Letters

Dear Jonah Copycat,

I know I should be writing a letter to your sister before I write you again, but as I went to write today, I noticed it's the 11th.  You were born on the 11th of August.  I decided it would be a good way to keep myself writing if I wrote to each of you at least on your birth date each month.  Sorry Sophie, you'll have to wait a week.

We're on Daylight Savings Time again.  That's never a friendly time for little kids.  You've always been one to go to bed fairly late.  That certainly doesn't help things for us right now.  But I suppose we've made our own bed, as much as we don't get to sleep in it much.  We're attempting to move your bedtime up as the days go by, and sometimes we're reasonably successful.  But I have no doubts that's just because you're baiting us into thinking we have some measure of control in the house. 

We took you out to my parents' house last week so you could stay the night.  You surprised my Mom with your obedience.  She told you to finish your sandwich before you could have any chocolate, and you threw your usual short-lived hissy-fit, and then ran off to play.  But it was CHOCOLATE.  No way you're going to leave that alone.  After a few minutes when my Mom turned around again, she saw you eating the chocolate you had coveted so much.  She was about to say something, but then checked to see if your sandwich was still on the table.  It was gone.  Chocolate is that good. 

And now for the reasoning behind my salutation in this letter.  You have this uncanny knack for repeating one side of a conversation as it's happening.  This is especially trying during phone conversations.  Often the party on the other end is left trying to figure out why the perfectly sane adult on our end is choking back laughter.  Did they say something wrong?  In another sense, you provide the perfect object lesson for watching our tongues.  When we hear the phrase "gay marriage" come out of your mouth, it creates that peculiar mixture of horror and hilarity that only a parent can know.  You have no clue what you're saying, but hey, it sure makes Mommy and Daddy giggle. 

The past few days have shown us just a little of what must be called the "Terrible Twos" by those not fortunate enough to have you as a child.  You've been miserable for days, and it's surprising that one hour's change in time can tweak your emotional state so badly.  I don't know that we've changed the amount of attention you get, or any other of those precarious balances that are supposed to keep you ticking without exploding.  So it must be the time change.  But the blessing in this situation is that Daylight Savings heralds warmer weather.  All little boys love warm weather and playing outside.  There's nothing like a good romp to wear you out and set your clock straight.

I love you,

Love,


Your Daddy

It's when I wake up to your anxious complaints in the morning and find you wedged into the top corner of your crib that I realize how quickly you're growing.  I think you know you can move, but you can't control it yet.  When you lay on your back on the floor, you turn in circles kicking your legs.  And unless you get distracted and jerk that big heavy head around, you can sit up on your own pretty well.  If someone's holding your legs, you do even better.  Except that you've decided your chubby thighs are ticklish.  

You're quite the determined little lady.  When you see something interesting in range, you almost fixate on it, and bend WAY over to reach it.  You have a near-automatic reach and grab reaction, which sometimes leaves you with green beans in your hair, squash up your nose, and a wide orange ring around your mouth.  It's so cute when you grab things, even if it's a loaded spoon headed in the general direction of your mouth.  

I can tell you're starting to feel the mobility bug.  When you've been in your chair too long, you start to treat it like a bucking bronco, making us think you're going to pop out and land on your head.  You have strong little chubby legs, enough so that when you don't want to sit down, it takes a fair bit of persuasion to get you to bend at the hip.  I think you want to move.  No more of this complacent sitting around.  You have an older brother to keep up with.

There are days when you look like a good mix between your mother's genes and mine, and then there are days when you're all Mom.  I don't know what makes the difference, really, but it's fascinating.  

We really need to figure out what to do with your hair.  It's SO cute, but SO all over the place.  Half the time you can hardly see.  And the hair on the back of your head is constantly knotted.  Mom bought some barrettes for you, and they're very cute.  None of us know how to do hair though, so you will be a learning experience for everyone.  

I'm excited for the color and brightness you bring into our home.  You are an absolute delight.  And so cute both when you're smiling and when you're mad.  I love when you get in that mood of wanting to laugh and cry at the same time.  You're so vocal.  I also love when I'm holding you at night when you're tired, and you finally decide to drop off to sleep.  You just drop right off.  I was holding you the other night, and the next thing I knew you had done a face plant into my shoulder, completely out.  Not even your brother's fits about going to bed would wake you up.  That's one of the best things about our kids.  When you decide to sleep, you're gone.  

You are so cute.  You and your brother make such a nice pair of siblings.  I hope you keep a good relationship with all of your family members.  I love you so much.

Love,

Your Daddy