Dear Ana,
Today you turn twenty-nine months old. (That was really bizarre to write out because that means you are now older in months than I am in years.) You are growing so fast that I can hardly keep up. Before I know it, it’s time to write you another letter. If that weren’t enough, you are constantly telling me that you are a “big girl” and whenever you see something you want (that by some small miracle you don’t already have) you reassure me, “I can have that when I get a little bit bigger.”


One of the more defining characteristics about you this month is how inquisitive you are. You are always studying everything, curious how the world around you works. You have started really questioning things and I am always surprised by the questions you are able to come up with on your own. Then once I provide a satisfactory answer, you always say, “Oh! I see what you’re talking about!” I have recently started trying to turn the game around on you and I ask if you know the answer. You resoundingly say, “Yeah.” Then you pause, thinking about it and whisper, “Can you tell me?”


You are constantly following me around and watching my every move. You sit, mesmerized, while I get ready in the morning and when I ask you what you are doing you simply state, “I’m just watching you.” It’s like you are studying for an important exam and you don’t want to miss a single thing for fear you might get something wrong. But you also use this approach to get out of doing certain things. To stall eating dinner you say, “but I’m watching you.” As if watching me eat lasagna is so important you can’t be bothered to finish your peas. While I’m flattered that you find my every move so fascinating, I am pretty sure you can multi-task enough to do both things at once.



As is only natural, your following me around and bombarding me with questions occurs while I am cooking as well. I have decided to use this to my advantage, and to your delight I appointed you my little kitchen helper. I try to set out and pre-measure all the ingredients ahead of time. This indulges my OCD while simultaneously allowing you to help me in the kitchen. See? We both win!



Just the other day you were helping me make some chocolate chip cookies and I remembered that we had bought you a little apron to go with your play kitchen. So I located your apron and we set to work. It was only then that you realized that I would also need an apron and you quickly climbed down from the stool to dig my apron out of the drawer. It was very fortunate that we were both wearing aprons for this particular baking adventure because shortly after that you accidentally turned the KitchenAid to the highest speed and flour and chocolate chips flew out of the mixing bowl. I looked over to see how you were going to react when to my surprise you burst into giggles. Eventually you managed to squeal out, “That was SO funny!”



We recently started a huge project this month, which has taken up a lot of our free time. We decided to tear down the old play structure in our yard and put up a new Rainbow All American Double Decker play structure. Anytime we had decent weather we were outside taking apart, clearing, organizing, or assembling something. You were there for the entire process. And not just as a distraction either. You legitimately wanted to help out. We always tried to set aside tasks you could handle and whenever we were taking a break or moved on to another project you would pick up our abandoned tools and start working on the harder jobs as well. I gotta say, you have quite the impressive work ethic!




You are an incredibly happy child. You are always giggling or laughing, which is very contagious and eventually everyone around you is smiling right with you. You have a very sweet personality and love to hug and cuddle. Whenever either your Daddy or I are holding you and the other is close by you declare, “Family hug!” and we instantly cuddle together for the best hugs imaginable. While I know the majority of the appeal of the family hug is the affection, I know a small part of you just relishes in the fact that you can boss us around and on this particular command we actually follow your orders.


We got a surprise visit from your Aunt Darcie and Baby Silas last week. Darcie decided to take a drive up to “the big city” and the four of us went out to lunch. We had a great time chatting and you proudly showed off all your new tricks. Then we came back to our house so she could feed Silas and you could take a nap. We practically had to pry him out of your hands. You have such a great love for babies and it’s wonderful to have a little one around. Eventually he’s going to get bigger and stronger and he won’t let you squeeze and cuddle him as much. Before you know it, those soft cooing babies grow into bouncing toddlers who are constantly talking. Trust me. I know this from experience.

But for all the things you aren’t any longer, you’ve replaced them with things that are so much better. Of course I miss rocking you to sleep, but now we read stories together and you are able to remember the words and “read” them to me. Instead of singing you a lullaby to calm you down, you now request specific songs and sing along with me. Now when I dress you in the morning instead of me just picking out the cutest thing I can find, you help me decide what you want to wear, adding, “This is so adorable. Where’d you get this?” I have to remind myself all the time that you are only going to be this way once and to cherish every day we spend together. I know these moments are fleeting so I will gladly stop what I am doing to scoop you up in my arms, snuggle my nose at your neck and whisper, “I love you.”


All my love,
Mama

Dear Ana,
Two days ago you turn twenty-eight months old, or two years and four months, or just shy of two and a half. But any way you look at it, you are right in the middle of being two. And boy are you! You wear your emotions on your sleeve, are constantly on the go, and love to see and do new things. As soon as you wake up you ask me where we are going to go or who we are going to see. I simply cannot pack enough activities, playdates, and outings in a single day. You are always wanting more and I’d be lying if I said I wanted it to be any other way.


