Dear Autumn

Dear Autumn @ 23 Months

October 30, 2015

October 2015

Dear Autumn,

Your curiosity and imagination is incredible. It’s fun to watch you pretend something, like cooking with the chalk from the chalkboard. Umm… yummy!! Or how you like to draw while laying on your stomach kicking your legs around.

Maybe we are bias as your parents, but Daddy and I can’t get over how smart you are. You are learning so much in English and Spanish, which we love. You know 1-10 in both English and Spanish. You resist saying the ABC’s, but talk so much. You give strong commands, ask questions, and give pretty clear responses to simple questions. My favorite thing that you are now doing is calling ‘Kemper’ by name vs just calling him ‘Puppy’. You scold him plenty, but give so much more love. Oh that poor dog gets squished by you flopping on him for hugs!

I know you are pretty young to potty train but you are quite funny that every time I tell you that you have to ”pee-pee on the potty’ or to ‘go poop on the potty’ you just look at me and say ‘No.’ HA! At least you have your position on that!

Your love for Mickey and Minnie is deep and true. I love how you are so eager to watching Mickey in the morning. We don’t have the TV on at night so you have to get your Mickey Mouse Clubhouse fix in the morning before we flip on the Today Show at 7am. Sometimes you get really frustrated about not getting to watching it over and over and over again. Truthfully, it’s tiring to watching 2-3 episodes of Mickey when you get up extra early on the days when you aren’t feeling well (why 4.30am?!?!?!) but watching you watching it while cuddled up under your blanket Aunt Tish made you with Owl makes hearing ‘Hey Toodles!’ over and over again all worth it. Plus, it melts my heart when you respond to their questions on the show. Adorable!

Unfortunately, your 23rd month started off with you battling a nasty cough. You ended up having to get on Prednisone, to help clear up some wheezing. Thankfully that worked so you just needed to get another inhaler to help you get through the sick winter months. I’m hoping that you stay healthy and happy this winter so we can wean you off your inhalers.

I’m looking forward to Halloween this month! You will be the cutest Minnie ever!

I can’t believe that you are almost 2! Oh it feels like just yesterday that you were born!! It just has gone by too fast! Sobs!!!

Love,

Mommy

Dear Autumn @ 22 Months

September 26, 2015

September, 2015

Dear Autumn,

You are such a smarty pants know it all. But all toddlers are!

You are so opinionated and I loved it so much. I love how you are finding your voice to indicate what you want. It can be something simple from which shoes you want to wear to something more frantic, like your immediately need to go outside with shouts of “SIDE!!!!” while dragging me to the door by a finger.

The amount of talking you do is incredible. I love that you parrot us all the time. I know once day that will back fire when you say something when we slip up, but right now it’s so precious how you mimic us. The thing that just makes us melt is when you say ‘tank you mommy’ and ‘tank you daddy’. It’s so sweet.

I swear you never stop moving. You are always buzzing with activity around the house or outside. I’m afraid that you are going to be so sad trapped inside the house this winter since you can’t get enough of being outside. You had a blast when we went apple picking arleady. I’m sure you won’t mind going again this season since mom can’t get enough of apples this year. Gotta live it up before we move to Florida!

When we were on The Cape for vacation you had so much attention for your cousins that you loved. You slept so, so horribly some times, but it was still a wonderful vacation as we were together as a big family and you got to play with everyone in the pool and at the beach. So much fun!

One morning we put Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on while we were on The Cape and since then you have been HOOKED. You asked for Mickey even before we get home from daycare so always have to explain to you that Mickey and the TV are resting as we don’t watch TV at night before you go to bed. But you get an episode of Mickey every morning while you have you morning ‘leche’. My favorite part is that you reply to the characters when they ask questions. LOVE IT!!

The hardest part about the time passing is that time is passing. It’s hard that it is speeding by so quickly. I think back to what we were doing last year, or even 6 months ago, and it’s insane how much bigger you are, how much more curious you are, how much more independent you are. I love your independence, but it it hurts some days when you don’t need the help. But at the same time you’re becoming more affectionate, so that’s a win!

Now, please let us brush your hair without fighting us! It’s looking crazy some days!! ha!!

I Love you!

Love,

Mommy

Dear Autumn @ 21 months

August 22, 2015

August 2015

Dear Autumn,

Just when I think every month is the best, you prove me wrong. This past month has been amazing.

