3 month Newsletter

Dear Hudson,
Today, sweet boy, you are 3 months old. I remember when Trixie was little I thought that 3 months was such a milestone, the point where you left being an infant and ventured into being a real baby. I find that this is holding true for you too. You've started to show more of your personality, which is mellow and wiggly. Seems like a contradiction, right? But in reality you are a real go with the flow kind of guy. The only time you fuss is when you're hungry or have a wet diaper. Other than that, you take what life dishes you, which is mostly your sister right in your face. Luckily she loves you to pieces and is in your face showering you with slobbery kisses and information about various toys and books. She loves to show you things and I often hear "Yook Huh-son, yook!", and you oblige and look.
You've perfected your smile, which is pretty open mouthed, but you have the smiling with your eyes down. You are a great smiler. And recently you've started to giggle which is lovely. I find that you giggle the most in your sleep though, which is amusing.
This month we went to New Zealand so you could meet your Nana and Papa and you had a great time. The flight there and back was a breeze for you. Mostly you slept and ate, you spent some time flirting with the people around you, which amused me. I can see the fear in their eyes when they realize that they're seated next to a baby for a 13+ hour flight, but at the end of both flights I had a lot of compliments on what a "good"baby you were. (Trixie was a good toddler too, I"m such a lucky Mama.)
While in New Zealand you had a growth spurt and needed to eat a lot, so the stash of formula we took with us ran out sooner than we liked, luckily they have formula over there too! Now that we're home you've slowed down your consumption and are back to your 4 ounce bottles. Also you've gone the way of your sister and seem to have a dairy sensitivity. You are a super puker. Oh boy, there's a reason Daddy and I call you a Cheesy Boy, you produce lots of good quality cheese!
Also this month you've really started to study your hands and sometimes you'll notice your feet, but they're not nearly as interesting as your hands. When you are playing with your activity centre, you've started to purposely grab for the dangling toys to make them rattle or wrinkle. I suspect that soon you'll start holding things which will be nice!
You love to look around and are quite a people watcher, although you're not so fond of loud places, they stress you out a lot.
You are happy to be worn, but after our trip you're a little burned out on being worn too much, after all you were worn for a week straight when we were in Australia. I'm going to be happy when I can wear you on my back so I can get more chores done. You love to be held and are a mama's boy, so I sometimes find it challenging to get laundry folded when you are awake and want to play. Which is fine, playing with you is much more fun than folding laundry!
A week ago you had your 2 month check up, (which was late) and you are 30th percentile for weight (13 lbs) and 70th for length (24 inches), so right now you are long and skinny, we'll see what happens at your next check up, I know that these things change up a lot.
Your sleep is good. You sleep a solid 7 hours in a row at night, but you have to be swaddled to get this much sleep, other than that you wiggle yourself awake. You fall asleep best when you get to nurse to sleep and will reject a bottle to nurse, which warms my Mama heart.
My sweet boy, I am so in love with you, and I am so grateful for you!
love Mama.

26 Month Newsletter

Dear Trixie,
Today you are 26 months old!
The past month has been another busy one, with us adding more stamps to your passport! We went to New Zealand so Nana and Papa could meet Hudson. Then we went over to Australia so spend some time with one of Daddy's friends who's there to get his PhD in underwater robotics.
In New Zealand you had a great time with Nana and Papa. You enjoyed having a yard to play in and grandparents at your beck and call. We went to see lots of animals and you amazed us with your fearlessness as you were surrounded by sheep and llamas.
While we were there we celebrated Easter and you had a great time decorating eggs with crayons (becasue we couldn't find egg dying kits, let alone white eggs). The egg hunt consisted of a few "hidden" candies and eggs and mostly eggs and candies scattered on the floor for you to pick up. You had a great time, but the best part for you was following the "hunt" when I let you eat as many as you could shove in your mouth for a couple minutes. You had a great time, and we paid for it later when the sugar crash hit. Luckily you didn't get sick from all of the sugar that night and it didn't seem to lower your immune system for the rest of our travels.
In Australia we did lots of walking around and we got to the point where you refused to walk and insisted that Daddy carry you everywhere. This was a little trying, but we still had a great time. We went to the aquarium, the zoo and another wildlife place. You were in heaven seeing animals nearly every day!
People often ask how I was able to travel with a toddler and an infant and I always answer that you and your brother are so well behaved and happy children. Which is mostly true. You did have some hiccups along the way, we felt the effects of not sleeping in our bed and not being home in your familiar surroundings, but I think you did really good considering. We'll still do more travelling with you and your brother. We all had a great time.
Your vocabulary grew this month to include words like crocodile, kangaroo and "ANIMALS!" Your eating was sporadic, but I think it's more that we were on vacation and you didn't care to eat, or were too sleepy. So there isn't much to comment on that, although today you discoverd queso fresco and demanded a lot of it. Yesterday you asked for your own bowl of icecream "mine own icecream pwease" and you ate much of it, but today you suffered for it. I guess your little digestive system still doesn't like cow's milk, in any form. (except yogurt, you tolerate yogurt fine, yay for probiotics!)
You continue to show lots of affection for your brother. I sometimes worry that you're showing too much, because you can be a little rough, but it's all because you love him, and I can't get angry at you for that.
Now that you're two months into the "terrible twos", I am starting to see why it's called that. I'll never declare that you're terrible, but you do test your boundaries and have developed this lovely habit of selective listening. So to define boundaries we have you spend some time in a corner. I know that some people will doubt that you'll go to a corner when told, but you do. You may not stay in it as long as I'd like, but you go. We're working on it. But you are a good girl, and I am awfully lucky to have you!
I think you're really close to being properly potty trained during the day. In a showing of independance you don't go on your potty when I ask you, rather you wait until you want to go and you go on it. We haven't had an accident in a long time, but you do still spend some time in diapers. Sometimes I have to remind myself that you were potty trained at one time, but you opted to go back to diapers when you learned to walk, finding the potty to be too much time spent sitting still.
We're still cosleeping with you at night. You love to curl up against Daddy's or my backs at night and play with someone's hair. You would love to cuddle Hudson all night, but I worry that you're not aware of him enough to not suffocate him, so he sleeps on the other side of me, but in the mornings you get to spend some time with him. You'll cover him in kisses and be so happy that he's there.
I haven't talked about our morning routine much, but we've developed a fun one. After you wake up and wake up everyone else, we generally let you watch 20 minutes or so of TV so we can wake up, then you go and brush your teeth with Daddy, then you get a sticker for your "chart" and then you shower with Daddy, who, when done will get out, leave you in the shower and I'll join you so you get an extra long shower. You play with your ducks and letters in the shower and take pride on sitting on the drain so that the shower stall fills with water until Daddy or I scoot you off so that the water won't overflow. After the shower Daddy dries you off, you run about naked, laughing like a crazy girl then you ask for a pretty dress when we decide what you're going to wear. I do your hair and we go downstairs for breakfast. It's a longer routine than most I guess, but it's fun and you're happy for it. I used to worry that daily showers (and some baths at night) would dry out your skin, but it seems that you have oily skin like your daddy. We don't wash your hair every day, maybe only once every other week, but it gets wet down every day, I need it wet to help control your crazy curls!
All in all we have lots of fun with you.
You're such a delight.
love ,
Mama.

2 Months

Dear Hudson,
Today you turn 2 months old! We're celebrating your birthday by going to a Hangi in New Zealand! So technically today is the day after you turn 2 months since we lost a day on the trip over. But it's your 2 month birthday at home.
This past month has been fast! You've learned how to smile and you are a little stingy with them, but when you give them they are glorious! Just yesterday you found your hands and studied them for about 20 minuites.
You like to lay in your activity centre for about 5 minutes then you are all about the mama. It's sweet that you are so attached to me, we do a lot of babywearing so that I can get some things done.
You love to talk to me, and give me lots of coos and gurgles, and this is when I can best get a smile from you. Trixie loves to talk to you too, and you seem to enjoy her, you'll give her your attention and you don't seem to mind when she slathers you with kisses.
You're an awfully patient guy and only fuss if you're hungry, have a wet diaper or are too tired to put yourself to sleep. Luckily I can remedy all of these situtaions and you are back to your normal happy self.
Being as you're only 2 months old there isn't much to mention in your development and daily life. But my sweet little Mr. Mister, I love you so much! I say often how lucky I am to have your sister, but I am just as lucky to have you. Always know that you were worth all of the trouble we went to concieve you. You were worth every last needle, surgery and crazy making drug. I would have done it 100 times over, just to have you. I love you so much my sweet boy.
love,
Mama.

