sure what we are going to do about it. Papa does NOT want it cut off; either he thinks it’s funny or he’s more emotionally attached to your hair than he lets on. (I’m guessing it’s a combination of both.) We’ll see what happens as the rest of your hair gets longer. We’ll have to even it out at some point.

A morning snuggle with Mama, August 8

You are still very chubby, that’s for sure, even though it seems to me that you’re evening out a little bit. Marci said the other night that it’s getting to where we can get occasional glimpses of what you’ll be like as a little girl. She’s totally right; every now and then I have this vision of you in six more months, a year, two years, which is both scary and wonderful at the same time.

Playing with Papa while watching the sunset at Sunset Hill Park, August 3

A few more milestones this month include going down to Portland again and swimming in the big pool at your Great-Grandpa Buz’s house (where we got to see not only lots of cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents, but also friends like Molly and Carter, Yvette and her kids, Carmen and Giles and Greta, and Becca), getting a new big-girl carseat, attending a wedding, and getting to see Miriam again. It’s been a busy month, but a fun one.

With Daisy and Miriam, August 8

You grow more amazing every day, Elanor, and I can’t wait to see what the next months will bring!

Love,
Mama

Today you are six months old — a whole half-year!

I was just looking back at the last monthly letter I wrote, and was confronted with a picture of you on our trip to Denver. You were so little, and despite how I thought you were so big, you were still such a little baby compared to the person you are today. I’m sure I’ll say the same in a couple of months when I look back at who you are now.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a letter for you for months four or five. I was not able to write them, because on the day before your four-month birthday, I underwent what I am sure you will one day realize was a very frightening experience.

That said, I am so, so, so glad to be here today writing about the past couple of months. I’m so glad I am here to see you grow up and change from a baby into a toddler into a girl and someday into a woman.

At Magnuson Park, July 11

So, to recap, the past couple of months have been pretty chaotic for us. You, however, have weathered the chaos extremely well. Your adaptability and good-naturedness has been such a blessing to us and to those who have helped us care for you — all of our family members, and many, many good friends. Especially during the first very difficult weeks, you were so good and amazing and really just rolled with the punches in a way most babies wouldn’t.

Getting kisses from Papa on Father’s Day

And now to the more immediate past and the present. Before all of this stuff with my health happened, I went back to work. It was a hard transition for us, but we were doing ok. With help — again — from our family and friends, we were making it work, even if Papa and I were tired and a little overwhelmed by everything.

But then my heart stopped, and we had to realign our priorities. Spending time with each other and with you became even more of a priority than it was before.

Showing off how well you can sit up — not to mention your amazing fat rolls — at Magnuson Park, July 11

Your Auntie Rachel came up just after your five-month birthday to take care of us and of you. You have been having a great time with her every morning while I’ve been back at work! She takes very good care of you and you love to be with her.

Within the past two months, you’ve had lots of fun firsts: you’ve rolled over, front to back and back to front, you’ve gotten two teeth (one on June 10 and one that popped through this past week, both on the bottom), you can sit up unsupported, you’ve learned how to inchworm yourself forward (but not quite crawl, although you are so close), and you can stand up if we help you balance.

Standing up with some help from Kim, July 6

You enjoy playing in your exersaucer for quite a while. You like the orange lion because he’s squishy and nice to chew on, and you like the little flippy book part with the pictures of monkeys and lions and such.

Looking adorable in your exersaucer, June 20

When you’ve had enough of your exersaucer, you’ll now look at us and do what Noni calls uppy — you put your arms up in the air and look at us pleadingly and make little whimpering sounds, which is your way of asking us to pick you up and snuggle you.

Another important thing we’ve done lately is introduce solid — well, ok, mushy — food. You liked cereal ok, you loved bananas. Avocadoes, though, were more fun to squish than to eat. I am excited to continue offering you new things. Despite all of the new foods, you still love to nurse and I am in no rush to stop doing that. It is so good for you health-wise, it calms you in a way nothing else will, and it’s such a lovely connection that we have. I’m so very thankful that we are still nursing. It’s a minor miracle considering what I went through medically.

Avocado aftermath, July 3

Your hair is less mohawk-like these days. It sits down on top, unless it gets messed up by the wind or something. But it’s soooo long in the back. What we used to call your mullet has grown and is now your rat tail. I am not sure what we will do about it, whether we’ll let it grow or whether we’ll eventually cut it off to even things up.

Stuck under a chair after scooting yourself there, June 29

Sleeping is still not really in a schedule yet. You have a general pattern, though, and I am really ok with that. You continue to sleep really well if you are in the Ergo or sling, or if someone is lying down with you, although there are times when you will sleep by yourself if you are in the co-sleeper or on our bed. Honestly, though, even though 90% of your sleep is with one of us in bed with you or with you sitting on us, I don’t worry about it. It’s funny, though: if someone had told me that you’d be sleeping with us 100% of the time at six months, I wouldn’t have believed them. And I would have been even more incredulous if they told me that I’d love it. I guess this is just one of those things about parenting that wound up being totally different than I’d pictured it.

You still love to squeal and screech all the time. The sounds you make are starting to mimic our speech more, which is fun. You say lots of sounds like “Ma ma ma ma ma” and “Da da da da,” which is so fun to hear. However, although I was saying words at your age, you have not yet spoken any true words. I feel like that’s coming soon, though!

