Happy Halloween

Dear Lady Bug,

We took you to the "No Scare Fair" last Saturday. I know you wouldn't really understand Halloween. The joys of getting a full sized Snickers bar and grape Now and Laters but I wanted to socialize you. I put on your black undershirt and squeezed you in black tights because I couldn't put on your Lady Bug costume and strap you into the carseat. It was too padded.

I dressed you in your outfit when we arrived in the backseat. All the little children came to talk you to and you ate it up. You have always loved other children.



You loved looking at all the black and orange balloons. Since you are crawling, you want to get down and explore things. I took you to the stage where other children were dancing and showing off their costumes and you got to explore and do the crawl/rock to the music.



You met a little friend, she was adorable in her Minnie Mouse costume and you two matched with your black and red costumes. She loved to hold on to your antenna.



We took a few pictures with you before we left. Instead of candy, your Halloween treat was going to the chinese restaurant. Your very favorite food right now is tofu from my Hot and Sour soup. You are a Mama's girl and I hope you'll always choose tofu over Twix in the future.





Happy Halloween, my little Love Bug,
Mama

Crossing the Line

Dear Crawling Chloe,

I have been worrying that you weren't crawling well yet, you'd scoot; mostly backwards. When you were up on all fours, rocking back and forth and see me, you'd belly flop on the floor and paddle your arms like you were swimming. Then, you'd start to whine and I'd come to your rescue and bring you the toy you wanted. You let the cat out of the bag the other evening.

I was preparing dinner in the kitchen and you were in the living room watching beloved Baby Einstein. I heard the program end and the 20 seconds later, I heard a crash. I didn't hear you cry after the crash so I got scared. I thought you pulled a heavy candle off the coffee table and it knocked you out. Normally, a loud crashing sound would make you cry. I ran into the living room and what did I find? You, pulling out all the Baby Einstein DVDs from the TV stand and trying to push buttons on the DVD player. You saw me watching you and belly flopped to the floor and did the carpet swim. You were found out, caught Baby Einstein handed. The only way you got over there was by crawling and you knew I had your number.

For the rest of the day, I didn't come to your rescue when you wanted a toy or to move to a different part of the house. You started crawling within an hour because you had no other choice, I was not going to be your personal Fido and fetch everything for you because I knew you could do it.

You have started crawling after me. When you reach me, you'll grab ahold of my pant leg and pull yourself up. I walked across the foyer the other evening and you stopped in your tracks.



You'd only been crawling on the carpet and when you saw the hardwood floor, it blew your mind. You looked at the hardwood floor for about five minutes when you finally dared to touch it you let out a squeal; like you were a pig that got shocked by an electric fence.



This went on for ten minutes or more. The fear of crossing the line, that cold, hardwood floor. I was determined to work through this with you too so I went to the other side of the foyer and clapped my hands and called you.



You thought about it for long time, smiling at me, squealing with frustration. I promised the floor wasn't going to bite you. Then, I broke out the big gun, your monkey that whistles cat calls to you. While Jeremy tempted you with the monkey, I was able to capture you crossing the line for the very first time. Way to go Chloe!



I'm so proud and love you so very much,
Mama

Pancake Breakfast

Dear Blueberry Baby,

It was a chilly morning so I decided to make us pancakes. I'm not a big breakfast fan, maybe because I serve hundreds of bacon and egg plates during the week. I promised myself before you were born I would try my best to make sure you didn't become a picky eater. I do not want you to become a child that will only eat Cheerios, goldfish and chicken tenders.


I feel like I have been successful thus far. You have eaten everything I have put before you or placed in your mouth. You love the tofu I pick out of my Hot and Sour soup. I even gave you some broccoli but it wasn't soft enough. You tried your best to gum it down but you weren't successful. Instead, you tucked it away in your cheeks like a hamster until I fished it out. This week, you have eaten oatmeal with raisins and apples, chicken noodle soup, fried shrimp, beef stew and chicken and dumplings. Tonight, you'll try some cod and potato cakes. You haven't turned your nose up to anything I've offered.

The blueberry pancakes were a huge hit. You ate an entire medium sized pancake. You shoveled the pieces I tore up into your mouth as fast as you could. You really enjoy feeding yourself. I have had to learn how to relax and not be so obsessed with cleanliness since I have started allowing you to experience self feeding. Life can be messy and it may take ten minutes to clean you and the high chair up after your pancake feast but it's worth it. I get to watch you learn while you happily shovel food into your mouth. These are the moments I'll never forget, all your "firsts". I'd buy a pressure washer to clean the high chair just to watch you experience and enjoy life.







I love you, little pig-pig,
Mama

Thursday at the Park

Dear Doughy Chloe,

I took you to the park last Thursday. It was the first time you sat in a REAL swing. You loved it. I would grab your feet when you'd swing toward me and you'd squeal with delight.







I think you will talk before you walk. You have started to say "Ma Ma" and "Ba Ba". The first time it happened, I was changing your diaper and I repeated, "Ma Ma" back to you. Your eyes got as big as saucers because you realized you can communicate with me.

