Month 22

Dear Elle,

This week you turned 22 months old. I just rocked you to sleep for nap time and you made me sing Baby Beluga like 42 times. Each time I thought you were asleep, I'd start singing softer and slower until I wasn't singing, but you would pop your little head up off my shoulder, look square into my eye and scream "Baaabby Belllugaa!"  and then laugh like a maniac and kick and then settle right back into my neck and breathe your little warm air puffs onto my skin. You are funny. And now Mommy needs a nap, too.

You do this thing in your crib, where you stand on your head and put both your feet up on the top railing of the crib, and then kick one leg straight up to the sky. You do this all the time, stand on your head. The other day I went to get you up in the morning and not only were you upside down but both 'The Doras' were also standing on their heads leaning against the side of the crib. I think you are training acrobats in there.

We have had a lot of snow this month, some parts of Connecticut got over 3 feet, so after we went out to "shobel" we have been staying inside and doing crafts like finger painting and play dough and baking and you still love to put your blankey over your head and run around laughing as you almost (and sometimes) bang into things. You are getting very independent and if I try to help you with something you get very frustrated and scream, "no!" and you peel my hands off of whatever it is that you want to do by yourself. Sometimes when you have yogurt and you want me to let go you start squeezing it and yogurt goes everywhere, even in both of our hair. You know exactly what you want and you are the first to tell me if I am doing it wrong. That is a wonderful quality in an almost 2 year old. (Remind me to teach you about sarcasm someday.)

We have this area of the counter top next to the stove that has a few baskets with lots of stuff that we don't have anywhere to keep, like crayons and tape and glue and magazines and stickers and some snacks and you always want to get up there and look through the stuff.. the other day, you were climbing up Daddy's legs and pointing over there so Daddy picked you up and said, "do you need something?" and now you think that area of the house is called, "something"... it's so funny. You point over there and try to drag us to it, saying, "something! something!"...

Daddy and I took our first trip without you, we went to California to go snowboarding with our friends Ali and Reid. You stayed at Grammahouse and I think you got just a little bit spoiled. Grandma set up the entire garage with toys for you, a tricycle with a Minnie Mouse helmet, a sand table, slide and there were balloons with Elmo and one that said, "It's all about me" .. which is very true. I think you tired each other out but Gramma loved having you sleepover.  Dad and I missed you so much. When we got home we celebrated Valentine's Day and dad bought you a gigantic pink puppy and Mommy got your a little pink backpack with your name on it. Our hearts have grown so much with you in our lives.
 
I can't wait to see what you are up to next.

Love,
Mommy

Month 21

Dear Elle,
Last week you turned 21 months. Sometimes I think you are almost 2, going on 15. You have started to understand the nuances of conversations and last week you made your very first joke. We were hanging around in the kitchen, you, daddy and me, and I was looking through the fridge for something to make for breakfast. I was asking you, "do you want eggy bread?  eggy bread,  egggggy bread?" You were playing with your little wheelie cars and weren't really paying attention to me, until you looked up and got this mischievous little grin on your face and said, "Eggy Mommy?" And then we laughed and laughed and Daddy said, "did you just make a joke?" and you were smiling so big. It was the best joke ever.

Okay. You have learned the word, "okay". And you use it all the time. When you want to watch your show on tv, you will say to me, "Bubble Guppies, Bubble Guppies, Buuuubble Guuupppies, Bubble GUPPIES, Buuuuuuuble Guppies..."  and then I'll say, "Oh, Bubble Guppies?" and you will say, "Okay.".... like I had suggested it and you are just going along with me because you don't want to rock the boat.


You learned how to play the drums, which is very impressive, being only 21 months old. Here is a little clip of your playing a song written and composed by you, entitled, "Hooray."

I love how you say "Horray, Mommy" in the beginning. It makes my heart melt.

You also learned how to jump and run really fast and kick and bounce a basketball and you can even read books, you are so smart. You turn the pages and say some of the words that you know and it's so wonderful how well you listen and how much you have learned.

Love,
Mama