25 month newsletter

Dear Beatrix.
Today you are 25 months old, and I guess a lot of people would think that it's silly that I'm still counting your age in months, but I laugh at them and say at least I'm not counting your age in weeks!
This month you've been busy working on being a big sister and you've been doing a wonderful job. You've shown no jealousy towards Hudson, mostly you just want to hug and kiss him and do anything to be physically close to him. I feel bad that I have to pull you away from him so much, but he needs to breathe. I try to involve you in caring for Hudson, you like to "burp burp" him and you're an expert drool wiper and pretty good at wiping away spit up too. If I'm busy and he's fussing I can ask you to sing to him and you will, often an adorable rendition of Twinkle Twinkle or Happy Birthday. He's a lucky boy!
We've been working on the alphabet this month. You love to sing it, and have made up your own version which has a more direct route to zed. (We say zed, not zee.) ABC-QRS-Y-Zed. I bought you some foam letters which you play with in the shower. You like to stick them on the walls and group them by colour. You are getting good at identifying the letters though, and scoff at the numbers. However, you insist that 6 is 9 and are happy that the set has two 9s. (Which seems to be your favourite number.)
With your eating, I've realized that you are a social eater, you eat best when in a group. I'm seeing more and more how your personality is affected by your eating. The days you eat less you're a little more obstinate, so I'm learning how to get you to nibble on more things to keep your blood sugar up and you in a better mood! Of course you will always eat your body weight in berries, you love strawberries and blueberries and of course they both have some negative after effects. You favourite veggies this month were broccoli (but only the flower part) and carrots. You still love to dip everything so I work on making healthy dips for you, with hummus being your favourite. In the future look for some homemade ketchup and some pestos! A fun addition to your diet has been meat, you seem to love meatballs, so I make sure that I make them frequently for you. Today you happily ate up some dried figs calling them meatballs, and you would not let me call them figs.
You language continues to grow much faster than I ever anticipated. You can speak in full sentences and I love seeing you converse with your friends in sentences. It's like you're little people, not just babies anymore! It's pure craziness!
I love to listen to you have conversations with your dolls and toys, or just your running commentary on life around you. And you sing! A lot! If I wasn't already positive that you were a child of mine your made up songs prove it. I love how you just sing along to whatever is going on in your head. It's something your Daddy and I know you got from me.
Right now you are all about dresses and when I ask you what you'd like to wear you still answer with "pwitty dwess". And I love how in your pretty dress you will get down on the floor and play cars with your little boy friends.
This month you have entered the so called "Terrible Twos", I'm finding you are a stubborn child, but I notice that along with your stubbornness you can be reasoned with. I don't think you're terrible at all. I think you are a toddler who's just gone through a pretty intense life change, getting a new sibling and learning all about the world around you. Granted you try and test me as much as you can, but it's okay. I'm learning too. I'm learning how to pass your tests and still keep my sanity. We're working though it, and we're still as attached as ever. At night you sleep as close to me as you can get, and whenever you have a couple moments of down time during the day you make sure your sitting next to me or on me if I'm not holding Hudson. I love how you will just come and take your time with me when you feel you need it. I will always be available to you and I love you impromptu cuddles and loves.
I love you!
love Mama.

1 month newsletter

Dear Hudson.
My sweet little baby, you get your own letter! Today you turn one month old! You are a tiny little boy, but I love you so much! I wondered what it was going to be like to have 2 children and how I could possibly love another child as much as I love Trixie, I knew it would happen, everyone says it does, and you know, it's totally possible. I love you so much. You are so sweet. I can't help but compare you to your sister, you have the same temperament as her when she was a baby, and so I want more children. A friend commented today after watching how mellow you were for a couple of hours that it's no wonder that I want more children, considering how sweet and mellow my children are as babies. I agree. And if you're a toddler like your sister, I'll still want more children.
Your birth, while not everything I wanted, was still pretty empowering and I'm so glad that you made the entrance that you did.
Your first couple of days and nights at home were interesting. You learned that you can imitate a pterodactyl and that you are voracious. Daddy and I keep trying to apply the parenting model we used with Trixie to you, and you keep reminding us that you are your own person and that you will not always do things like her. We're taking notes and trying to keep up. It's a good thing that you're so patient with us!
We've decided to cloth diaper you, and I adore your bulky cloth bum. I've also started to potty train you, much to many people's chagrin. And my little love, you're taking to it! I'll put you on the potty and give you the signal and you try your hardest to go, and many times you do. Hurray! I try not to cheer too loud for you, because it scares you and then you stop peeing. (I learned this the hard way.)
You've taken to breast feeding and bottle feeding like a champ, and much like your Daddy you are a little boob man. You seem to love to breast feed, even if there's nothing there, you're happy to just comfort suck.
I think you're going to have blond hair and blue eyes and I am so happy that you have a little dimple in your chin.
You love to be held and prefer Mama over everyone else. You love baths and will float with nary a peep out of you.
You are an excellent sleeper, but you're a night owl, choosing late evening to be your super alert time, and you sleep away the whole morning and much of the afternoon.
Today I noticed that you flashed me an intentional smile and it was so beautiful. I can't wait to see more of them!
All in all, you're an amazing baby and while you've only been here a month, I can't believe how in love I am with you. I'm such a lucky Mama.
I love you sweet boy!
Love,
Mama.

24 month newsletter

Dearest Trixie.
Today you turned 2 years told! When I asked you this morning what today was you replied "Cake day!", so I asked again and you told me "Happy Happy cake day!" So yes my sweet girl, today was cake day, and we had delicious (guava) cake to celebrate your Happy Happy day.
2 years ago today you made me so happy by finally being born and turning me into a Mama, which has been the most gratifying transformation I could have ever asked for. I love being your Mama more than anything else ever! The past two years have been most amazing, and your Daddy and I have grown a lot and learned a lot about ourselves and who we were, who we are and who we're going to be. There have been a lot of changes in our lives. We've gone from a married couple to a family, and we bought our first home and now the most amazing, your Daddy is finally agreeing to sell his very non family friendly car so we can buy something that you can ride in legally! Hurray!
Now, while the past two years have changed life dramatically for your Daddy and I, the past month has changed everything for you! Nearly a month ago your baby brother, Hudson, was born, rendering you a big sister! Good thing you've taken to that role like the proverbial fish to water. You love your little brother, so much so that Daddy and I have to be careful and watch you closley to make sure you don't love him too hard. You ask constantly to hold him,kiss him, hug him and touch him. You share your toys with him and are quick to tell me that he's crying when he's upset, then you'll tell him: "it's okay baby, Mama knows, it's okay." You insist his name is Trixie's Baby and not Hudson, although sometimes you'll say that his name is Hudson and Trixie's Baby. You really are a great big sister and it makes me want to have many more children knowing that you'll be okay with it.
This month we bought you a trike and while you can't yet reach the pedals yet you will sit on it and walk it along with your feet, kind of like you would with a balance bike, and you can really get going with it like this. We are making sure you are safe and you always wear your helmet, which tickles you to no end. You love wearing your helmet, and sometimes you just want to wear it, even if we're not going out on your trike!
Physically you continue to fine tune your skills. You're able to jump with both feet, and we're working on standing on one foot. I often find you doing a tree pose (from yoga), complete by standing on one foot. I'm so proud that you can do this! You've also been working on your sommersault too, but please sweet girl, don't do them off of the couch. You'll get an ouchie. I remind you of this a couple times a day.
You can walk up and down stairs on your own, although you will ask for "up down" when Daddy or I are walking with you, which means that you want us to carry you. Generally you're okay with me telling you I can't, but sometimes you need me to. I guess you need the comfort, and I'll oblige. However if I am carrying Hudson you'll have to be happy with being carried like a football.
Your eating is the same, sporadic. I've realized that you're a social eater and apparently Mama isn't enough for you to eat infront of, you need a whole audience to tell you what a good eater you are. Pottying on the otherhand, you like to do in private. I'm glad to see that somethings are just naturally straight in your mind!
Your language skills are ever increasing. I find you often speaking to me in sentances and somehow you'll remember words and suprise me with them a few days later. You've started to sing, and have gone from singing tuneless, wordless songs to singing real songs. So far you favour Happy Birthday to you, Twinkle Twinkle, Old MacDonald and DoReMi. I love to listen to you sing. So we sing a lot. You warble like the most beautiful song bird....
I think you're starting to develop some fashion sense, and by fashion sense I mean you demand "pretty dress" nearly every day. Thankfully you're happy with any dress I pull out and I have outfitted your wardrobe with a lot of sturdy play dresses, many compete with leggings. You still love shoes and will ask for "pretty shoes" or more often boots, especially your rain boots. Your hair is getting so long that it's always in your eyes and you will let me clip it back with a hair clip, but sometimes you're a little naughty and pull it out, but you can seem to get it back in, try as you might. While I do love you in pig tails, I'm too picky and don't like it when they start to fall out, so I don't put them in your hair that often, because I constantly am redoing them to make them perfect. It's an issue I have, I'll work on it.
I've learned that you're a little bit of an imp in the house. You're growing so fast that I don't realize how far onto the counters you can reach and I keep forgetting to move things further back on the coutners so you can't reach them. Although you being the smart imp you are, will push the step stool up to the counter and reach what you want. It's good incentive for me to start keeping the counters clear so you can't get into anything.
Your favourite pasttime is still colouring. You also still love stickers and will colour and stick for a good long time. You still love your baby dolls and have started to breastfeed them, wrap them and coo to them like I do to your brother, whereas before you just put them to bed and gave them bottles. You also love your cars and blocks. I love that you don't seem to care what gender toys are meant for, if you like them, you'll play with them.
Trixie darlin' I think you're a pretty amazing toddler. I can't wait to see what the upcoming months hold for us.
I love you so much!
Love,
Mama.