The thing that I most interesting and amusing is how quickly you are picking up different words. You are a little parrot! Mommy is going to have to cut out the swearing ASAP! You repeat everything that we say to you, so you are learning new words so quickly. The best is that you are learning in English and Spanish. It’s tough when we don’t understand what you say in Spanish, but we usually figure it out together! I love how you try to put little sentences together, well 2-word ones, but still so awesome. “Open it!” “Close it!” “It’s Broken” “mass (yo)gurt!” “Please mass!” But I swear the best is “Tank you Mommy!” I die!

You are fiercly independent about somethings, like picking out the shoes you want to wear. Oh dear, you love shoes so much. It’s a bit of a struggle when we are shopping as you bee-line it to the first rack of shoes you see and you start to try on shoes. One time you sat in front of a rack of infant boys shoes. It was quite funny to watch you try to get your feet into newborn slippers. But, I can’t dare trying to help, unless you ask for it, otherwise you have big mellow dramatic tantrums. Yikes!

I love when I get you from daycare as you are so excited to see me, head home, and see Kemper. You say goodbye to all your friends, grab my hand, and we begin out walk down the hill to get to our house. I love the way your little, sweet voice when you say “hi, mommy!”.

It’s been a busy, fun month, but I think all of them when it comes down to it. At least we try our hardest to stick to your nap and bed time schedule, which keeps you in a happy mood. I am dreading when you ditch your morning nap, and just do an afternoon one. I feel that will happen sooner than we would like. Slow down!!

We have a lot planned for this next month! I can’t wait!!

I love you!

Love,

Mommy

Dear Autumn @ 20 Months

July 21, 2015

July 2015

Dear Autumn,

Oh what a month!! It has certainly had it’s up’s and down’s. Thankfully, more great and wonderful moments than he crummy ones.

The month started off poorly for you with your double ear infection. My poor babe! Your high fever just beat you down. It was so rough to see you so sad and miserable. At least you were cuddly to me. You’re so guarded with your affection, like me, that I’ll take what I can get!

And, now, it’s ended on a rough note for us as you have basically taken so many steps back in that you have been protesting going to bed recently. It makes you grumpy, sad, and frustrated, which makes us grumpy, sad, and frustrated. I’m hoping

So while there have been a few rough patches this past month, there have been such wonderful things too!

We went to Maine for a long Fourth of July weekend. It was a blast and you just loved it. We made a point of it to spend as much time as possible outside as you loved it so much. You played in the dirt and tried toddler golf in the yard with Daddy.

Your lanuage skills have really taken off! It always amazes us at how much you are grasping in what we are saying and how you communicate back to us. You are learning English and Spanish beautifully. Generally, you speak in English with us but you have your favorite Spanish words for things, like ‘Milk’ is ‘Leche’ and ‘Tomato’ is ‘Tomate’, which you call ‘mate’. I can’t wait for you to keep learning more and more!

Lastly, you went pee-pee on the potty. OMG! I just about exploded with excitement when you did it for the first time. I think I spooked you but it was worth it. In the week since then, you have done it a few more times. It makes us to proud that you are getting the concept of going on your little princess potty so quickly. We think that you’ll just keep getting better and better about notifying us before you need to go, rather than afterwards, to keep progressing forward with it. yay!!!

It’s the summer, so we’re enjoying the nice weather, so our evenings are filled with walks with Kemper and the weekends are filled with play time in the kiddie pool. It’s the best time of the year and I’m loving enjoying it with you!

I’m looking forward to the next month to continue to watch you grow, learn, and just be so super silly.

I love you so much!

Love,

Mommy

Dear Autumn @ 18 months

May 21, 2015

May 2015

Dear Autumn,

It’s always amazing to me how much you develop every month. The big thing this month was how much better you have gotten at walking and talking.

You are walking more than crawling. In fact crawling is getting rarer every day. I swear you will be running soon. Well, you try, but it’s pretty wobbly and you fall. There are times when a slip is quite a dramatic event and there are other times when I think you will wail and you just pop right back up again.

You are talking up a storm now, and it’s just the beginning! Of course you say “Dada” and “Mama” to demand our attention, but there is so much more! You can say “Hola” and “Owl” really clearly. I love it. Water is “WaWa”. “Banana” and “Down” are really clear too. You’ve yelled at Kemper to “Stop”. But I think your favorite word is “MINE!” Oh dear, everything is yours, apparently. ha! And you think every dog is “Max” from your teacher’s dog’s name. So every time you hear a dog on our walk you yell “Max!” So cute!

