Mamazen

SEVEN

My darling, amazing Ruby,

Today you are seven. SEVEN years old. I know this line is getting old but... how does this keep happening? Just yesterday you were this tiny wonder peering out at me with deep blue eyes and now you're this outstanding kid who laughs heartily, plays hard and loves with every fiber of your being.

It's absolutely amazing how much you've matured in the past year, in the past six months even! Six months ago you were a sensory mess, and this week you've handled most transitions with ease and grace.

Since our last letter you have:

Lost some teeth

Gained some teeth

Played in the snow

And played in the river

You've worn some cool outfits

and taken countless hikes

You've befriended slugs and worms and bugs.

And you've taken a few rides on daddy, even though you weigh 55lbs.

You've done some gardening, including planting sunflowers and mowing the lawn

You've done some writing

You've had playdates that always seem to involve swings

And you love pushing your baby sister in the swing

Speaking of your baby sister, you never, ever miss an opportunity to kiss her and tell her you love her, and you even refer to her as "my best friend." This never ceases to bring me to tears. 

Your cousin Kelcie took you on a date to see Cinderella and you LOVED it. 

You've picked strawberries and raspberries

And one million and three dandelions.

You've done some sewing with Nana

Painting and car building with Daddy

and pancake making with Grandma

You've spent the last week with your cousin Karsen and are having the best time with him.

My darling amazing girl, you are SEVEN. I don't have words to describe the wonderful person that you are. You are joy and hilarity. Poop jokes and snuggles. Laughter and challenge. Because of who you are, I am a better me. I have been forced to rise up on more than one occasion when I would have rather laid down. You've taught me patience, and reminded me that I'm human and make mistakes... sometimes very big ones.  You made me a mama, then you made me a mama bear. You healed my heart of ancient wounds and laid on top of them a balm that would protect me from anguish. Every day you make me laugh, tell me you love me and show me the world in ways I would never have seen without your eyes. You are the reason I'm here.

Happy, Happy Birthday my sweet sweet love. My wish is that seven brings you so much triumph and happiness, but the truth is, I know that inside and out and you ARE triumph and happiness. Thank you for choosing me to be your mama. Thank you for giving me the gift of motherhood and the ability to mother YOU. Thank you for bringing your baby sister into your heart without question and for loving her with such fierceness. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 
I love you with more of my heart than I ever knew exisited.

xoxoxo Mama 

10 months

My dear sweet Lucy,

You are now 10 months old, and of course I'm writing this letter late. But it's because we were at a cabin with your Grandma and Uncle Kurt and Aunt Katy and your cousins Karsen and Karver.  It was a trip to celebrate your daddy turning 40 and father's day all in one. It was beautiful and fantastic and so much fun!

You love your grandma so much! It takes you a while to let anyone but mama or daddy hold you but then when you do you unleash lots of sweetness.

Two things you love: swinging and your sister. And she loves you SO much.

You are breathtakingly beautiful. I know I'm biased, but seriously, anyone who doesn't agree is clearly blind. Your eyes are this deep dark chocolate brown that just peer into my soul and make my heart sing with joy.

You LOVE other babies, mostly you just like to look at them and screech, but it's so cute when you do!

Your biggest cousin Kelcie graduted from Nursing school and we're all SO proud of her. When I was graduating from high school she was just a wee tot like you, and when she was graduating from high school we were waiting for your big sister Ruby to be born, so it's like we've come full circle!

You were born with a tongue tie and a lip tie (this is where the tissues in your mouth don't fully separate so it makes things like nursing and talking difficult). We had your tongue tie released when you were wee, but your lip just got more cumbersome so we had it done this month. Because you're an older baby, I decided to have you sedated a bit. You were quite funny on drugs. 

You've only met two foods you don't like, applesauce and pears. Weird, I know, but you're allowed to be weird. You've also started signing. The only sign you do is 'MORE' but we're working on "milk" and "all done!" Currently when you're all done, you just toss the food on the floor which is totally cool because you're a baby but since I don't like mopping all that much we'll try the sign too. I'm sure you toss things on the floor because it's fun too, but like I said, you're allowed to be weird.  When you sign "more" and we get you more food you are SO stoked that you've communicated with us... it's so rad!

You've started LOVING bathtime. I'm SO glad too because your sister LOVES water and it would suck to not see you two playing in the water together. She's the reason you love bathtime, actually. One day I put you in the sink and she started pouring water on your arms and trying to make you laugh and you realized it wasn't torture. She's pretty magical, your big sister. 

 You and Ruby love hanging out together. She loves to make you laugh and you love to watch her every move. I keep thinking she will spurn you to crawl, but you're still pretty content to just watch and army crawl slowly to where you need to be. I love it when you are playing and she finds her way to you and just colors or sits with her head in your lap while you yank her hair out. Oh sisterly love!

you've been hanging out with your baby cousin Karver. He's only 3 months old so you are showing him how to do stuff like sit up and laugh and clap. He is showing you how to sleep, but you don't seem to think that's a valuable life skill. 

You also decided to show him this one. But right after you did it you FREAKED OUT and haven't done it since. Silly girl. 

You've also started clapping this month and it's beyond adorable. You just get SO excited when you do it, or when someone claps with you. Ruby likes to do patty cake patty cake, and then yell "surprise!" and you just giggle and giggle. 

My dear sweet Lucy, I cannot believe you are 10 months old. TEN MONTHS. Getting closer to your first birthday every day. It's all happening so very fast, and yet every day is beautiful and magical and a delight. You are such a sweet sweet soul and you bring so much joy to those around you. I love rocking your sweet little body to sleep as you nurse till your belly is full and then you lay back, close your eyes and drift into oblivion. Holding you close to me fills my heart with so much joy and completeness. I cannot believe our family ever existed without you. Even on the hardest days, or the most sleepless nights, you bring happiness and love. I didn't think I could love more than I love your sister and then you came along and my heart grew 3 sizes. Thank you for coming into my life and making our family more amazing. I could not love you more, and yet every day I do. 

All of my love, Mama