23 month newsletter

Dear Trixie.
Today you turn 23 months and I think I will call the month that passed the month of the singing. Lately you have been singing a lot, and you're not always singing songs that everyone knows. I love how you just sing along to the soundtrack in your head! It lets me know that you're my daughter, since I'm known to do that at well, I just tend to be a little better at making up my own lyrics, but I know you'll learn that skill too. Your two songs that you love to alternate between if you're signing a song we know is Old MacDonald and Happy Birthday. Old MacDonald is mostly "moo moo der, moo moo der, yiyiyo" and Happy Birthday is "happy happy to you, happy happy to you" over and over. It's adorable! Your nonsensical songs are pretty cute too, you'll sing about noises you hear, random words you've heard, or you'll just make up a sting of tones and have fun with that. And you have the most adorable voice. So sweet.
With your play you've really been working on jumping with 2 feet and for the most part you have it. Your Daddy will stack some books or some foam tiles for you to jump off to practice and it's become a favourite game. Each jump is always followed with a Happy Dance, which has quickly become your little signature to punctuate whenever you're really happy. You've also mastered walking down stairs holding on a hand and walking up stairs pretty much unassisted. I'm sure you could do both unassisted, but I like your head whole, so I'll hold your hand for a little longer to ensure it stays that way.
You so want to be able to ride a bike and get frustrated when I tell you that you're too small. We did buy you a baby seat for Daddy's bike though, so you can go for "bi-hi-cle" rides. Of course we have a helmet for you, we've had it for a while because you love to just wear them. I think in a couple months we'll be able to get you a bike, your Daddy and I are debating on which kind to get you.
Christmas came and went this past month, and you got a kitchen which you love to play in. You'll make me soup or tea or all sorts of other concoctions, I always tell you they are delicious, but I don't think I'll make bread, fish and lemon soup any time soon! You were given more duplo which you play with, and a cute little farm toy that you adore and play with nearly daily. I think your favourite toy though is a Caillou doll that I gave you. He does a lot with you, and your favourite game with him is hide and seek, Caillou always hides in your kitchen's fridge! You treat your Caillou doll like a big brother to your baby dolls, he never rides in your toy stroller and he never gets bottles or the babying that your dolls do. I think it's interesting that you have these divisions for them. You still love playing with your baby dolls, it'll go in waves, some weeks you're all about them and others you're interested in other things more. I think you'll make a great big sister though. You do seem to be a natural nurturer, but please remember, no blankets on baby's head!
In terms of getting ready for your baby brother, you seem to be excited. You know where he is and Daddy and I have shown you lots of videos of Mamas roaring to get the baby out of their bellies and you're always excited to see the new baby, then you ask for more baby. I wonder if you'll ask for more brothers after you see this one? We've started working on you saying the baby's name so you'll be ready when he's born. So far you've had no trouble and you know his name and that he's your brother. Looks like everything will go smoothly when he comes, although Daddy and I understand you might have some little hiccups, and that's okay too.
In an effort to get ready for baby brother I decided to make an honest effort to potty train you, but it went really poorly. We've learned that you don't handle being badgered well about some issues and you get stressed, which is a natural response. I think we'll hold off until you show more readiness. For a few weeks you were traumatized by the potty and would get really upset if anyone suggested it to you, but you're getting over that and you'll ask to sit on the potty again, which makes me happy! We'll take it slow and I'll let you let me know when you're ready. I don't think you're far off and we all know it's not a race, so take your time.
Your eating is the same. I've noticed that you eat best in social settings. Your Berkan Grandparents were here and commented a lot that you were a good eater, and you did eat great around them, and lead me to notice that you eat well around other people. When it's just you and me, you're less interested. I can have the most amazing spread of food stuffs for you and you'll just sample a couple things and proclaim yourself done really soon. I do have the most success if you are given things to dip and if you can eat off of my plate. Your growth is good and you're healthy so I'm not going to worry about this either.
With your speech you're amazing. You pick up words and phrases so quickly and use them in context really well. I love to see how your language develops. You're also counting a lot more, you know a lot of the countries on a world map and you love to colour and use stickers. Our days are busy with these activities, counting books, looking at a map, colouring, stickers and other such toddler activities. Oh and we play with your friends a lot. You adore your little friends and they love you too! I'm glad that I've found us such a great mother's group, so that you and I both have lots to do during the days and we've both made such amazing friends.
So my little love all in all this has been a busy month for us. Our last together, just the two of us! I am sure the next few months will be crazy, but we'll still have fun!
I love you!
Mama.

22 month newsletter

Dear Trixie,
Today you turned 22 months old! So in two months you'll be 2 years old. That is so scary to Mama! I find it hard to believe that you're nearly two, which I know is a giant cliche, but I still see you as my little baby. Although by the time you turn two you'll have a little brother and everything will be different for you, however I am sure you will love it.
This month has been a busy one for you developmentally. You've cut 3 of your 4 canines, currently you are working on 2 of them, so sometimes you wake up at night a little grumpy, but you're always happy in the morning, and you also finally cut your 4th bottom tooth. It confirms that you have some funny crooked teeth on the bottom, but I have some hope that your big ones will come in a little straighter! Physically you are about the same size, but you are developing so much more with your motor skills. You love to run and will given any chance. You're trying your hardest to do two foot jumps, and sometimes you manage to get both feet off of the floor. You've learned to walk down stairs holding a rail or Mama's or Daddy's hand. I am sure that this is a late development, but it is all my fault. I am a little paranoid of you falling so I would always carry you, but now that I am so pregnant, I've had to let go a little and of course you were able to do it just fine!
Cognitively you're amazing. The other day we had the power go out briefly and then later in the day you were sitting in the kitchen as I made dinner and you kept telling me "4, 9, 4, 9, 4, 9", so I looked at the clock on the stove and it was flashing 4:19! So the next morning I showed you your number book and on a whim I asked you where the 4 was and you identified it, then the 9 and all of the other numbers! So it's become a game for you and I to point out numbers. Yesterday at a restaurant you showed us our number and told us it was 5, 1, and it was. Daddy and I are quite shocked that you've just decided to demonstrate your understanding of numbers. We've known for a while that you could count, but we didn't know that you could identify them by sight.
A few weeks ago Daddy hung up a giant wall map in your play area and you've been learning the countries of the world, so far you can identify: Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand, China and Brazil. It's a fun game for you, and you like to tease us, pretending to point to one country, only to change and point to the correct one.
In getting ready for Christmas this year I took you to see Santa and you were completely uninterested in him, then on our vacation to Southern California we tried with another Santa and again you were uninterested. The Santas assure me that it's a phase, and you'll soon be happy enough to see him. You will be happy to know that I didn't push him on you and there are no crying Trixie photos on Santa's knee.
Your vocabulary continues to grow as always. I've noticed that you've started to understand more abstract concepts. For example we were talking about some of your friends at a playdate and you were able to tell me who wasn't there, you used "not". "Not Tyler, not George...." It's interesting for me to see how your mind works. One day I gave you some dried kiwis and I watched you look at it, taste it and say to me: " Mama, not apple?" and I told you that it was kiwi, and you responded telling me that you had kiwi with Nana. I was shocked because you did, a year ago, and you haven't had kiwi since then. I wonder how far back you can remember, and for how long will you remember that trip to New Zealand a year ago. I guess we'll see when we go back there in a few months!
Tomorrow is Christmas and I hope that you have a lovely day. Daddy and I thought long and hard about what presents that you would love the best and narrowed the list down to a few. I hope that you're not too overwhelmed by everything!
Okay my sweet girl. I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow and I promise that the next month you and I will continue to have some amazing Mama and Trixie time, it will be the last we have before Baby Brother comes, then the three of us will have amazing time together!
love,
Mama.