Now that the weather is nice again, we have been taking daily walks. We either go right after I get you from daycare or after dinner. You help by pulling the hiking back carrier when I tell you to “Get the Backpack!”. We gear up and go on a walk with Kemper. You love to touch the trees and bushes as we walk by them. I tickle your legs and you try to tickle me back by hitting my arms and side.

We celebrated my 2nd Mother’s Day by going to the Make Way for Ducklings Parade in Boston. I really wanted to go last year but we kept it low key as juggling everything with trying to get you to nap and my pumping schedule felt too overwhelming to enjoy the day. And it was for the better as we really enjoyed the day and the parade. There were activities that you enjoyed playing it and you did a good job marching along the route in your cute little yellow tutu. Oh that tutu is the best! I am so thankful we had such a wonderful day together.

One of my favorite little moments this month was when I got you to give me some deep belly laughs all because of a balloon! We had been shopping at the dollar store and you were getting bored so I tied 2 balloons on your wrist. You just thought they were so cool!! When we were back home I took one and pretended it was wildly blowing away in the house. I hung on to it for dear life and ran around the house going “whoa!!”. You thought it was hilarious. So awesome.

This upcoming month is really special!! Mommy and Daddy are getting married!!! You have the cutest yellow dress that I can’t wait to see you wear. And, thankfully, your hair is long enough for little pig tails. I have been looking forward to this day for along time. I can’t wait for all of us to celebrate such a wonderful family occasion.

Love,

Mommy

Dear Autumn @ 17 Months

April 23, 2015

April 2015

Dear Autumn,

I love that you are happiest when you are outside. You point for your coat or vest so we will put it on you and then you walk over to the door, grasp the handle and fight the lock to get out. You pitch quite the fit when you can’t go outside. But it’s so nice to see you happy when sitting on the back porch, walking along the pathway, or in the backpack while I walk the dog.

You’ve always enjoyed being outside but the love for it has intensified when the weather got nicer and you started walking. I think you love being outside, but also love the independence.

At the last Dr’s appointment you were not yet walking, which worried him a bit because of your ‘advanced age’. But we knew you fine, you just wanted to be sure of yourself before letting go of us. Once you became more confident you would take a few steps from the sofa to get a toy, but that quickly progress and now you breeze by us in the house. You are still nervous of falling outside though. I don’t mind, I love that you grasp my finger with such might. I hope you will never stop.

At least the Dr was pleased in your steady weight gain. You still have skinny chicken legs that I love to gobble up. You still have days in which you are really picky about eating, or just not hungry, but for the most part you eat really well. You love stealing my food, especially my guacamole.

You understand both English and Spanish and try to communicate in both languages the best you can. We are so happy that you are learning so much so quickly. It’s amazing when you grasp a new thing, like an animal noise or body part, with ease. My favorite is when we go on our walks and I ask you what noises the different animals make and you mimic my “ooh ohh ahh ahh” for the monkey with “aah ahh oooohhh”. The best!

Some of the best moments are when you walk up to me and grab my leg when I’m cooking and you give it a big squeeze while you rest your head on my thigh. You are the best cuddlier when you are in the rare mood to stay still. But for the most part you are on the go and will walk over with your arms stretched out wide, lean your body and head against me for a beat before pulling away to give me a smile as you go on to get a toy or love (pester) the dog.

I can’t wait to enjoy this next month with you. We have my 2nd mother’s day to celebrate and I am looking to all of us going to the Make Way For Ducklings Parade for it. The weather should be getting nicer and nicer, so hopefully we will spend plenty of time outside. And I’m sure that you’ll love doing more and more craft projects like coloring and painting. Our fridge and my desk will be plastered with your creations soon enough!

I love you so much!

Love,

Mommy

Dear Autumn @ 16 months

March 20, 2015

Dear Autumn,

It’s Thursday night and I am currently on a flight to Seattle to visit Aunt Emily. You are staying with Daddy and visiting G-ma, Uncle Chase, Aunt Heather, and your cousins. I am missing you already. This will be the longest that we have been apart. I know you are in excellent hands as your Dad is downright amazing, but it was hard for me to say good bye. I already can’t wait to see you Tuesday morning when you wake up with your wild bed head. Oh, that hair is out of control!

You are such a happy, smiley sweetheart. You have your moments when you get really frustrated at us but for the most part you are a happy girl who likes to be involved with things. While it can often be hard to juggle, you like to be in the kitchen with me. Your favorite activity is to crack eggs, so you really like it when I make quiche. You quickly whack your way through a dozen eggs. At the end you give me a big smile as you are proud of your completed task.

