Letters

Your mother keeps saying, "He's going to be 3 in two months!"  The little signs of new development are still filling us with wonder and appreciation for your incredible brain and body.  You sing with us at bedtime now, and you'll say a prayer with us too.  You are helpful in carrying things around, throwing things in the "gah-brrrge" for us, and bringing us things we can't reach.  You've started being willing to sign again.  You're starting to call me "Dad" instead of "Daddy" and I'm not sure I want to see that go away just yet.  And the big one for me, your imagination is peeking out in more and more flashes here and there.  You'll drive your cars around, making car noises and talking about how they're driving fast, and then they park.  Just the other day you came down the hall with your arms like you were holding a baby, and told your mother how you were laying her down to sleep.  So gentle.  And I'm always delighted when you crawl up into my lap with a book you want me to read to you.  Your mother and I talk a lot about how to encourage your mind, and I just hope we don't blow it. 

Along with imagination and your participation in the family, you've developed a small rebellious streak.  When I need to change your pants, or I'm trying to get you dressed, you'll shout, "Stop it, Daddy!"  And when I'm doing things to you that you don't want me to do, you'll cock your arm back and after a good long thought about what you're doing and what the possible consequences may be and is it really worth it and what else could you possibly do to express your frustration, you'll hit me with all the two-year-old force you can muster.  And then, even though you knew this would happen all along, you scream and fight when I put you in bed for some quiet time. 

Now that the weather is a bit warmer, I love to go on long walks as a family, with you and Sophie in the stroller.  I love that anywhere we go with you, there's a little narration going on.  "Bumpy bumpy!"  "We're going down down down!"  "There's a truck! (basketball!  car!  doggy!  motorcycle!)"  We've gotten so used to your narrations that when your mother and I go somewhere without you, we have to fill in all the little things you'd say if you were there, because we miss you.

You aren't just changing yourself as you grow up, you're also changing your Daddy in many small ways.  One of them is that I used to think picking up a 40-50 pound bag of dog food or flour was pretty heavy.  Now that I regularly lug around a 30+ pound kicking and screaming little boy, those inert bags are pretty tame.  Tough Daddy.  Ha ha.  Another way I'm slowly changing is I'm learning to multitask a little bit, in that you don't have to do quite so much yelling so Daddy will pay attention to you.  When I'm doing other things, I tend to tune you out, which you are understandably not happy with.  I'm learning to listen for you even when I'm not giving you my full attention.

Other ways you change me are making me more tolerant of nasty diaper smells, more patient in rush times, more willing to laugh at small things during stressful times, and more appreciative of all the little things that make our world so wonderful.  You are a wonderful source of inspiration to me. 

I love you,

Love,

Daddy

I've been thinking about the similarities between Jonah's developing imagination, and your developing personality.  Both are amazing indicators of mental growth.  You get so excited when you see me or your Mama or Jonah walk into the room.  You've learned to play games with me, mostly consisting of peek-a-boo and copycat.  And even when your Mama's holding you, you look around for me to play your snort/sigh copycat game with you.  There is so much intelligence behind those bright eyes.  You want to play with my glasses now, almost every time I hold you.  You know what it means when I start mixing up your breakfast in a bowl.  You've learned to wave your arms around and turn your head when you've had enough of whatever it is I'm offering.  And you've learned to get those pesky Cheerios to stay between your fingers long enough to get them up to your mouth.  And when they get there, you've learned to let go, so you can eat them instead of just licking them into a soggy, sticky finger mess.  You've learned what you want, and what you don't want.  It's inspirational how you are always reaching, touching, learning, laughing. 

Unless you're crying.  And that's usually because you're not where you want to be.  You almost have the crawling concept down.  You're up on your hands and knees all the time.  And you're inadvertently learning to do push-ups too, when you push off the ground but don't bend your knees.  But in the absence of crawling, you're perfecting your roll.  I'm not sure if I've seen you roll to the left AND the right, but you go front to back and back to front all the time.  You spend quite a bit of time on the floor, and hopefully the crawling will come soon.  I think a lot of your frustrations will lessen when you can go places. 

Mama took you to the doctor today for your 9-month visit.  You're a little underweight, which is surprising.  You look as chubby and healthy as can be.  But the doctor said in all other ways you're a perfect little baby.  So, we're going to start dishing up the fatty foods for you, and get you to put a bit more weight on.  Hah.  When you're 16 and rereading this you will SO not be interested in bulking up.  I can just picture it. 

9 months, little girl!  It's time for a new family picture.  I'm very excited about that.  You and Jonah are such cute kids.  I'm looking forward to having a nice-looking updated family picture on the wall.  Especially if we can catch your beaming smile in the picture. 

It's difficult for me to put into words what and how much you add to our family.  Jonah brought a miracle into our home, and he's continued to be a very cute and precious child.  But you are no less a miracle.  You bring a unique beauty and character with you that fills your own space in our home to overflowing.  I am facing that wonderful realization every parent comes to with the addition of more than one child into the home.  There is ample room in my heart for you, even if it was full with just your mother and Jonah in my life. 

I love you, Sophie.

Love,

Daddy