21 month newsletter

Dearest Trixie;
Yesterday you turned 21 months old and I swear I didn't forget it. I did have some issues remember how many months you are though. I blame being 31 weeks pregnant growing you a little brother.
In the past month you have grown. I tortured myself yesterday by looking at photos of you from a year ago. It nearly made me cry. You've grown so much. I know that it's a cliche that children grow so fast, but you do. When you were 14 months old you had chubby cheeks and were just nearly toddling and we so baby. Now your face has leaned out, you run and you're so much more of a little girl. I still call you a baby though, and you don't argue, so I won't stop. Perhaps that will help me think of you as my baby a little longer.
This month you've continued to not be much of an eater, although we learned tonight that mashed purple cauliflower and carrots coins are good. You ask for berries, apples and bananas every day, and still love to lick jam off of your toast. Your Daddy and I still give you a bottle of formula or goat's milk at night and you seem to be growing fine, so I'm not worried. Oh and whenever we go to a restaurant you always ask the waitress or waiter for rice or noodles, which is "wice, newnos". Pretty dang cute!
With your play you have shown your love for all things with wheels, cars, trucks, trains, planes, buses, etc. You'll drive them all over the furniture making a noise like "weeeoooohhhhh", everything sounds the same. On Mondays you get excited when the garbage truck is outside of the window and you ask me over and over if the noise is the truck, and when he's there we'll look out the window, then you'll play truck for a while, with lots of weeeeooooohhhhs to accompany it. You still play with your babies, mostly pottying them and pushing them around in your toy stroller. And you love to play with your mini pots and pans. So I think Mama and Daddy are going to get you a kitchen for Christmas. I think you will love it! I've really been enjoying watching your imagination grow. It was important for me to see that you did have some creativity in you and you do! Hurray!
Your language continues to grow. This month we've talked a lot about the noises that animals make and you'll meow, woof, moo, oink and roar with joy. We've learned that many animals roar, even sharks, and sometimes rouge ladybugs. Today you told Daddy that "rinosaurs" roar when you were reading us the "Moo Baa La La La" book. Everyday you have a couple new words and you are very adept at getting your point across, and as a result you use your sign language less and less. We have been working on getting you to talk with your hands more, but it's a work in progress.
You've discovered the alphabet this month and you love to hear me sing it over and over, and just randomly you'll throw out letter combos in song, "H-I-J", "C-D-E" etc. It's cute. You've also started counting more and you can count to 6 on your own, but you do like to just count to 2 a lot. 1-2-1-2 over and over. It's funny. We've started to learn to spell your name, so far you can identify T and R, which is plenty for me. It's not something I'm going to push you on, but it's a fun game you like. You've become an expert at your shape sorter which mean I don't step on triangles any more since you used to favour the circles and squares then rectangles, leaving the triangles out 'cause they were harder. When you play with a nesting toy you'll work at it, almost systematically until you solve it, which has amazed some people, and makes me so proud. Your puzzles are a breeze for you and clearly it's time that I get you some more challenging toys.
You're still wearing 18-24 month clothes, and I find that you are built like your Mama. You've got short legs! I'm sorry sweet girl. Your Daddy and I have started to give you choices in the morning as to which shirt you'll wear and you will most often grab for both shirts at once, or simply refuse all shirts, wishing instead to go without.
Potty learning is still a fun game. You'll sit on a potty for an hour, happily reading a book or playing, but you won't pee. Instead you'll demand a "di-der" and then tell me a while later that you need the potty again. We're working on you letting me know before you pee that you need the potty, not right after. Still I won't pressure you, we work on it, but I'll let you decide when you need to make the transition to panties all of the time. I suspect it's soon because you loathe diapers and it can be quite the challenge to put a diaper on you some days.
With your little friends you've gotten really close to your buddy Leland, and your other buddy Leilani. Leland is all boy and you are quite the tomboy around him, digging in the dirt, looking for bugs, playing with trucks, and just being rambunctious. With Leilani you are much more a little lady, playing more quietly, holding hands with her and being more girly. With them both you divide your time, perhaps you'll be a little politician some day, equality for all!
At night you often start sleeping in your own bed, but between 2 and 4 am you'll make your way over to the big bed and crawl in with Daddy and I and ask for a bottle. I am happy to have you there, you're so cuddly and sweet. I'm still shocked that you took to your toddler bed so easily, you've never fought it, although we've never forced it on you either. I wonder what will happen once your little brother will be in the mix. You'll still have your place in the big bed, Baby Brother will just sleep on the other side of me, so that he's safe from your crazy sleep positions.
So it's been a busy month, but it went by too fast.
You're so sweet and cute. I love you so much!
love Mama.

20 month newsletter.

Dear Trixie.
Today you turned 20 months! I can't believe how close you are to 24 months which is 2 years old. Frankly that thought scares me more than turning 30 did.
I could get all mushy talking about how my baby is growing up and morphing into this wee girl who is sassy (in an adorable way) and funny as all heck, but I've save you the my baby is growing blues. Instead let's celebrate your newest accomplishment. Today in the bath with me you farted in the water, which made bubbles and made you crack up. Yes love, you have discovered potty humour. Your daddy was proud. I was a little shocked, but mostly 'cause you were sitting on my leg!
In other news, you are learning and putting things together faster than I can teach you it seems. You amaze me with how you can piece your world together around you, making sense out of the randomness. For example it was raining the other day and you were really perplexed that there was water everywhere. I told you it was rain from the sky and you told me that water is rain. I was pretty impressed that you were able to make that connection, and so quickly.
In terms of your language you are starting to string together spoken sentences, using 3-4 words, not always in the proper grammatical order, but you get your point across. It's fun to see how you are evolving language. I wish I was bilingual so that you could be too, but I guess I could always rely on Sesame Street, right? (except you won't watch it, which really makes me happy 'cause Elmo is evil.)
Physically you are have mastered being mobile. You run now, since walking is for sissies, although you are not beyond demanding to be carried when you're tired of being bipedal. Your latest accomplishment, or attempt is jumping. You'll crouch down, wait for me to count to three and then jump, but mostly just standing up with vigour. There have been a couple of times that you've managed to get both of your feet off of the ground, but then you fell backwards, so I think you were a little discouraged. I tried not to laugh, but the look on your face was so comical, when it's happened other times I will cheer for you like a teenaged cheerleader with the hots for a hunky quarterback. That always brings a smile to your face, even if you are so over your jumping for the day.
I see you admiring the bikes at the park when we're there, and I think you would love to be ready for a bike, but alas, you are still only a small girl and your wee feet won't reach the pedals for a while. But I think I will break down and buy you a helmet because I think you are equally enamoured by the helmets as you are by the bikes!
You are still not much of an eater. While you will eat any cuisine I put in front of you, at most you'll take a couple of nibbles. I am still okay with this. I figure that you're growing and learning and are healthy, so you're getting what you need from somewhere. I bet it's the dog's food! (but not really, you can't get to his food. He on the other hand is more than growing and is getting rather fat, could you stop feeding him your dinners?) Your favourite foods are rice and noodles, which you call "ice" and "newnos". I've managed to doctor them in such a way that you're just not eating white carbs. Finally all of my hippy tendencies for food are coming in handy!
I love to see you interacting with all of your little friends. I find that you are quite assertive, not aggressive, but you do make sure that you're not pushed around. You love your little friends and have such a good time playing with them. I find that you seem to gravitate towards the boys more, which is interesting. You still love your girl toys, but you go go go like a little boy (or like the boys we associate with). However you still play with your little girl friends too and will change you play style to suit who you are playing with. I think you might have a future with the United Nations!
We are still talking to you about your baby brother who is due to change your life in 3 months. You know that baby is a brother, but I don't think you know what that means. I think you've finally grasped that I have a baby in my tummy and your tummy is just "Tix-shie's belly". We'll see though. I am sure that you'll be a great big sister. You practice with your babies all of the time, and give them lots of love.
All in all, you are a great little baby, rather little girl, and being your mama is so amazing!
love,
Mama.

19 month newsletter

Dear Trixie.
Yesterday you turned 19 months old, and in turn I felt sad and old and nostalgic and weepy all at once. I'm sure it's all related to the crazy hormones your little brother has me on, but some of it is that you're growing up so fast. You're beyond walking now, you must run, hop and do a silly happy dance wherever we go. It's quite adorable! This month you've almost figured out how ride on toys work, using your own feet to propel them, but you do much prefer to be pushed along. Your stair climbing abilities have also gotten better. You love to hold someone's hands and walk up the stairs almost horizontal alternating you feet. It's quite amusing. If there is a handrail you can walk up and down just holding one adult's hand. I am sure when your little legs grow longer you'll do better. (I'm sorry you have such short legs, I am sure that my genetics do not help in that arena!) Besides climbing stairs you're learning that you love to climb, which is also starting to scare me! I'll see you stacking your books on the floor so you can reach the next shelf on the book shelf. You like to climb your chair, and finally today you manged to fall off before I could catch you. However you weren't deterred, I caught you climbing your chair less than 10 minutes later. Now along with your climbing you've discovered bouncing. You can climb onto your little toddler bed, or Mama and Daddy's big bed and you'll bounce until you're reminded to stay on your bum. Same with the couch in the living room, it makes for great bouncing. But Darling, please stay on your bum? You're making your Mama's blood pressure rise, and that's not good 'cause your Mama is growing you a brother!
You're still my little reader. You could spend hours and hours reading alone and having someone read to you. I'm confident that given the option of losing all of your toys or books, you would choose to keep your books, and this makes me so happy! Often when Daddy or I are reading you a book you'll just start to narrate the book pointing out random things, leaving us reeling that you know these specific words, and while you've been doing this for months, it's still shocking for us.
You seem to be drawn to books about animals, loving "Brown Bear" and any books which count. You're going to be a math girl! You seem to get all enthralled in books that just have things to count. It makes Daddy really proud!
In terms of play your imagination has taken off. We play pretend a lot, feeding your babies and animals, putting them to bed, wearing them in baby carriers. You have conversations with your bears and dollies and just have a grand ol' time with them. This month we bought you a little kitchen set of pots and pans and you've spent hours whipping up yummy treats which you will suck off of the mini whisk you have.
Out in the world you've learned all about vehicles. We can stand on a street corner for close to an hour just looking at cars and trucks. More recently you've learned about trains, which you call "cheens", you always ask me for more when they pass, which leaves me sad because I cannot command them to come. If I could, I would, but alas, it's a power I do not have. You're still in love with airplanes and call them "peens" while signing airplane madly. I blame your Daddy for your crazy airplane sign, because whenever he signs it, his plane are going through a lot of turbulence!
You've also found the moon and stars and will look for them when we are outside at night. Often you greet the moon and always tell it goodbye. I'm sure the moon is very happy that someone is so excited to see it. As always you love trees and flowers, always stopping to huff the flowers. Perhaps one day we'll learn to smell them, rather than try to inhale them madly.
You're still not much of an eater, although you continue to thrive, so I guess I am getting something good into you at some point. I figure you eat good about every 5th meal, but in the in between meals you pick. I am grateful that you love your fruits and veg though, even if you'll only nibble at it. Berries are still your favourite, although we're switching to grapes to save your poor rashy bum from the assault of the berries.
A while ago Daddy bought you a toddler bed and you continue to go to bed in it most nights. We give you a choice where you'd like to go to sleep and you mostly choose your bed, although by 3 in the morning you're generally back in bed with us. I am totally okay with this. If it would have been my choice we wouldn't have gotten you a bed at all, but it was a good deal and you do love it so. But I love feeling you cuddle up with me. My hair is still your lovey and I am still okay with you loving it!
Trixie my love, this has been a busy month, with lots of learning and playing and just having fun. I am so happy to be your Mama! I can't wait to see what the other months bring!
love,
Mama.

