21 Months Old

Dear Penny,

Hello, my Sweet Baboo. My mom used to call me that and I think it's a Charlie Brown reference.

We are hurtling toward age 2 faster than a speeding tantrum, and we've been navigating some time out situations. You haven't had to spend much time in purgatory, yet. You have been saying "Yes" more often and I love to hear that word after so many months of "No." Your favorite book right now is The Elephant and the Bad Baby, which was one of my favorites when I was little (which is why your Auntie M bought it for you). You laugh when we read it because that Bad Baby is pretty funny, and your favorite picture is at the end, when everyone gets to eat pancakes, even the Elephant. Speaking of pancakes, you love to eat yours with jam.

Um, we're going to need some more jam over here.

At dinnertime, you like to eat what we eat (usually), and you like to say "Cheers!" and clink your cup against our glasses. And then you say, "More Cheers!" and we do it again.



You and Daddy are becoming good friends. Not that you weren't already, but I have been in the Number One spot for a long time now, and you are starting to realize that your daddy is pretty cool. You and he were playing with your blocks the other day, and you were telling him all of the words for the pictures on the blocks. He thinks you are amazing. You are the reason he works so hard, and you are the reason his eyes sparkle when he gets home. Sometimes he looks at me, shakes his head, and says, "How did she get so cute? Where did she come from?"

Sometimes I think Daddy is more fun than I am. For one thing, he gives you rides around the house in the laundry basket.

Who will push me?


Daddy will! Vroom!

You love to go to dance class, although you still prefer to watch the other kids before jumping in. You remember things from class and do them at home. Last week you got to hold a pretty leaf in each hand and pretend to be a tree, growing tall, swaying in the breeze, and shaking your leaves. You are an adorable little tree. Today, you spent most of class running back and forth in front of the mirror, with your tongue out, like so:


The best night of the week is when your Aunties and your Uncle P come over to play with you and eat dinner with us. You shriek with joy when they walk in the door. Last weekend was Auntie A's birthday, and you have been singing "Happy Birthday" ever since. I have stopped counting your words because you have well over 100 and I can't keep track anymore. Your best new word is "Awefum," otherwise known as "Awesome."

You are an affectionate little one and it makes my heart melt when you give hugs to your friends and family. You like to hold your cousin's hand when you walk together.

My life would be so dreadfully, painfully dull and lonely without you. I am so lucky to have you. You will always be my baby.

Love,
Mom.