The wheels of time have decided to keep turning - and faster than I believe they have ever turned before. Only 2 months left before you turn 2, and I am just not okay with that. You are racing with glee to that second birthday of yours, and as I start to plan a celebration for that day, I am dragging my feet in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, it will take its sweet time in getting here. Obviously, I want you to turn two eventually. I do. There's nothing more bittersweet than a mother getting to watch her children age. I want to freeze you in this time, at this age, yet I wouldn't want to forego the opportunity to see you continue to meet milestone after milestone, to get to know the personality you have that reveals itself more and more each day, to celebrate your health and happiness with each passing month. And truly, your gains in maturity and development just amaze me and everyone around you.
So, what have you been up to this month?
-You are a jumper! You love to hop and jump everywhere and off anything you feel safe on (which I know will quickly change, as I've seen you experiment with taller spaces at My Gym recently).
-You are speaking in sentences much of the time: "Hold on, Mommy!" "No, no more Elmo." "Hey! That's miiiiine!""I want deidle (dreidel).""Mommy, no night-night. I want pay (play)."
-During this week of Hanukkah, every time we light the menorah, you say, "Happy Birthday?" (Although it sounds more like, "Hah bir-day?" and I LOVE it!) You have tried to blow out the candles, too.
-You can't say your /k/ and /g/ sounds yet, so you substitute /t/, or the sound is eliminated or changed in another way: Quinn is "Winn," milk is "milt," book is "boot," car is "beep."
-You're getting really good at identifying animals and sounds. "Moo" is by far your favorite. You also know the color yellow ("yewwow"), and you're starting to get red and blue.
-You enjoy trying to work puzzles, playing with cars and trucks and ramps/garage toys that you can zoom cars down, riding the Batmobile ride-on, playing with trains and tracks, Coco just this month) and enjoy anything you can "watch, watch."
-No one would know this unless they spend a lot of time with you, but you say "thank you" EVERY time it's appropriate. No one would know because you say it like this, "Muh." I used to think you were saying "more," but I finally figured out you were telling me thank you. "Muh, Mommy!" as you walk away from me with a bowl of pretzels. "Muh, Mommy," when I put a show on for you. "Muh, Mommy!" when I help you put two Legos together for you. "Muh, Mommy, when I fix something you can't." It's so sweet and definitely a favorite thing about you at this age.
-You are so in love with your big brothers. You adore "B" and "Winn." My favorite was one day when you were in the car with me picking up Quinn early from school. My friend brought Quinn to the car for me, and as he got in you excitedly said, "HI, WINN!" You help me get their attention if they don't hear me. "B! B!! Mommy! B!!!!" as if to say, "Hey, you, she's talking to YOU!" You copy ANYTHING they do, which can be rather horrible at times. If they scream, you do. If they laugh, you laugh. You watch them closely!
-You like to pee-pee on the potty before bath and a few other times throughout the day if I ask you. I'm not in ANY way, shape, or form ready to potty train right now, but I love that you know how to use the toilet.
-You tell us when to "stop!" You tell us when to "hum on!" (Come on!) You tell us when to "Hold on!" You tell us "NOOOOOOO!!" when you're really angry. You tell us when something is "EWWWW, yuck!" You have quite the personality!
-We have continued My Gym classes. You are ready to move up to the next level class - which is good as you are definitely outgrowing our current age group. Those 14-month-old babies just can't keep up with you - talking and running and jumping everywhere. You still stifle a smile when our gym teachers are nearby - whether they tickle you or sneak up on you or swing you --- you just purse your lips together and try so hard not to let that smile sneak out. It's obvious you're trying to hide it. Our little stoic baby!
-You like to hum with me at bedtime. I usually sing Lullaby, and you enjoy humming along, sometimes a little too forcefully and silly. Recently, you request "Baby," which is your way of telling me you want me to sing "Hush Little Baby." The funny thing is that when I would try to sing this to Banner as a baby, he would immediately get emotional, and even as a toddler/preschooler, he would ask me to turn it off because it made him sad. That song became so off limits that I never even tried to introduce Quinn to it, as it affected Banner so much. With you, I still half-expect you to start telling me "No" when I sing to you. But instead, you request it over and over again. I like that we have our songs - special for just you.
Knox Morgan, my most favorite things about you are your willingness to cuddle with me, your sweet hugs, your kisses, your love of books and playing, your adoration for your brothers, and your desire to learn and talk! You definitely have your strong opinions and desires, and you let those be known loud and clear! But, you are also pretty easily appeased with some love, hugs, and attention. You still like for me to hum in your hear when you are upset, and that usually calms you. Banner even helped calm you tonight by gently singing in your ear "ABCs" until you stopped crying. We all have kind of learned what really gets you upset and what really helps calm you. We know what makes you laugh and smile. Months after starting school and having a short-lived rough time adjusting, we are adding a third day to your weekly schedule, and I'm so excited for you! I know you'll miss those mornings at Grandma's, but you're ready for more time with your friends and your teachers. (And Grandma will still pick you up once a week!)
With each passing day, we are getting closer to that 2nd birthday. Let's take it nice and slow, shall we? Let's live in the moment and not race for February 16th so quickly. It will get here, and it will get here faster than I'd like. So, let's just cuddle and hold each other and not let go for a couple months.
I love you so much, Baby Love!
Happy 22-Months!
Love,
Mommy
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