18 month newsletter

Dear Beatrix,

Yesterday you turned 18 months old, and to mark the occasion I decided that I was 18 weeks pregnant. (I really was.)

You seem to be happy with my pregnancy, as long as I still carry you when you want and feed you on a regular basis. You seem to understand that I have a baby in my belly and you'll often lift my shirt and say "bebe" and kiss my belly. It's quite cute. I hope that you feel the same about the baby once s/he's here and you're no longer the littlest. I think you'll do well, you're quite nurturing and are so attracted to babies.

So you've made it 18 months! Despite Daddy putting your diapers on backwards and dressing you in mismatching pajamas.

Your vocabulary has exploded in the past few weeks. So far you're saying 2-3 new words a day, I'm stunned sometimes that you've managed to remember a word that you heard weeks ago. The other day you pointed to a butterfly in a book and said "butterfly" clear as could be. We haven't talked about butterflies in weeks, and yet you remembered the word. You're also trying to count. One day you counted the buttons on Daddy's shirt, touching each one, "un, oo, ee, oar", then yesterday we were counting my fingers, touching each one in turn, I counted the odd ones and you the even ones "tooo, oar....". I think you're a little genius, other people tell me that you're just mimicking us. I disagree.

You still eat like a wee little bird, content to live on air and love. About once every 2 or 3 days you'll eat a good solid meal, leaving me wondering if you're going to explode with the amount of food you've tucked away. Fruit and vegetables still are your favourite fodder, which I hope continues to hold. I haven't found a fruit or veggie that you won't eat, although tomatoes are your least favourite. Meat is still hit and miss for you, and you're still off of cow's milk.

You love to be outside and demand "shoes" several times a day. When outside you love to run and smell the flowers and point out trees and airplanes. We bought you a sand box a couple of weeks ago and we play in it nearly everyday. Mostly you like to throw the sand, showing us that we made the right choice to not buy the $1 a pound sand. Perhaps when you're not throwing it around we'll splurge for that sand.

As for indoor toys, you're all about cars, balls, babies and books. If you would master holding two balls in one hand with a baby and a car while reading a book you would be the happiest toddler in the world. However, my sweet baby love, sometimes you have to let the dream go. How about you read your book to your baby, or even a book about balls, or cars. I think that this would make everyone happier. Your most recent toy love is cars, and we have about a dozen little matchbox cars scattered around the house. You love them, and if you weren't so cute when you said "car" I would have hid them in the garbage disposal by now, they hurt when you step on them! Along with your car love you love your babies and balls, you're always asking Daddy and I to open your sack of ball pit balls, just so you can run through them and scatter them everywhere. We indulge you, it makes you so happy. As a baby bonus you help us clean them up too! Topping off all of your toys are your books. I think that if you were given a choice of what toy you could only have, I'm pretty sure you'd choose your books. You still spend a lot of time in front of your bookshelf reading your books. Now that you're starting to talk too, I get to listen to you narrate the stories that you're reading. It's pretty cute, just as cute as when you say "cars".

It seems like you are taking to being a happy toddler like you took to being an "easy" baby. I think I'm a pretty lucky mama!

Love,
Mama.

17 month newsletter

Dearest Beatrix,
A couple of days ago you turned 17 months while we were on vacation. I think the vacation was really hard on you. We went to a lot of places and saw a lot of people, and while you are undeniably cute you didn't transition as well and reminded me that we are firmly in the toddler times! To be fair we asked a lot of you this trip. We went to 5 different cities in 10 days, you had to sleep in 6 different beds in 10 days and were introduced to countless new people. I understand why this trip was hard for you, then to make it harder you cut 2 teeth while we were gone, on of which is a molar, and to make it worse we experienced crazy heat. So really you are a trooper, any adult in your position would have totally went crazy!
Your mobility has improved a lot this month. You've learned how to stomp your feet and you stomp a lot, and when you walk and stomp you do this adorable goose step which makes me giggle. You've also perfected the toddler sprint, toddler jog and toddler saunter, all of which make your wee cheeks bounce in the most adorable way. Whenever Daddy comes home from work and you hear the garage door go up you run laps around the house yelling from pure joy. It's pretty cute!
Your eating is still plaguing me. I wish you would be a more excitable eater. But you aren't. I can get you to eat berries and bananas, but much more than that is hard. Not to say you're picky, you just don't always want to eat. Luckily I can get a decent meal into you about every other day, and you pick along the rest of the time. On the days that you eat more than one decent meal I am very happy! Let's try for more of that, okay? You are growing okay though, so I am not that worried. We're still on toddler formula, which I am happy about. The way I see it, if you were able to breastfeed you would still be doing that, and I hope that the formula fills in the gaps in your diet from not eating enough. You're funny about your bottles though, you'll only have milk in a bottle, never a sippy, and vice versa for juice and water. I think you're going to have some funny quirks like me, I think this month we'll work on learning to fold laundry into perfect squares just to start you on the good quirky road!
Your language skills continue to amaze me! I would guess that you know about 50 signs and now you're starting to sign and use words at the same time. We talk a lot about balls, birds, shoes, dogs and bananas, which all seem to be your favourite words. (Along with Mama and Daddy, Dada, or Dado.) This month we started to work on colours to go along with the animal signs you already know. You're really picking them up quickly, it's really amazing!
The other day in the car while we were driving on our trip you were asking for the sunroof to be opened, so Gramma tricked you and only opened it a couple of inches and you looked at it, and then signed "more open please" with no prompting or reminding of any words. We were all shocked and amazed since you reserve your 3 word sentences for food related things.
You have developed a silly little sense of humour which cracks me and your daddy up. While on our trip we stopped at an ice cream place that also is a farm; and while we toured the farm we talked about the animals and used the signs. However, when we came to the cows, you refused to sign cow instead said "moo!" then laughed your little butt off. It was really funny and your comedic timing was spot on! Daddy and I wondered a bit where you learned that a cow says moo, then we realized that you learned it from a book! (Moo Baa La La La) So already at 17 months you're book learning! How exciting! You loved the farm, anything with animals fascinates you. Daddy and I are a little worried that you have no fear of animals at all. You tried to walk into the cow pen, when we met various dogs on the trip you hugged them right away without even hesitating, and laughed when a dog barked right next to you. Even when a horse snorted in your face you giggled and tried to hug the horse's muzzle. I'm happy that you love animals so much, I hope that you never lose that love!
This upcoming month we are going to start going swimming more. I've learned that you are a water girl! We went to the beach with Gramma and Auntie Sue and cousin Amelia and you walked into the water with Gramma up to your chin with no hesitation! Another time we went to a pool and while you were so tired that you couldn't smile, which we were drying you off all you did was sign "more please" over and over in hopes that we would go back to swimming. So Mama's going to have to get over her bathing suit in public phobia and take you swimming lots more!
This month too we've talked more to you about how you're going to be a big sister and that there's a baby in Mama's tummy. I know that you don't understand at all. But Love, you are going to be a big sister and I hope the transition isn't going to be too hard for you. When I hold other babies you get quite upset and demand my attention. Luckily when the new baby comes Daddy gets lots of time off of work so we can make the transition easier for you. I think you'll be a good big sister, you do love babies, just not when Mama's holding them and not holding you!
But you know, you'll always be my first baby and I'll always love you just as much, even if you have 1000 little brothers and sisters!

love,
Mama.

