Letter to Anna: Month twenty-three

Dear Anna,

I can’t believe this is your last letter before you turn two years old!  You seem so grown-up and mature some days and then other days I look at you and can only see the baby girl that came home with me from the hospital just days ago.  I’m slightly obsessed with you and all that you do and I’m cherishing every minute of this maternity leave where we get to spend extra time together.  You've grown into such a caring, loving, fun, smart, and witty little girl in just 23 short months I can hardly wait to see what you do next. 

Educationally you seem to be ready to start grade school and I’m in awe each day as you show us a new skill or trick you've learned.  You’re working hard on counting and routinely work numbers into your day.  It’s hilarious to hear you count along with me and to see you try to work those little fingers makes me smile.  You really love to count from two to three, but will occasionally throw in the numbers up to seven.  Given your love of counting and jumping, you’re a big fan of hopscotch now that it’s warm enough to get outside and it’s hilarious to watch you “count” your way through the squares.  Speaking of, you LOVE to be outside, and we love being out there with you.  We've gone on many a walk now that it’s warm out, you’re on the lookout for ducks at the lake in our neighborhood and dogs in yards and when we get home we usually go around back and spend some time on your slide or just running around in circles. 

One of the hardest parts about being a parent (with slight OCD), for me, is balancing the time spent with you directly and all the other “things” that need to get done so that we can exist as a family; dinner needs to be made, laundry folded, the house cleaned, etc.  What I've found recently is that you’re more than willing to help out and I can generally make a game out of even the most mundane tasks and you seem to think it’s fairly awesome.  I've started to invite you to pull a stool up to the kitchen island while I cook a meal or chop produce and we turn spinning the salad into a counting game.  A “cat hunt” (our take on a bear hunt through the house) can also double as a quick clean up as we march.  Just yesterday you helped me deadhead the flowers out front and we raced to see who could get the defunct blooms to trash bag fastest.  You love to feel like a “big girl” and generally jump (literally) at the chance to help out.  We've even started getting some exercise together with dance parties, stretching / yoga moves, and marching or running around the house.  

Lately you love to play dress up with headbands, sunglasses, tutus, etc and it’s hilarious to see some of the outfits you concoct.  On the flip side, you’re also slightly obsessed with trucks and buses and large vehicles of any sort.  We know exactly when the school buses run in the neighborhood and likewise know that it’s in our best interest to ensure you see them as they motor along.  I love that you’re turning into a somewhat of a girly-girl, but I also love moments when you scream bloody murder because I won’t let you eat a worm (true story, I seriously thought CPS was on their way) or dig in the mud with your bare hands. 

You’re extremely interactive and are communicating really well.  I love nothing more than walking into a room and hearing “Hi Mommy!!” or “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy” followed by a “conversation” about what you’ve been doing for the five minutes I was away. You repeat everything when you’re paying attention and I love to hear your take on words.  Recently you’ve started adding an “ey” to the end of most words ... there’s pizz-ey (pizza), juicy and poppy-sicle to name a few.  You still love to read and are starting to memorize your books and read them to yourself, back to us, or to Charlotte; I was amazed when I saw you whiz through “Go Dog Go” the other day.  Your mind is a steel trap! 

You love to play games with both of us, but really love to interact with your Dad on a physical level.  I witnessed this first-hand when you initiated a pillow fight in our bed after you woke up from nap yesterday.  This is something you and your Dad have done in the basement together in the past, but as of yesterday it was a fair game anytime you were close enough to a pillow that you could lift on your own.  I died as you ran through the family room toward your father declaring “piiiilllloooowwww fiiiiiiight!” and bopped him on the head. 

You’re doing great as a big sister and I can tell that you already have a huge spot in your heart for Baby Charlotte.  You always know where her pacifier is and are determined to make sure she has it should she be in need; we’re working on the fact that she doesn't need it when she’s sound asleep or nursing, but it’s the thought that counts.  You share your toys with her, help her play with hers (rattles, activity mat, etc) and will ask about / look for her on the rare instances she’s not in the same room as everyone.  You’re also continuing to be a great “Mommy” to your stuffed animals and routinely put them to “night night” all around the house.  I was cleaning up after you’d left for daycare one day last week and realized that our family room might appear to be a cult experiment gone wrong to a stranger; there were probably 10 stuffed animals laying face down (you didn't get the “back is best” memo) with blankets covering them in various locations throughout the room. 

I said at the beginning of this letter that I’m obsessed with you and that’s truly the case.  You wear me out most days, but I love to hear that little voice when you wake up in the morning or from nap (always SO happy!), love to see your smile, and I’m constantly trying to plan our next adventure.  I read a quote the other day that said “Moms are a promise from God that you’ll have a friend forever” and I hope you always know that’s the case in our relationship.  There’s going to come a day when I won’t be the person you’re most excited to see when you walk into a room, when helping me around the house is a chore, and when playing a game with your Mom seems like punishment.  But, for now, I’m going to take the love and excitement you show me each and every day and run with it, cherishing our special times and looking forward to all that we still have in store.   

Love, 

Mom