21 month Bug

Happy 21 months and 1 day, dear Buggy!

 

The weather has been extremely weird and went from 90 degrees to 60 degrees.  So your parents are not insane for dressing you in boots, a sweater, and a hat (that you took off) in May.

Between last month and this month, your vocabulary has increased exponentially.  Some words you once pronounced properly have now become twisted. You've also been chatting away quite quickly (I wonder who you get that from?) and even Mommy can't follow your thoughts.  You have so many!  It's hard to choose what to respond to (if you even let us respond at all!).

With no little brother or sister in sight for awhile, you've been learning some life lessons from Lo Bear.  Spending time with her is teaching you a lot of lessons about sharing, love, and family.  We're not sure how many of those lessons have stuck, but we're working on it. Thanks to Barney, you've realized that your family goes way beyond Mommy and Daddy, and that you should love Lo too, no matter how much you hate when she loves on you too much, pulls your hair, or wants to follow you around.  Trust me, later you'll love having her around.  You just don't realize it yet.  We know one day you'll be nice to her.  Maybe when she starts walking.  :)  For now, please share Ninang and Ninong with Lo.  They are her parents.  Maybe do something productive like teach her to walk or hold a crayon or something.  Being her older cousin, you will be teaching her a lot of things in life.  Maybe you should start now.  :)  

(You and Lo with Tita Julia.  You must share her with Lo as well.)

Aside from your siblings, cousins are the first friends you will have and that is something very special.  And when you're older and you can't live without your cousin, we have a thousand photos to remind you of how you sat on her, pushed her, and took all her toys away from her and she still loved you unconditionally and thought the world of you.  (Do you feel that?  Yeah, that's a guilt trip.)  

 You are currently transitioning from your baby room at school to the toddler room because you are actually no longer a baby.  Wah!  You spend at least half your day in the toddler room, learning the ins and outs of being in a real classroom setting- where all the kids are on the same schedule.  According to the teachers, you've had no problem adjusting, no fussing, and you actually like being in there.  Of course you would.  Any excuse to meet new people, right?  

Mommy will admit that when she picked you up from school last week and you were still in the toddler classroom, she snuck in to see what you were up to and how you were doing and she broke down in tears at the sight of her Buggy, sitting silent and still, paying close attention to the teacher at the front of the room, and practicing responding as a class.  What a big girl you've grown into in just 21 months!  Mommy is so used to you being the big kid in your classroom, telling everyone what to do that it was hard seeing you as the newcomer, youngest, and quiet in a new classroom.  In case you didn't know, your mother may overreact now and then.  So get used to it.  Her heart just aches seeing her baby girl grow up.  Learning is a great thing and we are so happy you love to learn!  

According to your teachers you have an amazing memory.  We agree!  You are so good at finding the last place you put your toys (even if it was days ago)!  You've also shared with Mommy and Daddy your first memories like:

• "I touch-ED the wad-ER [water] wid [with] my peet [feet]."  (Recalling your memory of our family vacation and trip to Carlsbad Beach.)
• "Hi-ah, Mommy!  I push-ED Ar-low [Harlowe]."  (We're not particularly fond of this memory, but kudos to you for telling the truth and for remembering!) 
• "Grac-i-as, oh, uh Mommy/Daddy."  (Recalling how the housekeeper at the condo on our family vacation said 'thank you' to you.  We are very proud that you can use it correctly too, after Daddy buckles you up in the car seat and when Mommy gives you milk.) 

Amidst all this learning going on, are some very abrupt, loud (and strange) tantrums.  Mommy and Daddy are learning very quickly to not entertain most of your tantrums and that sometimes, you just need a little TLC to calm you down.  Why, the other day, you threw a huge fit and broke down on the kitchen floor after you asked Mommy for some water in a specific cup and she actually gave you the water in that said cup.  How dare she actually do what you asked?!?!  That tantrum was abrupt, loud and strange all at the same time.  Mommy quickly put the sippy cup on the floor next to you, walked out of the kitchen, let you have your 5 second tantrum, let you get up and take the cup of water with you to your chair in the living room, as you all of a sudden happily said, "Grac-i-as, oh, uh Mommy!" with a huge smile on your face.  WOW.   
 

You are growing increasingly more possessive of Daddy, never allowing Mommy and Daddy to hold hands and always coming between us when we hug.  We get it- you love Daddy, but Mommy does too.  So please share.  He has love enough for both of us.  Mommy now sees that her biggest competition in life when it comes to Daddy, is you.  :)  You and Daddy are two of a kind- attached at the hip (even if he's asleep on the floor) and although sometimes Mommy can feel left out, she does love that you have a special bond with your Daddy that is shared only between the two of you- tinkering away at things, learning how to use tools (Yes, Daddy is secretly teaching you all about tools when Mommy is not around), and reading books only Daddy can read to you.  That is a blessing.  

Mommy will see you when you learn that shopping and pedicures are actually more fun than tinkering with toys and tools.  Although, with your inquisitive mind, I'm not sure that day will ever arrive.  For now, I'm happy watching you love on your Daddy and sometimes even taking the time to joke around and maybe mess with him when he falls asleep on you while watching Barney.

 You sure do know how to make life exciting, Buggy.  We are slowly approaching 2 years and are amazed by how many new things you learn and share with us each day.  You are loved more now than you ever were and that love continues to grow each day.  We love you, girly.

Love, 

Daddy and Mommy  

(Please stop calling us "Honey, babe, Wyatt, Meow, Kat,  or Kat-lin."  We're your parents.  Mommy and Daddy will do just fine, thank you.)