Dear Charlotte,
This time last
year I was in full waddle mode, running after a very active 20 month old and
wondering how I was going to manage with a newborn and your sister. Eleven months later, I can’t imagine my life,
our lives, without you. Your sweet
personality, your million dollar smile, those open-mouth kisses and the joy I
see through your eyes on a daily basis.
It’s been a crazy eleven months, but in the best sort of way.
You went from 0
to 60 this month, adding four teeth (for a total of six), starting to speed
crawl (you are FAST!) and you’re starting to pull up on anything and everything.
You even look different with your longer
hair, those pearly whites, and the devilish grin you have! At daycare you sit tall among the other
babies and it’s hard to believe that you’re a short-timer in the infant room,
in just a month or so you’ll be walking (or maybe still crawling) among the
“big kids.” I’m not sure where my little
baby went, and although you’re still more than willing to give me snuggles, it’s
not long before you see something that needs investigating or exploring.
You are into
everything. And I mean everything. Shoes, the cats’ food and water, a pile of
clothing, the diaper station, the trash cans, the laundry room. You name it and you need to be in the thick
of it. The world is truly your oyster
and you are dead set on exploring every single inch. You can cross a room on all fours faster than
I can turn around and are always SO proud of yourself, flashing that big, and
now toothy, grin. We’ve also started to
see some sibling rivalry rear its ugly head now that you’re more mobile. Anna is no longer safe to play a distance
away from you with her coveted toys, and even in a room full of your own toys, whatever
she has is bigger and much better. You
want to be just like her, and although it’s adorable to us, it’s not always
adorable to your big sister. You get
lots of Mommy-only time with nursing, so I’ve made an effort to give Anna the
same each day, even if it’s just working a puzzle together or reading a few books.
Speaking of
nursing; we’re still at it, but we’re getting close to weaning and you love
table food. We’ve started to expand your
palette outside of purees and are exploring lots of table foods cut into small
pieces. You’re a girl after my own heart
with your love of carbs – any and all bread.
You also love fruit, most veggies, and cheese. Really, there’s nothing we’ve given you that
you’ve shunned. You’re not necessarily a
graceful eater, more of a “don’t’ want to miss a bite” kind of gal, generally shoving
everything you can into that little mouth as fast as you can. You love to grab a handful of food and then
turn your little fist into a funnel, popping in a few bites at a time; mimicking
how my Papa used to eat peanuts. You
don’t like protein purees (at all!), so we’re skipping those and moving on to
“real meat” and other sources of protein.
It’s such a treat to be in this stage where all food is new and
exciting, versus your sister who eats like a bird at some meals and a horse at
others with zero consistency. I’m not
sure if you’ll turn into an accidental vegetarian too, but for now we’ll just
keep loading that high chair tray and watch in amazement.
We’ve had A LOT
of snow so far this winter and that means we haven’t been able to get out of
the house and do quite as much as we’d like.
You have, however, loved touching the snow (and eating it from the
sensory table at school) and love watching out the window as Daddy and Anna
shovel or build a snowman and can’t wait to be in the middle of the action. You love your Daddy so much and already have
your special games and inside jokes. He
can get you to laugh like no one else, and when he called during a long work
trip last week, your face literally lit up when you heard his voice. It won’t be long before both of you girls are
bundled up building a snowman or heading off with a sled.
Your little
personality continues to win the hearts of everyone. You’re sweet and gentle and are already
showing empathy and compassion to your friends at school. You rarely cry; we mostly hear little fusses
here and there to let us know you need more food or want a specific toy. But, man, you’re not afraid to let us know
when you’re upset and have this “yay yay yay” “yell” that you’ll belt out. It’s as funny as it is serious and it’s
usually when we’ve taken away one of Anna’s toys. You get a red face as you’re yelling at us
and start to squirm in an effort to make your point and we usually all end up
laughing together. On the flip side, you
LOVE to give us kisses and will do so almost on command. Yes, they are open mouthed and slobbery, but
any of us would sit there all day every day getting them if we could. And, nothing is sweeter than when you nuzzle
that little head on my chest for a rest.
Nothing.
I can’t tell you
how much fun the last 11 months have been, you’ve brought a whole new light and
life to our home and I have loved watching you grow. I look back at your newborn pictures from the
first few months, and although you’ve always been a sweetheart, you’ve really
come into your own and found your personality.
Your Dad and I talk about the plans we have for you and your sister and
what we think you’ll do or become later in life, but we also talk about how
much fun we have with you every single day.
Please don’t ever lose your zeal and zest for life, please keep me on my
toes, please keep loving with everything you’ve got … and don’t ever stop
giving me hugs and kisses!
Love,
Mom
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