Dear Ana,
Today you turn nineteen months old which just brings you closer and closer to turning two. In fact, at playgroup yesterday we were discussing how “eighteen months is the new two” because the so-called “terrible two’s” start loooong before your second birthday. Not that you are terrible by any means, but you are definitely developing more independence and since your language skills, while incredibly advanced, aren’t fully capable of communicating your every want, need or demand, it often results in frustration. Frustration for you at not being able to tell me what you want and equal frustration for me because I can’t understand what you are trying to tell me. But don’t worry. We will figure this whole thing out together and one day we will laugh at how you suddenly start thumping your legs like a bunny rabbit every time I try to strap you into your car seat because you want to sit on the “big” seat. Not laughing yet? Well, I didn’t say it would be anytime soon.


A perfect example of your growing independence is the fact that you want to “pick” everything. You want to pick your shoes, your television show, your snack. I understand wanting things to be a certain way (believe me, if anyone can understand that, it’s ME) so I try to indulge you whenever possible. A typical snack time often goes something like this:

Me, pointing to animal crackers: “This?”
You, shaking your head, “That.”
Me, pointing to goldfish crackers: “This?”
You, shaking your head and tightening your fists, “That.”
Me, pointing to peanut butter sandwich crackers: “This?!”
You, on the verge of completely hulking out, “THAT!”
Then finally I touch the cheddar puffs and you squeal out in delight, “Yeah!”

So I have taken to setting you on the counter and letting you pick your own snack. This move in itself has saved me hours of mental anguish.


Speaking of snacks, a few days ago you tried orange juice for the first time. Your father was craving some OJ so I picked some up from the store and upon seeing him sipping his beverage you instantly wanted “joooce!” You haven’t been a real fan of anything citrus so I never even thought of giving you orange juice, but OH. MY. GOD. did you love it. You requested it every time you wanted something to drink for three days straight. And the only reason you aren’t drinking it now is because you drank it all. Every once in awhile you would forget what kind of juice it was, but rather than calling it some other fruit (apple, grape, etc.) like any other kid would do, you called it “green juice.” Instead of associating it with fruit you were trying to remember the color. Another reason why I love you: you are always thinking outside of the box.


While you have always loved music, you have recently started wanting to sing all the time. In the car we often listen to a collection of kids songs, which you request by asking for “ABD’s.” Oddly enough, the ABC song isn’t even on there, but that is the song you associate with singing, so ABD’s it is. Ever the perfectionist, you like to practice constantly and therefore can sing a little more of the song each day. When you started it was just AB’s. Then progressed to ABD’s. Then ABCD’s. Some days you really get going and repeat each part you know, getting progressively louder each time you start over with the letter A. Occasionally we even have some G, H, M-O-P sprinkled into the mix.


In mid June we started a music class through the parks and rec, “Magic Music for Preschoolers.” Since you love singing and dancing, I thought it would be a fun creative outlet for you. Well, I was right, but I think in doing so I released your inner diva. You have discovered a love of being the center of attention. When the class gathers in a circle you like to position yourself right in the middle and put on a little twirly dance for everyone in the room. Most of the other children are shy and cling to their mothers, but not you. Oh no, not you. You love to giggle at your refection in the full length mirror, then race around the room pausing to point out an animal on someones shirt before gleefully jumping around to the music no one can hear but you.


Your silliness doesn’t stop with singing and dancing. You enjoy giggling and laughing and more than anything you love to be tickled. While the traditional means of aggressive tickling are all well and good, what you consider “tickle” is when someone slowly traces a finger across your skin. I usually start on your forehead and draw an imaginary line down your nose, across your cheek, over around your ear then down your neck, arm and finally trace each finger. You giggle softly and slowly blink your eyes simply enjoying the sensation. We have started using this kind of tickling as part of our wind-down process before you go to sleep. You lay across my lap, gaze up at me and say, “tickle?”

You are such a girly-girl and every once in awhile I catch a glimpse of what you will be like when you are a boy-crazy teenager. You and I were out to lunch with some of my friends from my old office when you peaked over the back of our seat and noticed a boy, probably about 10-years old, eating his lunch. Always the social butterfly, you quickly said, “Hi.” But the restaurant was pretty loud and he didn’t hear you. You wanted to clarify who you were talking to, but not knowing his name you shouted, “Hi, boy!” This got quite the giggle, not only from my friends but the other restaurant patrons. And not wanting to disappoint, you promptly set to walking up and down our booth singing, “Hi boys! Hi boys!” This has now become your favorite expression and you use it frequently, much to your father’s dismay.