16 month newsletter

Dear Beatrix,
Today you are 16 months old! To celebrate we went to the mall and bought you some new shoes. Apparently you now have the same sized foot as your average 12 month old. We're very excited! It's actually getting easier to buy you shoes. When you first started walking the shoes you fit were crib shoes which aren't so good for playing in playgrounds and such. But now you are firmly in walker shoes, hurray!
Your vocabulary has exploded. You have about 30 or so signs that you use on a regular basis and another handful that you know, but don't use. You've also started to speckle your signs with some words along with a lot of babble, which is quite adorable. In general I think you will be a really vocal baby. When you want something and I am not there to get your water, milk, snack, toy etc. you will just yell until I see what you're shouting about. It's kinda funny, but I think it might get a little weary after a while.
You are still cosleeping with me and your daddy, and we continue to love it. My hair is still your lovie and you will push my face out of the way so you can play with my hair, so I often have to sleep with my back to you, to save the hairs around my face, which hurt the most when you lovingly stoke them. I also really appreciate how you use your feet to play with my hair too when you're sleepy. I'm starting to wonder if you are perhaps part monkey. Also also my sweet Love, I don't like your feet in my hair. I would love it if you would stop that!
During the night you still wake about once for a bottle. We still give you one. I am sure that many people would disagree with that, but oh well. You're a growing girl and you need all of the nutrition that you can get!
Speaking of nutrition. You are not much of an eater. Most days I can get you to eat a few bites of a meal, and one meal a day you'll go at with some gusto for 5 or 6 bites, but then you sign that you're all done and you push yourself away from the table. I see that you're still growing, but I wonder how. I guess there really is something to the air and love diet! It's always a guessing game to see what you'll like each day. What you love on Monday you'll hate on Tuesday. It's amusing and frustrating all at the same time. I have found that plain pasta, berries and pickles are standbys. Also anything you can dip. Oh, you love to dip your food, and often you'll dip things so delicately, which saves on the mess. Thank you!
I love to see that you are sprouting an imagination. You will often put your babies to bed all over the house on little blankets. The other day I gave you a bowl and a spoon and you spent most of the day walking around feeding your babies, the dog, the cat and mama, always commenting mmmm, mmmmm! It was very adorable. You've also taken to colouring and will run to the desk and do your adorable/ annoying demanding whine asking for a crayon so you can colour. So far your works of art are just faint scribbles since you don't push too hard with your crayons, and you'll carry your paper around for most of the day, but I've collected them all up and saved them. You still love music and adore your kazoo and recorder. I've also let you play more with your xylophone and you bang on it happily making noise. If you hear music from anywhere, you'll stop what you're doing and look for it. Daddy is convinced that your favourite band is Green Day, but I think you just like any music.
All in all, you are a total dream to parent. You've made this parenting gig so easy that Mama and Daddy decided that it's time for you to have a baby brother or sister. So, my Love, you're going to get a late Christmas present. We're sure that you're going to be a fabulous big sister!
love,
Mama.

14 month newsletter

Dear Beatrix, the light of my life.

Today you are 14 months old! 14! It's a lot isn't it?
I feel that this past month was broken into 2 halves, the first was just you growing and being cute, cute, cute, with more cuteness. Then the second part? Holy crazy! First you learned to walk, and now you will do nothing but walk, unless that is if you are baby running. It's quite adorable, but because of your only walking rule you have hooker knees. They are rather bruised up and a little trashed! They don't seem to bother you though, and while I cringe and your knees take the brunt of a fall, you get up and wobble away. I thank a sorts of lucky stars that babies don't have knee caps! And the other crazy development of the last two weeks? Only you cutting a whole mess of teeth! As of today you have cut 3, nearly 4 teeth. Oddly the first two you cut were your top front teeth. You have quite the adorable little smile now, although I will always miss your gummy grin. Now when you give me your open mouthed kisses, they're not just slimy and gooey, there are little sharp bits that gouge into my cheek. See? The adorable that abounds? Cheek gouging kisses!
Earlier this month my older brother Rob and his wife Kelly and their son Liam came to visit us and you had a great time with them. Granted Rob and I don't know each other that well, we weren't raised together and didn't meet until our teens and then there was a long break where circumstances kept us apart, but now we're in touch and you have another Uncle and Auntie. Their son Liam, is only 6 weeks younger that you, and the two of you were the most adorable little partners in crime while we were dragging you two all over Northern California. I don't think that there have ever been two happier and better behaved babies, ever! Such little troopers, sitting in the car for long rides, taking all of your naps in car seats and waiting patiently while Mama, Daddy and Auntie and Uncle tastes lots of wines in Sonoma and Napa. Such troopers. You were rewarded though, we took you guys to lots of children friendly places and you and Liam had lots of fun playing. I think that you two will be friends for life, and that makes me so happy!
Your eating this month hasn't changed much, other than you love to dip stuff. I think your favourite thing to eat is celery sticks and hummus. You dip the celery into the hummus, suck it off, and repeat. Eventually you end up eating some of the celery, but mostly you consume hummus. There may have even been a time where you might have drank some hummus... clearly I shouldn't turn away from you! You still get a couple of bottles a day, but I only give them to you when you're about to go to bed and when you wake up in the morning. I am not too keen to take them away from you. If I were able to breastfeed you, I wouldn't be weaning you anytime soon, so I see no reason to take your bottles away. I do find it amusing though how you get so confused if I give you milk in a sippy cut instead of a bottle. If you're a little cranky you will absolutely refuse to drink your milk until I put it in a bottle.
Your pottying has taken a bit of a back seat to your walking. But Daddy and I are still determined. I have been known to let you walk around naked so I can plop you on the potty regularly, and you have been known to reward me by peeing on the floor. You're so precious! Like a flower.
You love to play with your dolls, and you have 4 that you really love, Baby, Dolly, Shepard and Other Baby. As you can see we're real creative with the toy's names around here, however you do know who's who and you'll being me the requested doll. You also give love to Duck (Donald), Dog and I'm teaching to disregard Elmo, who's eyes you like to poke at. Daddy and you still play with your blocks and demolishing towers is still a favourite game. I continue to buy you too many books and you continue to read them all, which makes me so happy. We always have a big pile of books on the floor for me to trip on, but you spend a lot of time surrounded by your books, so I don't get upset.
In terms of the words you have, you say "Mama:, "Dada", "BAAAA" which is ball and always shouted, I've heard you say "Chachi" and "cat". You still say "duck" and various other words that I can't remember, along with all sorts of singing and yelling which is mostly what comes out of your mouth, and always in a happy way. Your signing has taken off. While the sign for 'milk' seems to have dropped off your radar in favour of "AHHHHH!" and pointing, you do sign 'more', 'cheese', 'cookie', 'thank you', and rarely 'please'.
All in all I'm realizing that toddler hood is pretty amazing and I love to see you explore and create the world around you!
Love Mama

13th Month Newsletter

Dear Beatrix
I write this as I listen to you breath heavily over the baby monitor. You have a wee cold and have lots of gurgly snot to have anointed me with on the 13th month anniversary of your birth. Fun abounds around here!
Today you celebrated by letting me feel your gums, letting me notice that you have nearly cut your first tooth. You only struggled a little as I checked for the ever elusive teeth, that have been taunting us, but not making an appearance. You also blew kisses at Paula Deen on TV, which made me both sad and happy. Sad because you notice the TV now and I can't use it to be my grown up companion in the house when there are no other adults around, and happy because YAY Paula Deen cracks me up and you love her too!
Along with your mad kiss blowing skills you've picked up some other party tricks this month. You continue to sign for "milk", but the other day when you were having your first taste of peanut butter you finally signed "more". You've also finally learned the sign for "water", "thank you" and I am sure that you sign "please" sometimes, often followed by "milk" which can mean anything that you can consume. Also much to our amusement, you point and whine, which makes every parent proud. Although truthfully watching you point at things is so cute. Your little forefinger extended and your wee thumb just sticking out the side. So sweet. You're pointing at everything now, since you've discovered that it's a great way to get your intentions known. I can ask you where something is and you'll point to it, like balloons, Bonsai, Chachi, your baby etc. and you'll point. You've also learned about buttons and love to push them, using your pointer. Your favourite is to push the button to open the garage door, and when you do this you squeal with delight, pointing at the door going up. Then you point at the button again to make it go down, then up again, or vise versa if we're coming home. I'm sure our neighbours think we're crazy with all of the garage door up and downing that goes on around here. I've also taught you about light switches, more buttons with cause and effect, FUN!
On the walking front, you're so close. You walk well with a walker and do just fine only holding onto one of my hands. I am convinced that you can walk, but you're a little scared. You only seem to like standing on soft surfaces, like the bed or sofa. You have taken a few steps between your Daddy and I when I've walked you over and let go of your hands. You'll only let me do this a couple of times before you catch on and fall down and won't play the walking game anymore.
You're still a good eater, as in you will eat anything, but you don't eat a lot. I still give you a bottle to supplement your food, I'll keep doing this until you are happy to eat more. I figure that had I been able to breastfeed you I would still be, probably until you weaned yourself, or well after your 2nd birthday, so I am quite happy to still be giving you a bottle. You tried peanut butter for the first time the other day and you loved it, proving that you are your father's daughter. You still love berries and all manners of fruits and vegetables, making me grateful we live in California where I can find any type of exotic fruit or vegetable and expose you to them all. So far you haven't rejected any of them.
This month your Daddy and I bought a new bed which was much needed since the other was getting rather small. Now you have all sorts of room to roam around in at night, but you seem to prefer being right next to me, which is okay with me. It makes me happy that you choose to be that close to me. In terms of your sleep, I think you're transitioning to a one nap a day schedule, which is a little difficult because you don't want to nap at all. I can get you to nap in the car though, so I often find myself sitting in the car in the garage playing games on my phone while you sleep.
This past month has been a lot of fun. I love to see how you're changing and how you've become so much more interactive with me. Like this morning when you woke up you gave me some morning kisses, like you do everyday, the signed with both hands that you wanted milk. It made me giggle that you were so adamant that you wanted milk, NOW! Last night you were pointing at the bowl of oranges and whining for one and when I didn't respond fast enough you pointed at your pointing arm with your other hand as if to tell me that you were already pointing and therefore I should be acting quicker. I love how your little mind works. You amaze me everyday, and I am so blessed.

