Twinks Gets Fit...

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

10 month letter

Cause I've seen the rainbows that can take your breath away
the beauty of the setting sun that ends a perfect day
and when it comes to shooting stars, I've seen a few
but I've never seen anything...as beautiful as you
~"Beautiful" performed by Jim Brickman, featuring Wayne Brady

Dear Little,

10 months old. Seriously, how is this possible, Kiddo? We certainly have packed a lot into that time so it makes sense I suppose, but I can never have enough time with you. It goes by too fast. Stages never last long enough. Our Little isn’t so little anymore. It's hard to believe you're the same little cooing newborn with the beautiful copper highlights. Don’t mind me while I whimper about my baby growing up—it’s what you’re supposed to be doing and I am so very proud of every new thing you accomplish, every new discovery you make, and how you wrap everyone around your itty bitty finger within seconds of meeting you. Case and point—there was an old Italian lady who just couldn’t get enough of you while we were out Christmas shopping. She even gently pinched your cheeks and blessed you in Italian. You just have such a happy, positive, wonderful energy that draws people to you.

The nickname “Tiny Dancer” describes you pretty well right now (although I think I’ll stick with “Little”)…you love to dance. It’s hilarious and adorable. We haven’t been able to pick out your favorite type of music because you’ll move and groove to everything from the alphabet song on your Leapfrog activity table (which you will play without exaggeration 30 times in a row) to Lebanese music at Nada’s house. Actually, Nada was cracking up about how you like all the beats in the music—if she puts it on for an hour, you’ll dance for an hour straight. (No wonder you’ve been passed out when I pick you up!) Sometimes you’ll just be sitting on the floor and start swaying, but when you’re standing, you get a little more daring with your moves.

You continue to be a daredevil. You also have attitude, young lady. You’re also very smart. This triple threat combo keeps us on our toes and I can only imagine how your personality will continue to develop. It’ll be fun, that’s for sure. I can see the mischief in your eyes and that huge smile of yours. I love it. I love what a happy baby you are and that you have such a big personality already. Remember: “Well-behaved women rarely make history,” however, they do listen to their mommies telling them to stop pulling their hair. Okay, I added that last part.

Predictably, we went overboard for Christmas. For future Christmases and birthdays, we’ll teach you about giving and appreciating everything you have, but this year, we just basically established a mini ToysRUs in our house. Your favorite toy, though you visit them all, is your rocking pony from the pups. "I'm a little pony. Clippity clop, clippity clop. Such a pretty pony. Clippity clop, clippity clop." I'll probably still have that song stuck in my head when you're 10.

Christmas was mellow and low-key, which I love. It was wonderful to snuggle you in your pjs and help you open your presents, smell your hair while you investigated new toys, give you lots of kisses and hugs. You did so well, even with all the new things going on, and took both of your naps--smack dab in the middle of the living room I should add, like the centerpiece of the day, which you were. I can only imagine next Christmas with you understanding a little more about what's going on, having you helping make Christmas cookies, making crafts and art, maybe visiting the snow, leaving milk and cookies out for Santa. It'll be fun, sweetie. That's for certain.

Now a little more about what you're up to...

You don’t really have any interest in TV or movies, except sometimes during hockey games when you’ll want to see what we’re looking at. I’ll also put on Disney and other kiddo movies to have as background when we’re playing, mainly to keep Momma entertained when you’ve decided you would rather play by yourself. One day I put on Sleeping Beauty. You couldn’t care less about the movie until Maleficent came on in all her noisy, scary glory. You were standing at the toy basket, turned to stare at her, frowning, and started whispering things like “Ush-eck-mon, I-key-shoo” (I improvise), which I believe translates to: “Oh, I don’t like her. at. all.”

You seem to just like to play and explore, but you definitely have an opinion about when you want us to join you or not. I mentioned before that you love the alphabet song on your Leapfrog table. Oh and also that you have attitude. Well, I really don’t mind noisy toys at all and one morning I was lip-syncing to the alphabet song and generally being goofy, which you found very entertaining. Then you played the song again. And again. And again. After the 5th or 6th time, I switched the setting (there’s a plastic book in the middle and turning the page changes the setting) from learning to songs (without words) so we could have a break from our ABCs. You stared at me and without breaking concentration, you slowly and matter-of-factly moved your hand across the table and flipped the page back. Then you rolled that rattle and the alphabet song started playing once again. You may as well have raised your eyebrow while you did this, you had such defiance in your eyes. I think I would have been having flashes of you as a rebellious teenager had I not been distracted by the fact that you knew how to switch play modes and that you needed to change play modes to get the song to play again.

Oh, another funny thing you’ve started to do is throw yourself forward and then back into the seat when you’re in the stroller. I think you’re trying to get the stroller to move. I guess it’s just to let me know I’ve been browsing for too long? I've said it before, but you get bored without a change of scenery.

We've also moved you along to more finger foods than purees. I think it was the pureed chicken that did me in (it had a certain ick factor), but it was time and you're doing fantastic.You eat everything from tofu slices to carrots to pumpkin pancakes. Oh, and you have a very straightforward way of telling me when you've had enough, too: You simply flip the plate over and sweep all the food off your high chair tray.
I just can't get enough of you, sweet girl. Love you forever and forever, love you with all my heart, love you when we're together, love you when we're apart.

Love,
Momma

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