But while you are stubborn and silly, you are also incredibly sweet and caring. Last week you witnessed our cat, Abby, get sick and throw up all over the window sill. You instantly burst into tears and wanted to run over and hug her. Since Abby wasn’t feeling well, we knew she wasn’t in the mood for one of your full-body hugs, plus we didn’t want you to get into the mess, so we made you stay back. You were clearly distraught by the whole ordeal because you talked about it for several days after the fact. You’d be sitting quietly and suddenly your eyes would get big and you would said, “Abby…” then shifting your expression to one of great sadness, “…sick.”


I know I sometimes struggle with your growing personality, your developing independence, and your stubborn streak. But when I see these characteristics emerging, I can’t help but see a little of myself in you. Then my frustration fades to pride as I witness the person you are becoming right before my eyes. Ana, I am more proud of you than you will ever know, so please don’t ever stop being you.
All my love,
Mama

Dear Ana,
Today you turn eighteen months old. One could also say you are now one and a half, which is SO much more impressive than telling your age in terms of simply months. As we embark on the latter half of your second year of life, you are really developing your personality and mastering your independence. In fact just the other day as we were walking down the stairs instead of saying, “help” and asking for my hand like you normally do, you pushed away my hand and said, “self.” That pretty much sums you up right now: Little Miss Independent.


Your physical ability is now suddenly matched with your mental cunningness. Meaning you are now able to figure out ways to climb to get what you want. You climb everything: chairs, couches, stools, beds. You dad and I understand we shouldn’t stop you from climbing, as this is your way of dealing with a world so much bigger than yourself. However, we want you to be safe. We are constantly reminding you to “sit on your bottom.” So you sit on the back of the chair…on your bottom.


A pleasant result of all this climbing is that your baby alarm is now back: you say “down” when you are climbing on something you shouldn’t be or you say “bottom” when you are standing on a chair when you are suppose to be sitting. So I just listen for you to set off the baby alarm and I say, “that’s right. You need to get down or sit on your bottom.” Man, you sure do make it easy for me to parent.


Several months back, when your language was just starting to develop we sometimes had a hard time understanding what you were trying to tell us. Eventually we started asking you to show us what you wanted. As a result, even now that your language is booming, you walk up to us and say, “hand” then while leading us by the hand you say, “show” and take us to see whatever it is you want to see or do.


Most of the other children you play with are older than you, and I think this has really helped you to understand the concept of taking turns and sharing. You have started saying “turn” when you either want us to help feed you or more frequently, when you want to feed yourself. Sharing can be a little tricky, but you definitely understand the concept when it comes to something you want; you are quick to tell us to “share” when you want some of what we have!


Anyone who has met your father and I knows that computers are very important to our household. And you are following quite nicely in our footsteps. You ask to “type” when you want to play on the computer. You love it so much we had to set up your own “computer system” at the dining room table with a mouse and keyboard just for you. Now you climb up on the chair at the kitchen table and pound away any time you want.


Another aspect of your ever expanding vocabulary is that you now like to name everything: animals, toys, people. You even point to yourself and say “Ana.” One of your favorite games to play is the body part game where you point to and name all of your body parts. You sometimes get confused by knee and elbow, thinking they should just be leg and arm. Quite frankly, I agree.


Another huge milestone this month is that you have started swinging like a big girl, that is to say you no longer require the full “bucket” seat. When we knew you were fine to swing on a normal swing, we took you to play on the swing set in our back yard. Once you found out you had your very own swings, you suddenly understood that it is no longer necessary to reserve swinging for special trips to the park. No, now you can swing anytime or all the time. And you definitely prefer the latter, as you would swing all day long if it were up to you.



A few weeks back we had some very hot weather and on one of those days we had a playdate with your friend Elliot. He has a great little kiddie pool so we covered you both in sunscreen and let you loose in the back yard to play. You LOVED the pool. So much in fact, that I went out the following day to get you one of your very own. You played in it every single day the weather was nice and were very distraught when it started raining again and we had to put the pool away for awhile. But don’t worry; when the sun comes back out, so will your pool.




Ana, I have dreamed of being a mom for as long as I can remember. It’s not very often the actuality of a dream is better than the dream itself. But the time you and I spend together is more amazing than I could ever have imagined. I would never have thought that the sound of your laugh would turn my world around, that a smile from you could erase all the troubles of my day, or the intense happiness I feel when you run across the room to wrap your arms around me. I could not have asked for a better daughter to make me a mom. Thank you.



All my love,
Mama