Love, Mama

11 month letter

Dear Beatrix,
Today you are 11 months old, which is a scary age for your Mama. That means you only have one month left of babydom before embarking into toddlerhood and leaving your poor Mama crooning to herself in the corner, wondering where the time has gone. So baby dearest, to prevent this, how about you just stay a baby and then your Mama will stay sane. Good idea? No?
This month has been a busy one, like all of the others, but it seems each one gets more and more busy. You are so much more active now, so I am constantly chasing you around trying to stop you from eating dog food, chewing on dog toys (you love Chachi's rawhides), or drawing in your own spit on the floor. (I think you're an artist in the making.) You are such a little busy bee and you are into one activity and off to the next with the next heartbeat. I think you have the energy that old people (like your Mama) talk about bottling and selling.
However in between your busies, you are so sweet. I love that when I go to bed at night, you roll over to me, reaching with your arms and legs. You seem to sleep best with your feet dug into my back and your fingers entwined into my hair, which sounds uncomfortable, but it's not.
When you wake up in the mornings you are so happy, but beyond happy, it's like you exalt each new day by dancing around in bed and using your poor sleeping Mama as a set of bongo drums, with which you bang out your happy song. It's hard to stay a grumpy sleepy Mama when your smiley drooly self is planting open mouthed kisses on my cheeks, imploring me to wake up and play.
When you're playing with your friends you're starting to show some signs of sharing and playing WITH your buddies rather than beside them. You love to give them toys, snacks or even pebbles in the playground. When another baby steals a toy you take it in stride, moving on to the next one. You are able to hold your own though with the other big babies your age. You can get into the baby melee just as well as the others can and have as much obnoxious fun as they do, as you all try to pull the ride on toy in different directions, each happy to at least be touching the toy.
I still think that you're a musician in the making. You love all music, and will dance to anything, which still includes my off key renditions of "Twinkle Twinkle", or some random made up song of the day. You kazooing skills continue to amaze everyone, and I am especially touched when you kazoo on Chachi's hollow bone toy or a toilet paper roll! I've let you play with a recorder and after some kazooing attempts on it, you realized that if you breathe into it you can make noise with it, so I'll hear the recorder drone with your in and out breaths for about two minutes at a time. (After which you lose interest and move on to the next toy)
I think you're moving away from spoon foods rather quickly to all finger foods or foods off of Mama's fork or fingers. I don't much blame you since baby food is rather horrid, but you know, some days when Mama is tired and you need to eat, it's just easier to give you a jar of something. I still mostly just let you taste and experiment with food, although we're starting to ramp up the amount of calories that you consume via food, rather than from your bottle. You're adapting really well, although you do love your "milkies". (which by the way is the only baby language word we use with you.)
I continue to use baby sign with you, and I know you understand what I sign to you, but you haven't really started signing back yet. I am optimistic that it will come. And frankly if it doesn't, you've started to be quite vocal and I think you could be an early talker. You can say "Mama", "Daddy", "duck" and "Chachi".
So my dearest, in your last month of babydom, please understand why your Mama will look at you with that longing look. I just love you so much, and you are so amazing, and I can't believe that you were once that tiny sick little baby in the NICU, when now you are a strong, healthy and amazing big baby now!

love,
Mama.

10 month newsletter

Dear Beatrix,
Today you turn 10 months old! Now if years were metric, you would be a year old! But, gratefully they are not, and you are still a little baby, although in 2 months I may have a heart attack when I have to admit that my baby is a year old!
This past month has been busy for you, as they have been! You've learned to crawl and it's opened a whole new world to you, full of pet hair, dust bunnies and Mama's feet. You started crawl when we were in Wellington which is the capital city of New Zealand, you quickly perfected your crawling and when we got home a week and a half later you mastered pulling up to a stand in literally one pull up and now you boldly stand just balancing with one hand on something. Last Friday you learned to crawl up stairs, again with no learning curve. You tried a stair, tried again and then figured it out and climbed the whole flight right then, now when ever you are out and crawling around the house you make a break for the stairs, which do not have a gate on them yet! So, here I am, chasing you all over the house in an effort to prevent you from breaking your sweet little head.
Your babbling has become more complex this month. You have lots of bababas, mamamas, nanans, dadadadas and an interesting gnagnagna, along with many other odd sounds. You also love to sing. Oh child you love to sing. And by sing I mean yell, a lot, and loud, and long. But it means you are happy, so I let you. You call me Mama and you have said Daddy a couple of times, very purposefully and at Daddy. I think you're a genius.
I've realized that you're not my tiny cuddly baby, but you are still a sweet baby, you love to give me kisses and they are now transforming from open mouth drooly wonders to closed mouth MMMM kisses, where you will say mmmm and bump your mouth on mine and say mmmmaaahhhhh. It's quite sweet and it melts my heart every time.
The other day you started dancing, which was the cutest thing ever, but again everything you do is cute. It was odd to see you dancing 'cause I don't dance with you, so it's just something in you. Maybe you're the next big singer? But please don't be like Britney. (I'll tell you all about her when you're older.) When you started dancing you were sitting and just rocking your hips in an abrupt manner, now you'll dance standing which is a quick series of mini squats. It's awfully cute to watch your little cloth diaper bum bounce to some random song in your head, or my off tuned "Twinkle, Twinkle".
You still insist that my hair is the only lovie that you'll consider, and I've come to grips that I might be bald by the time you're two. When it comes to play time, you love plastic drink bottles, cloth blocks and balls. I love that you are fascinated by simple toys and I wish so much that you'll continue with that and really develop your imagination. You're also fascinated by books, which is also a blessing for me. Oh the fun we'll have with books as you grow up. I've already made plans for all of the books we're going to read together!
We continue to work on potty training with you. So far you've been really good, going on the potty and even the toilet several times a day, which is great for my laundry pile, YAY for less diaper laundry! I still have grand designs for you to be in training pants by the time you are one, now I just hope that I can find some for 12 month old babies!
Tomorrow is Christmas, and I am so excited to see you open your presents! We bought you some simple toys, and I've decided to wrap a box of Kleenex for you, I think that you will really love unwrapping it and pulling the tissues out and tearing them up. There will be many photos!
Good night my darling, I am so excited for tomorrow!
love Mama

9 months

Dear Beatrix,
Today, my sweet baby you turn 9 months old! And what a crazy month it's been! You've been very busy, on all aspects of development. You are trying so hard to learn to crawl, and you have certainly mastered moving backwards, and as of today you have crawled forwards a couple of crawls or steps as they may be. I suspect that I will soon have a very mobile and active baby on my hands. Even without the ability to move forwards all that well you are quite good at getting around. Initially you would spin on your tummy, but more recently you have been kind of scooting and pushing yourself around backwards. Not always to an intended place, but where ever you seem to end up is good for you.
In terms of your eating, you've decided that pureed foods aren't at all acceptable, and you much prefer finger foods. And really, my little darling, that is okay with me. I wouldn't want to eat pureed foods all of the time either! Your Daddy and I have exposed you to all sorts of different types of cuisines, and you love them all. The most shocking one that you've had has been Indian, and you ate it up, surprising everyone in the restaurant! Just a couple of days ago we gave you some really watery apple juice and you seemed to be a little confused with it, but you soon learned that it was good stuff... liquid ambrosia, as one of our friends calls it.
You still love bananas and all things banana related the best and I can always get you to eat them. Often for breakfast you and I will sit on the floor and share a couple of waffles and a banana.
We've been travelling again this month. Right now we are in New Zealand visiting your Nana and Papa. You adjusted very well to the time change, much better than your Daddy! And since we've been here you've had lots of fun and lots of kiwis! I think that you might be a little New Zealander at heart!
You have started chatting more, but not using a lot of hard consonants yet; a lot of mamas and dadas, but mostly you love to sing. You sing at everything, at your toys, when we're in the car, if you hear something humming, and along with Mama. Also with the singing, you love it when I sing, even though I am always flat, you seem to love it. If you are fussing I just need to belt you "Twinkle Twinkle" or "The Grand Ol' Duke" and you immediately stop fussing. It's quite adorable, and frankly, makes me feel so special.
Your potty training or potty learning continues to go well. In the 3 months that we have been doing it you have had only a couple of poopy diapers, I would guess less than 5! Everyone is quite amazed that you are so smart and that you are learning so quickly, but we know that you would do better if I was better at noticing when you are peeing! We'll figure it out though, you and I, we will.
We're still working on your signing, and we use several signs, and I know that you know them because you'll get excited when I make a sign, and rather than you signing back, you flap your arms. I am sure that like your pottying, you'll start using your signs more and more. I did notice this month though, that you do use your milk sign often, I just wasn't noticing it. Silly Mama!
You have developed quite a sense of humour and will laugh at so many things. Your favourite thing to laugh at though, is Daddy and his funny faces. I think that perhaps you might be a little comedienne in the making! Chachi also never fails to crack you up, especially when you two are playing tug of war. It's so sweet!
Trixie, my little darling, you are the sweetest baby and I am so happy that you're mine!
Love always,
Mama.