When we aren’t go-go-going, you are busy pretending to be like your parents. When you are being a mini-daddy, you climb up to the computer and tell me, “I gotta check my email.” or give a big sigh and said, “I gotta do some work!” But you balance that by being a mini-me as well. You are always taking your baby for a walk in her stroller, changing her diaper, or giving her a snack. You even hand her over to me and say, “Mama, can you hold Baby Amalia for a minute? I be right back.”



All your pretending to be a mommy has been great practice, but you totally prefer the real babies. So we were all very excited when a couple weeks ago your Aunt Darcie had her first baby. As soon as we met Baby Silas all you wanted to do was to hold him and kiss him. You even shush us if we talk too loudly and say, “Shh! The baby is sleeping!” Your daddy and I are so impressed and we know you are going to make a great big sister when the time comes.



To keep our schedule nice and full, I decided to enroll you in another ballet class through parks and rec. It’s a different teacher and therefore a little bit different style, but you still love it. You have such a great time and are constantly twirling around the house and shouting out things like “passe!” or “arabesque!” I guess one of these days I really need to learn what those words actually mean.



In addition to the ballet class you are also taking a “Preschool Exploration” class through parks and rec. When I was getting you ready to leave we had the following conversation:

Ana: Where we going?
Me: To your Preschool Exploration class.
Ana: I’m going to PRESCHOOL?!
Me: Well kind of. It will be a lot like preschool. We will get to do crafts and sing and play.
Ana: What’s my teacher’s name?
Me: I don’t know, hun. We haven’t met her yet.
Ana: Oh, I just love my teacher!

And they you proceeded to run around the room singing about going to school. When we actually got to the classroom you were instantly comfortable, which means you stripped off your coat (leaving it on the floor, of course) and went directly to the paint easel and started finger painting. You were so happy to get to do art projects, play with glitter and glue, check out the different toys, and then blow bubbles and sing. They even did parachute time. You were totally sold on school and every day ask me when you get to go back. Based on the success of this class (and the fact that you don’t actually get to start preschool for another year) I’m looking into putting you in another preschool exploration class this summer, but this one will be one where I drop you off instead of staying to participate. We’ll see how you do with that when the time comes.


From babies to ballet, there is no doubt that you are all girl. You love all things pink and purple. Ponies and princesses. Twirling and dancing. I can’t even relate to this because I was never a girly-girl. In fact, I was a total tomboy. So I am learning about this glittery, tulle-covered world as I go and I have to say that there is no one I would rather experience it with that you.


But as girly as you can be, you aren’t afraid to get a little dirty. We were out geocaching a few weeks ago when there was a break in the rain and I thought it might be fun to take you puddle jumping. I have to say when we explained what you needed to do, I wasn’t sure you were going to be into it. But sure enough, you jumped right in and splashed around like a pro. Now every time you are in your boots you hunt down the puddles and splash around until there in nothing left.



Lately you have been very into meeting new people and are always quick to ask, “What’s your name?” Often before they can even answer you say, “I’m Ana. I’m two. How many are you?” This generally shocks people for two reasons. One, they don’t really expect you to speak so well, let alone in complete sentences. And two, because adults generally aren’t use to people asking them how old they are. But you would be surprised how many people actually tell you their age. I think it’s something to do with the sheer innocence of childhood that they get caught up in the moment and would probably answer any question you asked them. And truthfully at that!


Ana I know I have said this a hundred (a thousand? a million?) times, but you are more amazing than I could have ever imagined. I never thought I would laugh so hard or so often, but the things you say and the realizations you come to on your own are often worthy of stand-up material. Hands down I get more comments on the things you say that I post on Twitter and Facebook than any of my other items. Combined. People are always telling me how smart and funny you are and I just smile, nod, and say, “I know. Isn’t she wonderful?”


All my love,
Mama

Dear Ana,
Today you turn twenty-seven months old. It has been such an amazing month that I sit back and marvel at how much you have grown, matured. Sure, as I write this I can hear you upstairs in your crib singing and talking to your stuffed animals, but I blame the sleeplessness on daylight savings time. Whoever thought that stuff up was clearly not a parent. Change the time just when schedules get perfected? MADNESS. But you seems to roll with it pretty well. In fact, (and I know I am going to jinx it by even mentioning it, but I am nothing if not daring) even with DST thrown in the mix, you go to sleep perfectly. A few weeks ago I finally weened you (I know.) and you handled it perfectly (had I known how easy it would be, I wouldn’t have put it off for so long). Every night I read you a bedtime story, you climb off my lap, walk over to your crib then I lay you in bed and you tell me good night. End of story. You could not be an easier child when it comes to bedtime. And for that I will always be eternally grateful.


