Greetings Little One

A social butterfly? I would’ve never guessed.

I dropped you off at Thomas’s house today, little one. It’s the third consecutive weekend that I have dropped you off for a play date. Knowing that Mommy is on bed rest, people have been kind enough to offer to take you off our hands for a few hours so I can get some things done.

What has shocked me the most about these play dates is your willingness to go. When I dropped you off today, you never even bothered to say goodbye. Quick as a flash, you and Thomas had taken off for the backyard, leaving me in the dust.

It’s frankly unbelievable. My tentative, shy, overly-attached daughter is no more. 

Now you constantly talk about your desire to sleep over a friend’s house, as if this idea is completely normal and fully expected. You still sleep in a crib, little one, but you’re already more than ready to spend the night without Mommy or Daddy at someone else’s home.

Today you were even discussing a “rattle date.” This is (according to you) a play date with your friends’ baby brothers and sisters. Your plan is to invite them all over to the house so that you can share your old baby rattles with them.

It’s true that while you are at school, you still gravitate towards playing by yourself and are often stubborn about participating in group activities (Mommy seems to think this is the result of my genes), but you also have this surprising social side that I never thought we would see. It’s truly amazing.

Probably Mommy’s genes asserting themselves. 

Either way, I’m so glad, little one. Watching you run around the side of that house today with your little friend, screaming with excitement, was a joy to behold.

Not an apatosaurus. Or a brontosaurus.

You and I were looking at an image of a dinosaur today, little one.

“It’s an apatosaurus,” I said, though I wanted to say brontosaurus, since that is what it was called when I was a kid.

“No, Daddy,” you said. “It’s a brachiosaurus.”

“No, it’s not,” I said.

“Yes, Daddy. It’s a brachiosaurus.”

And you were right. I looked closer, and it turns out that it was a brachiosaurus. Whatever a brachiosaurus is.

You really like dinosaurs, little one. You really, really do.

 

Food and a book

You’ve always loved dinner and a little entertainment, little one.

Nani is always happy to oblige.

   

Clara and Mommy

I love this image of the two of you, little one.

Clara and Kaleigh

For the record, little one, your relationship with Kaleigh has improved considerably since you were first born.

Part of this is the result of your understanding of what you can and can’t do around Kaleigh.

Part of it is the training that we have received from the behaviorist.

Part of it is Kaleigh’s increasing trust in you as you grow older.

You love Kaleigh, and I suspect that Kaleigh is beginning to love you, at least as much as a dog can love a person who does not feed it or walk it.

This makes me very happy, little one.

Fostering disobedience

You and Ella were playing upstairs, little one.

I was sitting on the stairs, listening to be sure that you didn’t jump out of a window or set your underwear on fire.

You asked Ella to take off her shoes so she could jump on the bed with you.

“My mommy said I have to leave my shoes on,” Ella said.

“But your mommy isn’t here,” you replied.

Corrupting the young, little one? I was both horrified and a little proud of you in that moment. 

Playing under the tree

          

Will she be asking to meet for coffee next?

As I kissed you goodnight, little one, and exited the bedroom, Mommy offered to sing her customary song before following me downstairs.

“No, Mommy,” you said. “No song. Let’s talk.”

“You want to talk?” Mommy asked, unsure if she had heard correctly.

“Talk to me for a while, Mommy,” you requested.

Did my little girl just take her first tiny step toward womanhood?

Go to bed (in a whisper)

Two days ago you took a rather hard lined (and hilarious) approach to the animals in your book while putting them to bed.

Just one day later, your position had eased considerably.

Go to bed!

Our new favorite video, little one.

It involves you and a book, of course.