We are making slow progress on you walking, but I’ll take it. I basically bribe you to stand and take a few steps with stickers. You love your stickers! I have been finding them on my clothes and around the house recently. Seeing them on the sink when I brush my teeth at night just makes for a happy reminder of the great day you had.

You are working hard on communicating with us. You are taking to say names of classmates at daycare and you are a parrot trying to repeat after me when I say something. Your teacher gives us updates on how you can say ‘dos’ and ‘tres’. But you really let everyone know you can (loudly) say ‘Hola’. The newest thing is that you say ‘Ow!’ to just about everything from Kemper knocking into you to us giving you a hug. Everything is ‘Ow!!!’ Thankfully, you just as enthusiastically say ‘Yay!’ and ‘Wow!’

We struggled to find a milk that wouldn’t upset your stomach or your bum for a bit. Cow’s milk upset your stomach so we moved on to Almond milk. Things were going well for about a week until you developed such a horrible, horrible diaper rash. I felt so bad for you. It broke my heart all over again at every diaper change. We moved on to a combination of goats milk and coconut milk. Thankfully things have been going well with that. Even if you make us broke with that $18 a gallon goats milk! But we’ll get anything for you!

Your personality is shining so brightly now. You test your limits by playing around with us, even biting us to get a rise out of us. Thankfully, you don’t do that often! You are adventurous, but cautious as you are timid to walk yet. I love to hear your ramblings in the mornings when you wake up. I know that in the coming months your ramblings will be more and more developed. So much fun.

I love each and every day with you my Autumn.

Love,

Mommy

Dear Autumn @ 15 months

February 27, 2015

February 2015

Dear Autumn-

Oh, what a month!!!

In the time from when you turned 14 months old to 15 months old you went on a cruise that brought us to Grand Cayman, Mexico, and Belize, took a flight, and had plenty of days home with us for the record snow fall that pounded Boston.

The cruise was amazing and tough at the same time. You did a good job of adjusting to the day to day stuff but the nights were rough for you. Well, for us too! You would wake repeatedly throughout the night so we would snuggle with you then and rush around to warm up a bottle or take early morning walks around the boat. But no worries, you made friends with just about everyone as you smiled and waved at everyone. The days at the beach were the best with you. It was so wonderful to see you enjoy the sun and sand so much. There was a photo Dad took of us in Grand Cayman that melts my heart. It was nap time so you snuggled on me in the beach chair and we took a nap together while a towel was drapped over us protecting you from the sun. It’s one of my favorite photos of us.

And then we came back to the harsh realities of a New England winter. Starting just after we got back, there was a storm every few days that just dumped snow on us. We even had a blizzard, maybe 2, I’m not sure about one of them. But it was great and hard on all of us. Poor Daddy was outside so much of the time shoveling and snow blowing the driveway, walkway, and sidewalk in front of the house. You have figured out how to climb up on the arm of the sofa to peer out the window to wave at Daddy. Love it! I missed so much work between office closures, daycare closures, getting in late so it was a constant game of catch up. But I really did enjoy our snow days together. It really made me enjoy our time together as we watched cartoons, baked banana bread, dancing around, and snuggled.

You went with dad to see the nutritionist and they think you are happy and healthy, but would like to see you gain more weight. We have had to up your calories so they suggested more cheese, peanut butter, and cream for you. What a delicious prescription! We are all quite jealous of your Dr’s orders to eat more Mac and Cheese.

You have not yet started to walk but are getting so much more comfortable walking around holding on to just one hand. I can see your balance improving bit by bit. You are just starting to stand for a few seconds on your own before plopping down on your butt. It’s quite exciting if you make it to when I count to 5!

One day we walked around the grocery store ‘roaring’ at each other. I’d ask what the Lion says you would roar right along with me. It was hilarious and quite sweet.

Talking is starting to come along too with you just starting to say ‘red’ and ‘blue’, although it sounds like ‘rah’ and ‘blah’ you definitely know the difference when I hold it up.

Now more than ever I have been giving you the chance to pick out your own clothes. I give you 3 options for tops and 3 options for bottoms and we put on what you pick. Some days the combination is questionable and other days it’s quite fashionable. I’m pretty sure that there are days that I should let you pick out my outfits.

The biggest thing I want to remember about you at this age is how you are starting to become much more affectionate.

You are an amazing little thing. A strong little girl who is happy, clever, and just down right beautiful. We love every bit of you.

