My Darling Mabel June,
You are 22 months old and SO VERY FEISTY and so very smart. You are participating in a study about premature infants and low birth weight infants and executive function (how well your brain works). You went at 6 months and were behind on many things, which wasn't a surprise because you were still so tiny and trying to figure out how it all works. This time, you went (20 months adjusted) and you rocked their socks off. Not only were you doing all the tasks for a child your age, but you were completing tasks that weren't expected till the 3 year check in. You did one test that entailed putting pegs in holes, and the first time you did it in 40 seconds, the second time in 24 seconds. A 3 year old should be able to do it in 30. WOWZA, I think you are going to show us all that you were right on time when you showed up 6 weeks early. The only things you WEREN'T doing ahead of time was jumping with two feet ( you are trying!) and walking backwards (you did it the next day).
You've taken to riding this little plastic horse, it's quite hilarious.
We took your sisters bowling right before school started. You were NOT happy that you couldn't actually bowl. But you did like dancing to the loud music.
One night you refused to go to sleep till 11:30 pm. You instead worked out how magnets work, including positive and negative. It was cute, but GO TO SLEEP.
We went on a fantastic camping trip with Augie, Gretchen and Kerry. You love them SO much (especially Augie - AUEEEEEE) and asked to see him every time we were back at our own camp. You played in an ice cold river and ran and hiked and sat by the fire like a big kid.
Lucy was a little braver about getting IN the water but you liked floating in the duck pool!
Most nights you wake up and crawl into my bed like this. Thankfully we have a king sized bed so I still have some place to sleep.
We discovered an ice cream truck not too far from home, and started walking there every Friday after school.
You liked chocolate. And strawberry.
You also like PeeWee Herman. Every time you see a red bike you say "Herman?" and when we put it on netflix you get SO excited. I'm not excited that you like watching movies with your sisters and you are not yet 2, but being the 3rd kid you are exposed to much more stuff than they were just because you hang out with them. It's ok, I'm pretty sure your brain will survive.
You know SO many words. More words than Lucy knew at 22 months and she talked a LOT. One of the cutest new words is "Pi-Ate!" for pirate. I had NO idea what you were shouting from your car seat one day, "Sti-kuh! Pi-ATE!" over and over until Ruby pointed out that you had a pirate sticker from Trader Joes on your window. :)
You found some girly ribbons in a drawer, you were not impressed.
You do however LOVE this owl dress, which is awesome because I love it too.
You spent your first few nights away from me, and you did great. Your nana was sick and in the hospital and I went to stay with her. It was hard for me because I missed you and your sisters so much, but we FaceTimed every day, once you even shared your french fries with me though the phone. I worried that you wouldn't want to nurse when I came back but you are a true boob lover and were right back at it within 5 minutes of me being home. "MILT! MILT! Minute?" is how you ask when I am trying to put you off so I can do something else. It's quite cute.
You are SUCH a joyous child. You laugh with such depth and you truly enjoy making others happy. Your silliness and smiles can light up the darkest days. You also get MAD like no other (not yet)2 year old I've ever met. You clench your fists and scream at me with the look of FURY in your eyes, but still, I can't help but laugh (inside, not at you, I promise). Even when you are raging mad you are still pretty cute.
You desperately want to be a big kid, you even try to hold a pencil like a big kid and do homework.
You have taken a keen interest in dressing yourself. You tell me "NO!" about most clothes offered each day, and have to pick out which hoodie you wear. You don't seem to have a color preference, I think you just like being in charge. Some days you pick out hilarious outfits like wearing two swim diapers and carrying a sword. Rock on little Pi-ate.
Now that Lucy is in school four days a week, we have two mornings where it's just the two of us. Sometimes we meet friends for walks or coffee, and sometimes we just stay home and do housework and take naps. Either way I love solo time with you. You are so sweet and funny, even when you're making more messes than I can clean up!
My darling Mabel June, every morning you wake me up (and often multiple times in the night but NO YOU ARE NIGHTWEANED NOW, GO BACK TO SLEEP) asking for 'MILT!' and kissing me on the face. Even when I am so tired, I am thankful every day that you are a part of our family. There were many days 12 years ago when I questioned if I would ever even BE a mother, and now here I am the mother to THREE amazing kids, and one of them is YOU.
All my heart, Mama
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