When I brought you home on Friday from the babysitter's, you were hungry. So, I put you in the high chair and gave you some yogurt bites while I prepared your bottle. You must have been thirsty because you banged your first on the high chair tray and said, "Ba-Ba! Ba-Ba!" It wasn't working fast enough for you so you screamed, "MA-MA, BA-BA!"

We were sitting on the couch last night together and Jeremy was tickling my neck so I let out a squeal. You thought this was hysterical and you squealed back. I thought it was a fluke, so I squealed again, changing the tone. Once again, you squealed back using the same tone. So we played a sing-song squealing game for awhile, mimicing each other. Hopefully, I can get Jeremy to get a video of it.

I love you, my little parrot,
Ma-Ma, the Ba-Ba maker

Breaking Out of Your Shell

Dear Baby Snail,

You are no longer the baby that would lay on a playmat or sit in your swing. You are ready to take on the world and are breaking out of your shell. You want to explore and try to taste everything. You are better at communicating what you want or need. Lately, you'll open up your arms and hold them up to me when you want me to take you. It breaks my heart when I have to leave you at Mrs. Y's some mornings. When I drop you off and walk away to leave for work, you'll frown, cry and hold out your chubby little arms complete with your jade bracelet begging me to take you.

Your cousin had a pool party this weekend. I decided to put on my swimming suit and take you swimming since you love the bath so much. You acted like the little mermaid. You looked like you were really trying to swim. You'd paddle your arms and kick your legs. I think I see the swim team in your future. You've always loved the water since you were able to get into the bath. You got too brave and dunked your face into the pool water and got water up your nose. This really scared you and I worried it would make you fear water. You're brave and fearless though. The next night at bath time, you were ready to swim again. I really struggle to keep you on your back in the tub. You want to flip to your belly and do the freestyle.


You are an eating machine. Stage two baby food isn't enough anymore. It's too runny, you open your mouth and want me to pour it down your throat. Even though you still don't have teeth, you can chew. I've started to puree our dinner into a chunky mush and feed it to you. Last night, you had pork chops, sweet potatoes and green beans. Jeremy fed you the mush and you let out a shriek when he scraped the bowl to give you the last bite. I'm going to make you a chicken stew tonight. I know it will taste way better than that jarred stuff.

You read people well. You have a keen awareness of good and bad. Maybe you can feel unconditional love. You light up when Jeremy comes home. He knows how to play with you and make you laugh. The other morning, I asked him to keep an eye on you while I was taking a bath. I didn't hear you cry or whimper the entire time I was bathing. I thought that you got fussy and he took you outside so I could enjoy my private time. When I walked into the living room, you were fast asleep in his arms. He makes you feel loved and safe.

You are becoming a big girl. When we took you out to lunch, you were so proud of yourself when you sat in the high chair.



You pounded your chubby fists on the table demanded food. When the plates came out of the kitchen, you grabbed for them. You know all about eating now. I got some spicy ground beef but Jeremy had rice and beans on his plate. He shared his food with you and then you were wrapped. The way to your heart is through your stomach.


When we went to the grocery store, Jeremy wanted to carry you. This was another new experience because normally you are strapped to me, in your sling. As he walked through the store, I would turn around and see you in his arms and you shined like a Christmas tree. You watched me fill the cart with food and took in the world around you from another perspective. It was a new experience for me too because I have been used to caring for you all on my own. It is nice to watch you being loved by others'. It's nice to have help. It's nice to feel like a family. Maybe you sense my happiness and this is the reason why you have taken such a liking to him too.

I'm looking forward to all the fun times ahead, in a couple of weeks, we'll celebrate your first Halloween. I can't wait to dress you up in your costume.



I love you, my growing girl,
Mama

Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart

My Sweet Baby,

You are the joy in my heart. When I work over the weekend and you stay with MawMaw, I miss you so much. I feel like we've been separated for weeks. When I picked you up yesterday, you were sleeping on MawMaw's chest. I looked at you sleeping peacefully and noticed how much you have grown. Your face is changing, it's no longer the squished up newborn face. You are developing the finer features, your eyebrows are coming in, your eyelashes are very long and I think I see a little dimple in your chin. I wanted to scoop you up and kiss you to death but I left you alone to catnap on MawMaw.

I ordered a jade bangle bracelet from China for you a few weeks ago. It arrived last week. I had a hard time getting in on, I had to grease up your hand. Now, I'm scared to try to get it off. It fits you perfectly, (you are Chloe Jade!) and you don't seem to mind wearing it. Sometimes, you will bang your bracelet on mine and I say, "WonderTwin powers activate!"

It's so much fun to watch you learn and figure out how stuff works. There was a huge consignment sale in town last week and I found you a turtle rocking chair and a sing along stage with a mirror. You have always enjoyed looking at yourself in the mirror so this toy was a big hit.





I love Halloween and I can't wait until next year when I can take you trick or treating. This year, I dressed you up and took you to a local farm for some pictures. The only thing you were interested in was the hay on the ground because it made crinkly noises. You tried to eat the hay and I told you that hay was for horses and goats. You tried it anyway and figured out all on your own it's wasn't as yummy as the Beechnut Raisin and Granola breakfast.







I love you sweet girl,
Mama