Enjoying your pool, June 28

The water is still one of your favorite places. Even though the water is usually freezing, you love to sit with Papa or me in your little plastic pool on our patio. We slather you in sunscreen and put your swimsuit on and you’ll splash and play until you’re shivering, but you don’t seem to care.

You also had your first media appearance this month! Papa competed in the North American Beard and Moustache Championship in Bremerton, winning second place for his moustache and beard. A photographer from Newsweek snapped a picture of the three of us while Papa was waiting for his turn to be judged on his beard. http://www.newsweek.com/id/145035 Pretty neat, not even six months old and already in the national media!

With Papa at the North American Beard and Moustache Championship, July 5

I’ve now said it every month, but I’ll say it again: you are amazing and you fill my heart with joy. You are happy, funny, adorable, beautiful, and good-natured. Papa and I love you so very much. I am beyond happy to be here on this Earth to take care of you and to see you grow.

Looking beautiful at Magnuson Park, July 11

Love,
Mama

Sometime later this week, I’ll be posting the exciting news I referenced in a couple of posts recently…it should be, well, exciting!

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Dear Elanor,

You are now three months old! We definitely cannot call you a newborn anymore; you are awake and alert and you love to interact constantly.

This month has seen big happenings, not only in your development, but also in where we’ve gone and, perhaps the biggest thing, my transition back to work.

We began the month with our trip to Denver. You were amazing on the airplane; I was so proud of you. Either you were sleeping or you were awake and happy; the fussy times were few and far between. Thankfully, we got a whole row to ourselves on both flights, which was a Godsend.

Spending time with Daisy and Miriam was a treat. Ten-month-old Miriam didn’t quite know what to make of you. When you’d cry, she’d whimper too and look up at Daisy with a worried look on her face. And when you were happy and sitting on the floor or in the bouncer chair, she’d scoot over and touch your face and head.

After our trip to Denver, we went straight to Portland, and then down to Roseburg. You were a good baby on this leg of the journey, too. You got to meet your second cousin Joey for the first time, which was fun.

You also got to expand your love of water by taking a swim in the hotel swimming pool. You loved it. Even though it was chilly and you were shaking by the end, you didn’t cry a bit, just stared around wide-eyed as Papa and I held you in the water.

After we got home, we just laid low for a couple of weeks, during which we celebrated Easter in style with an adorable outfit from Noni.

We then went to the beach with all of the ladies for the weekend — you and me, Mema, Noni, Auntie Amy and Auntie Rachel, Great-Grandma Dori, Great Aunt Lauren, Cousin Missy, and your second cousin Joey.

We had a great time!

You were highly underwhelmed by the ocean…

…and the carousel.

You loved bathing in the big tub, though.

We haven’t done much since our return from the beach. I wanted to savor the last few days of my maternity leave, so most of our time was spent snuggling, going on walks, or hanging out at Cafe Fiore — not exactly picture-worthy pursuits.

Going back to work has been hard for me, but it’s been wonderful to know you are being cared for by people who love you. I’m just holding out hope that someday I can be home with you more.

You’ve changed so much this month; I barely know how to begin. The biggest change is what I mentioned before: you are really not a newborn at all anymore. You are so alert and attentive when you are awake! You follow everything that is going on, and you love to be a part of the action.

You have gained so much weight. It shouldn’t be a surprise, since you love to eat and you’ve been ginormous since you were in my belly, but I was shocked when Papa put you on the scale at work the other day and it said you weighed 17.6 pounds. Oh, well. I’m certainly getting strong arms from carrying you around!

My favorite thing is watching you smile. You will grin when you see Papa or me (or anyone who smiles at you, really). You’ll also laugh when we are playing. It’s this little giggle and squeal and I cannot get enough of it.

I’ll sum up by listing some of your current likes, dislikes, and things like that.

Likes: sucking on your fingers, playing during a diaper change, baths, singing silly songs, nursing, watching movies with Papa (you talked and cooed throughout a Kurosawa movie the other afternoon), riding the bus, being snuggled in the Moby.

Dislikes: being hungry, being too hot, no one paying attention to you, eating from the bottle (sometimes), being in your carseat.

Favorite toy: Squeaky pink bunny and jingle Piglet are currently in the running for favorite toy status. You love pink bunny’s squeak, and your favorite part about Piglet is that his little snout is perfect for you to latch onto.

Favorite position to be held: You still love being on your stomach across an arm.

You are becoming more and more of a little person every day, and it is so fun to see. You are, for the most part, a very happy little girl. That said, you do know what you want and if you aren’t getting it, you let us know, usually loudly and with lots of crying. You’re just opinionated, I guess.

It’s funny; at first Papa and I didn’t want you to get big. We loved how little you were and wanted you to stay all new and tiny forever. Now, though, as we are beginning to see your personality develop, we can’t wait for you to get big! To talk with us, and color pictures, and go to the park…it’s going to be so much fun!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m sure: I love you, little girl. You make my life a thousand times brighter by being in it. I don’t care if you are smiling and laughing, screaming your head off, spitting up on me, or pooping everywhere. It’s all a complete joy.

Love,
Mama