Love Letter to an 11 Month Old

Dear Peanut,

Today you turned 11 months old. This month has been the most exciting as far as developmental milestones. You went from crawling all over the place to wanting to hold my hand while you walked all around the house. You have also become very good at standing AND peeing on books. (we will leave the latter for another time.) You have also started speaking to communicate.

Your interaction with us has increased considerably. You have always though it was funny when your dad or I stole you pacifier and sucked on it. Now, when we give it back to you, you try to put it back in our mouths. Unfortunately, your coordination is not as good as your heart, and we generally end up with the side of the pacifier in our eye.

Part of your bedtime routine is to brush your teeth after your bath. I start out brushing your teeth with your tooth brush. You try to take over by snatching the tooth brush from me to brush your own teeth. I grab my toothbrush and brush my teeth with you. Generally, you decide that you like my toothbrush better and steal it from me to brush my teeth. The end of a toothbrush is a lot more dangerous than the end of a pacifier. It hurts to get stabbed in the side of the mouth with a toothbrush, but I let you try anyway. I let you try because I love you, and I love seeing the smile spread across your face when you think that you are doing a good job. (although, all bets are off if I catch a toothbrush in my eye). The whole process ends with me spitting into the sink. You making fake spit noises and smiling proudly as if you just won the race.

I received a phone call from my father today saying that my grandmother had passed away. She was your last remaining great grandparent living 95 years. She, like the rest of your great-grandparents, never met you. All of them would have been proud of you and swarmed all over you. (and I would have gotten a recliner from Grandpa Claude). Our grandparents are a treasure and no matter how sick they are, they are missed when they are gone. I hope you get the opportunity to know your grandparents as an adult. The relationship is different and so much more rich than when you are a child.

I love you, Peanut. This will be the last letter I write to you as a baby (although you will always be my baby). The next one will be to a one year old, and then, before i know it, a 30 year old. Already you eat everything we do and are learning to assert yourself for conversation. "They" were right when "they" said it all happens too fast.

love,
your mum