Many things in your life are continually evolving, but your love of babies hasn’t changed at all. You have a baby with you as often as allowable and are constantly mirroring all my parenting techniques. I over hear you asking your baby if she needs to go potty, just about as often as you remind her not to climb or jump on the furniture. You reassure her when she falls down and encourage her that she can do it when she tries something new. While it is the more adorable thing ever, I also find it very comforting to know that you are actually listening when I talk to you.


The only twist on your baby obsession is that you have recently started talking about your “brother and sister.” The only logical assumption I can come to is that for awhile there you were only talking about sisters (a lot of your friends have baby sisters) and I wanted you to be aware that they did come in the boy variety, so we would try to mention baby brothers from time to time. But instead of rotating between sister and brother, you just tacked a brother on to the mix. The obsession finally peaked when we were walking through the Dollar Store when you spotted the bin of baby dolls. You instantly ran up, grabbed a baby wearing blue and a baby wearing purple, wrapped them in a bear hug and exclaimed, “It’s my brother and sister!” I heard a giggle from behind us and turned around to see a little old lady who witnessed the entire thing and she smiled at us and said, “I’m sorry but that was the cutest thing I have ever seen.” Needless to say, after that we had to buy both babies and you now have a brother and sister that you like to introduce to everyone that comes to our house.


Another little quirk you have developed is telling us that everything you enjoy is your favorite. You taste something you like and say, “It’s my favorite!” You see a toy at the store and hint, “But it’s my favorite.” Whatever shirt I select for you to wear you reassure me that it’s your favorite. I really enjoy seeing you get so much satisfaction out of discovering things that are important to you and watching you develop your own personal preferences. I also find it very entertaining when you try something you don’t like because you are very quick to tell me, “Mama, this is NOT my favorite.”


Yesterday while we were driving in the car we had the following conversation:

Ana: Mama, I’m mad.
Me: Oh no. Can you be happy now?
Ana: No. I’m not done being mad yet.
Me: Is there anything I can do to make you happy?
Ana: Yeah…
Me: What is it?
Ana: I know…Chapstick!

This conversation sums up a huge “favorite” of yours. You have a serious Chapstick addiction. So much that you would go through an entire tube in an hour, if we let you. Sure, most of it would be smeared across your face and stuck in your teeth, but it would be gone nonetheless. Your father and I finally decided it had gone far enough and took away your Chapstick privileges. We now use Chapstick only as a potty training reward and so far (when we remember to use it) it works out great. But I still have to keep an eye on you because you know where all my Chapsticks are hidden around the house.


While I am always amazed by the things you are up to these days, watching your social interactions, compared to those of your peers, truly astounds me. The fact that you have social skills and conversations at all is impressive in and of itself. You are always saying, “What you talkin’ about guys?” to your dad and I until we stop and include you in our discussion. Where I though you were thinking about something else or playing mindlessly with your toys, you were in fact listening to everything we were talking about and actually taking it all in. I have to think that the fact that we do include you probably has a lot to do with your advancements in this particular area. But you are just so interesting to talk to, I can’t imagine wanting to leave you out of the discussion!


At this age, almost everything we do is a learning opportunity and you thrive on every bit of it. You are always asking me how things work and if you don’t know how to do something instead of making me do it for you, you ask, “Can you show me how to do it?” I am so happy to teach you and watch you absorb all the information around you. The world is an amazing place and I am so excited that you love it every bit as much as I do. But it is also really exciting when you ask me what something is, and then once I tell you, you quickly turn to your father and say, “It’s a ____, Dad!” Because really, knowledge isn’t worth anything if you aren’t willing to share it with someone else.


While you are happy to be included, you aren’t afraid to be on your own. In fact, you can be quite the Little Miss Independent. You are always wanting to do things on your own or by yourself. I really encourage this behavior and if I know you are capable of doing something, I make sure you do it whenever possible. But your independence really took me off guard last week when you were just standing in the living room, gripping the table and I asked you if you were ok. You looked over at me and said, “I’m still poopin’ Mom. I need some privacy.”


I love the fact that I am able to stay home and raise you. That I get to enjoy all the little moments of each day that truly make up the person that you are and the woman that you will one day become. It has been yet another amazing month, and sure there are moments where I stick my earbuds in my ears and turn up the volume so I can pretend that I am someone else, anywhere else, but I wouldn’t even change those moments. Because it’s all the pieces put together that make up the whole puzzle. Where at the end of the day I can step back, look over our day and honestly say that today was the best day ever. And it wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for you. You amaze me and quite simply, you make everything so much better. Thank you, Ana, my precious baby girl.


All my love,
Mama