Love,

Mom

Dear Autumn @ 14 months

January 29, 2015

January 2014

Dear Autumn-

You are the best Loverbugs of all the Loverbugs there ever were.

Yep, you currently have 4 nicknames… Chicken, Chicken Nugget, Doops, and Loverbug. But hey that could change in a month and you might have 6. They just work.

You so want to walk and want the independence but need our help still so you are dependent on grasping onto our fingers for support. I guess that will be like anything in life until you learn how to do it. But the most important part is that we will always be here to catch you when you fall.

Your love for Owl is the best. You greet him (let’s say it’s a him) with the fiercest hugs and squeezes every night. Most often, you grip owl with yout right arm and then tuck him under your body as your brace pops your teeny tiny tushy up in the air as you plop on your stomach when we put you in your crib at night. And in the morning we tuck him in under a blanket to be cozy all day before we head downstairs. Your affection for him is the best.

You are so kind to Owl but rather rough to Kemper. That dog loves you so much so he puts up with your wacks without so much as a blink. He will just get up when he has had enough of you poking or pulling on him. But, please do try to tone down the hitting of him in the face because being ‘gentle!!!!!’ is the nicest.

You are still so very tiny but full of might. You let us know when you are having a blast with something or quite aggravated by your loud squeals of delight or yells of frustration. I see my short temper in you so at least I can relate quite well when you are struggling to figure something out or fit something in somewhere. Don’t worry, you’ll get it. Or at least break it. Ha!

We will be switching you to milk this upcoming month. I’m proud that I’ve pumped for you all this time but I feel that I need my body back soon. I’ve done my best to provide for you all this time and I think it has worked out well. My initial goal was for a year so I’m happy to have extended past that to bring you to about 15 months.

There will always been changes that we will figure out as we go along, just remember that this is all new to us too and that we love you. Now will you still hitting Kemper in the face. I’m serious!

Love,

Mommy

PS. You were NOT happy to take this month’s photos. ha!!

Dear Autumn @ 13 months

December 23, 2014

December 2014

Dear Autumn,

Oh, my cutie little vampire. I just love your toothy smile. It melts my heart.

You are growing up so quickly right before our very eyes. We still get so amazed with how quickly you pick up on something new. You are trying to talk more and more. You answer ‘yeah’ to most things. It’s ‘yeah, yeah yeah’ all day long. Unless you don’t want something because you most definitely let us know with some vigorous head shaking. It’s cute but won’t you please eat your dinner! Please!! At least you try to say ‘gracias’ when you get something. You politely say ‘gras-as’ and it’s incredibility cute.

You’re still so tiny, so you have to go to the nutritionist to get things checked out next month but we aren’t worried as you are a great eater. You are just tiny and active. You just burn off all that cheese you eat!

The newest thing that you are trying is standing up on your own. You only attempt it when on the sofa so that it’s a soft fall. Sometimes you fall forward and bounce your face on the cushion and crack up. And when you fall back on your bum you quickly pull yourself back up to try again. Over and over again you try. I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it soon enough and be brave enough to take on the challenge on the harder floor.

Some of my favorite times with you is when you just get out of the bathtub. You love to be dried off with the blow drier so I use that on you. But the best part is that you cuddle up on my lap and lean on me as are getting dried off. I love how you relax against me after a busy bath of splashing around.

Similarly, I love when I hold you before bed in the glider and take in your sweet baby shampoo smell. I savor that time as I get to gently sneak in kisses all over your head and forehead as you cuddle with your owl.

In just a few days we get to celebrate your second Christmas. You’re first Christmas was a blurr when you were just 6 weeks old. Now you will really get to enjoy it as we have some great presents for you to open. It will be so much fun to watch you rip into the wrapping paper. I just can’t wait!!

Every day is new with you. I can’t wait for each new day and new thing you learn and do.

I love you.

Love,

Mom

Dear Autumn @ 12 months

November 19, 2014

November 2014

Dear Autumn-

As every month, nay, as every day passes I am constantly pinching myself that you have been brightening up our lives for how ever long it has been at that point.

We couldn’t believe that you were arriving a week earlier than scheduled. Oh, sure, we always knew they could have moved up my C-section or even that I would go into labor before the 25th, but we had that day circled so that’s what it was going to be! Wrong!

