Thursday, December 27, 2012

Free Dora

Dear Elle,
You are intensely focused. Yesterday we took you to NYC with Nana and Papa and on the way home on the train you were so good, so very involved in your iphone, you didn't move a muscle, you just played with your phone like all the businessmen around you. The man sitting next to you said you were much better behaved than most adults he usually sits next to.

The other day we were Christmas shopping and you were getting bored so I gave you a Dora doll to hold. This Dora was in a box with her neck and legs strapped in with little plastic rings. Just a few seconds after I gave you the box you looked at her and said, "Mommy, get scissors." How did you know that scissors were what you needed? You have never even seen scissors! I just stood there looking at you just in awe of what you know. And you just sat there in the cart looking back at me probably wondering why I wasn't getting you the scissors.

Love,
Mama

Sunday, December 16, 2012

20 Months

Dear Elle,
Yesterday you turned 20 months old. Today is Saturday and it's also Grandpa's birthday and we are going to meet everyone out for dinner tonight. This morning after a long walk in the stroller (where we met a beautiful Great Dane named Savannah who licked your face and made you laugh) we made him a big green card with stickers and you colored all over it. We just had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and apples and then I rocked you for a bit and you went right down for your nap. You were very tired.

This month your language has grown so much! Everyday you say something that I didn't know you knew about. The other day you were sitting on the couch watching Bubble Guppies and Dora rolled off and you said, "Oh God, no!" and then jumped down to get her. You like to add a little element of drama to keep things interesting. You know all of your animal sounds and yesterday you started saying, "Ribbit!" when you see frogs and it's adorable. You can also count to 10 and know all your colors and letters and shapes. We went to Grandma's on Friday to make Christmas cookies and you had your first gingerbread and you were very happy about that. Since then you have said gingerbread at least a hundred times, and even when Grandma was spelling it to me, you knew what she was saying. "Gingerbread?" you asked with your eyebrows raised and your little hands out.



You now think Grandma's name is "Gamma House".  So that's what you call her no matter where we are. She did finger-painting with you last week and when she squeezed the paint on the paper she started saying, "ooooooh oooh" and now that is how you think finger-painting is done, by swirling your fingers all in the paint saying "oooooh ooooh" the entire time. And when you want to talk about Grandma you call her "Ooooh Gamma House". Like that's her name.

Last night we went to an Elf Party at Auntie Julie's sisters house and you wore your red and white striped feety pajamas and you ate more gingerbread and Julie gave you cotton candy which you didn't know what to do with so you threw it on the ground. I think maybe you thought it was a cotton ball. (When you are older you will know how silly that was because cotton candy is like fluffy delicious gold.) When we got home it was past your bedtime and I went to get you out of the car and I was trying to carry you and a lot of bags and I told you to "Hang onto Mommy" and you said, "I gotcha!" which you clearly don't know what that means because you weren't holding on at all. I couldn't believe you said that, because I had never heard you say that before and it was such a grown up thing to say.

You can also make sentences and ask questions and have conversations. You like to get right to the point.  The other day you were pointed to your toes saying, "this little piggy" and then I asked you what the little piggy did and you said, "wee home."

Next week is Christmas and it's going to be so much fun. Mommy and Daddy bought you a little wooden cradle for your babies that Mommy is going to paint white and make bedding for.  We got you an easel to paint on and a little Elmo and some books and clothes. We went to see Santa at Stew Leonard's last week and you were fine to watch him from the line but once we got up close you were so screaming mad that you would not sit on his lap, you kicked and screamed. Good thing Santa does not hold grudges.

Love,
Mommy