So there I sat dumbfounded saying ‘sure… today works…’ when my doctor told me that they wanted to move things up a week. But, maybe, I couldn’t fit in that day? The hospital would call me later to let me know if you were arriving that night or the morning of the 19th. La-la-la. So I headed back to work to just wait for the hospital to call. I didn’t want to miss out on working that day as I wanted to eek out every bit of maternity leave that I could. So there I am packing up my desk and tying up loose ends when the hospital called at lunch time to ask if I could be there in an hour. Umm, no! Well, there had been a misunderstanding as to who was calling me when related to fitting me in. Whoops.

Anyway, I run out of work (forgetting my coat!) and meet your Dad at the train to get a cab ride home. We threw stuff in a bag – see so unprepared. And left as fast as we could to arrive at the hospital. Surprisingly, we did make good time considering how crazy things had just been.

Thankfully, we breezed through the hospital check-in and head up to the delivery floor to start the process of getting paperwork filled out, IV’s in, getting undressed and in a gown. Oh, Dad had to get dressed up in scrubs too! Before we knew it they were ready for me to head to surgery. Oh boy!

It was scary to head into surgery on my own but I had to get all prepped before Dad could come in. In the end, it didn’t take to long (or so it seemed) to get my spinal and get all set up before he was right by my side. As things were about to begin I told him to talk to me so that I would be distracted from the surgery, like anything really could really distract me, but I just wanted something to kinda take my mind off the rapid firing that my brain was doing as I was trying to listen to your first cry.

And there it was at 4.59pm.

I felt the biggest relief to hear that. The most beautiful sound in the world.

And yet, I was still so utterly nervous. Not because you were born, that was amazing. But because of your omphalocele. The team of doctors that were waiting your arrival checked you out and basically said that it was no big deal. What?!?! That was such wonderful news. It was so hard to believe still. We had been prepped that there there was a chance that we wouldn’t get to hold you for a few days if the omphalocele was complex. But there you were, all wrapped up, getting handed over to us while they completely my surgery. I was so petrified to touch you, but it was the best feeling ever at the same time.

That feeling has never left. I’m usually afriad I’m screwing up along the way but seeing you grow and learn along the way really is the best feeling ever. You are beautiful but you are smart, funny, and charming. You are a flirt, waving to everyone at the grocery store. You love the attention. You are such a happy baby. And a fearless one. Half the stuff you try to climb over makes me so nervous. I know that once you are walking you will be off running. Until then you are a lightening fast crawler. I think you get all the engery from all the different foods you happily eat. At least you do a good job of burning it off since you are still so ‘danty’!

The past year has been amazing. I know that next year, and all the ones to follow, are going to be wonderful. You are such a lovely little girl. Our Bean. Our Autumn. Our Little Chicken. Our Doops. We love you so very much.

Love,

Mom

Dear Autumn @ 11 months

October 21, 2014

October 2014

Dear Autumn-

Just last week you knocked our socks off by saying ‘yum’ when Dad offered you a piece of apple and then you stood all by yourself for a split second. It was such a mind blowing night. The enthusiastic ‘yum’ was just adorable but you really shocked us when you randomly let go of your grip on Dad. There was a lot of us going “did you just see that? She stood right? I can’t believe it. It was for a split second! She stood right?!?” So much fun.

You are super happy but super clingy now. Some days I don’t think I will get anything done as you are always crawling after me, climbing up me, or just being held. I’m reminding myself how these days are fleeting and to just relax and accept the slower pace of doing laundry, cleaning, or making dinner. It’s all worth it.

Understandably, you were really clingy during a recent cold. In fact you ended up with your first ear infection. So minor that you didn’t need any medication but still sad when we saw you pulling on your ears.

Our tiny Chicken is just as fast as can be. You crawl so fast that we need to be extra careful with closing and securing the baby gates. I stood right behind you as I let you crawl up the stairs and you made it up 3 steps with ease. Trouble! I know that once you are walking you will be record fast as you have such fine motor skills.

We visited Raleigh this past month to see if we could see ourselves living there. It was fun to imagine you running around some of the yards we saw. Oh man, I want us to have space for you to run & play. You did a great job on the flight down but we’re royally annoyed that you had to stay on our laps during the flight back. Such a rough flight! Let’s just hope you do better on our upcoming trip to Miami this weekend. You gotta see the world babe!

The way you laugh when you try to throw your cup full of water out of the tub is the best, even if the mess isnt. You sweet face looking up at us while you take a bottle is the best. And you puffy little cheeks and delicate lips set in stone while you sleep on me is the best.

We love you tons!

Love,

Mom