6 Month Newsletter

Dear My Little Love, Beatrix;
Today you are both 26 weeks old and 6 calander months old. It was so monumental to have both of these milestones on the same day, that we had to throw a party in your honour! You had a great time being held by all of your friends, but mostly I will use any reason to have a party in your honour. I think you're such a great little person that I have this desire to show you off whenever I can (and cooking for a big group of people is always amusing for me).
Your 6th month was a crazy one for you, full of pre-moving. (which is not a technical term at all, but works for us.) You are able to sit up supported, either leaning against a pillow or leaning forwards on your hands. I find that you are the happiest when you are sitting or standing and laying is no longer an option for you. You are still a champion stander and are getting more and more sturdy. Some days you are a little daredevil and you will just hang on to the ottoman or table with just one hand, opting to flail the other one around telling some outrageous story. (probably of how your daddy put a diaper on all haphazardly and you managed to get poo all over him.)
I think you are close to crawling (hense the pre- moving) you spin on your tummy when you are playing. It's like I've driven a stake through your back and out your belly button into the floor and you spin on it on the spot. It's really amusing to watch how you maneouver yourself. I can tell that you are getting fustrated and want so badly to be much more mobile, and for your own good I do my best to not always move a toy to you or you to the toy, just so you can practice being more mobile.
You've taken to your activity centre like a pro and can turn around in it really well. Your favourite toy on the activity centre is a noise maker which is a circle of 5 buttons. You've learned that if you pound on a button 4 times it will say the word in english, make the noise of the animal, say the word in spanish then sing the song. You love the songs, your face will light up when you finally make it sing. I've also been making your vibrating chair sing, just to see you glow with happiness from hearing the music. Often I will just make it sing and you will play somewhere else, not in the chair, but you do love the music. So far I've noticed that Twinkle Twinkle is your favourite song, followed closley by The Grand Ol' Duke of York. (complete with going up and down the hills.) If anyone were to sit outside of our house on any given day they would think I was crazy with how much singing I do to you, always really off key and often with crazy made up words to made up songs. Daddy has said in the past that I always have a strange soundtrack playing in my head and now having you has given me legitamate reason to unleash the soundtrack into the universe. Hopefully I haven't and won't have harmed you with my crazy songs, but rather will inspire you to love laungage like I do.
Just before your 6 month birthday I broke down and introduced solids to you. Your first food was frozen wild blueberries and they were a big hit. I gave them to you in a little mesh bag and you devoured them once you figured out how to work the bag. Your second food was avacado, and I just gave you a quarter of a whole avacado and let you "bite" off pieces yourself. It was really interesting to watch you bite a piece, move it around in your mouth and then spit it out. I know that some people wouldn't agree with me skipping all of the purreed and strained foods and letting you go straight to chunks, but it makes sense to me. And you haven't choked at all. If a piece of food is too big for you to deal with, you spit it out, then I will break it up and give you the smaller pieces. I am doing this based on some research I've done on self feeding and it's so facinating to me to see how you naturally know what to do with food and know instinctivly not to choke. The article said that you would naturally move the food forwards in your mouth, not back, and you do. So at this time, you are experimenting with food, playing with it, tasting it and mostly spitting it out. If you swallow some, great, if not, I am okay with it. Mostly I want you to have a healthy relationship with food. I want you to eat when you are hungry and know what your body is saying, so to that end I won't push you. I'll follow what you want and I will never give you the same serving over and over until you eat it. More than anything I want you to love fruits and vegetables, and your Daddy promises to help me to cultivate that love into you, even though he hates veggies himself.
Trixie I am so excited to see what the next month brings, but I mourn as well, for my little baby who is growing up so fast and becoming so independant. I long for the days when I would just hold you all day and stare at your beautiful face, whereas now you aren't as cuddly and would much rather be on the go. I still stare at your beautiful face, trying to make out what you will look like when you are older, and noticing how much it has changed already.

5 Months!

My Dearest Baby Love, Beatrix;


I can hardly believe it, but you're 5 months old now! You've morphed from one of the most loveable loaves of bread (well you had the skills of one) into a baby! I could gush on for many, many paragraphs about how lucky I feel to have you and what a miracle you are, but I will spare you and the internets from that. Suffice to say that A) I am so lucky and B) you are a miracle and I will never forget that. (but that doesn't mean I'll let you get away with bloody murder....)




As for milestones you have been a busy girl this month! With each milestone you reach more and more of your personality surfaces and I delight to see who you are turning into. It really is one of the most amazing things to watch, or rather try to watch as it's happening so fast!


You've learned to blow raspberries this month and you take delight in this new noise that you can make. To my well trained Mama ear I can tell how you are feeling based on how you are blowing your raspberries. If it's a straight raspberry you are happy and playing, but if you are vocalizing a little with it, you are getting fustrated, either from being in a situation you don't want, or you're getting tired. Generally when you are tred you will combine this with scrubbing your head into my shoulder and head butting me as you flop your head down to my shoulder or chest.



Along with blowing raspberries you find it funny when I blow raspberries at you. You will giggle and act like it's the funniest thing ever, which is so good for your Mama's ego. Just like last month your giggle is the greatest thing I've ever heard, and I will do anything to hear it again! Luckily for me you grant me the giggles really easily. It's not an exaggeration to say that you really are the happiest baby on the block! People are always amazed at how easily you smile and how quick you are to giggle. I always tell people that it's all you, I have nothing to do with your easy going personality and that I am truly blessed that you are such a happy little girl.










Your favorite toy this month is your Sophie the Giraffe which is an old school teething toy, but you will spend a lot of time gnawing on her head, face, bum, legs or what ever part you can cram into your drooly, drooly mouth. I will offically declare Sophie to be the best $20 I've ever spent! I know of other moms who have lost their Sophies and have been quick to replace them, because they are such a great toy! I think with my mom's group we might have a little Sophie army to take over the Bay Area!

The mom's group I belong to is made up of moms and babies who were born in 2008, so you are one of the older babies. It's a great group to belong to because we get a chance to socalize and not get bored of staring at each other every day. You seem to love the other babies and you get so excited to see them. You'll squeal and laugh and if I let you get close enough you will grab at the babies, (they react in the same way and there is much Mama cooing at how cute the babies are.)

You are still a petite little girl. You wear mostly 0-3 month clothing, although you're still in some newborn sizes and you can fit into some 3-6 month clothes (mostly because your cloth diaper bum is bigger than a 'sposie bum.) I am trying to make sure that you wear everything that you have since you have a huge wardrobe because we have some of the best friends and family ever, and you were showered with generous gifts!

You have started to take a pacifier or as we call it a suckie. You do not like the Nuk ones and prefer the straight Gerber ones, and you will only take it when you are tired and about to go to sleep. I will only offer it to you if you are resisting sleep and are clearly sleepy, which seems to be a trend for you. To be fair you aren't hard to put down, you just want to be involved with everything going on; the suckie seems to remind you that you are tired and it settles you down, much like a shot of rum would, I imagine.

When I give you a bottle you have taken to rubbing my arm with your left hand as your right hand stroke my face or touches my hair. You are still so gentle when you do this and my heart swells as we share a little moment, it makes waking up at 4 am to feed you so very worth it. It seems that the middle of the night feedings will continue for a little while. I know that some parents talk about letting a baby your age cry themselves back to sleep, in an effort to "train" the baby to not need a bottle or a feeding in the middle of the night. I promise you that I will not try to train you, I understand that you are waking up because you are hungry, and you prove this to me when you drink your bottle, give me your lovey eyes and go back to sleep right away. The way I see it, you'll stop waking in the middle of the night when you're ready to sleep through the night, and I'm okay with you taking your time.

love, Mama.

4 month newsletter

Dear Beatrix,
Today you are 4 months old!
This month we drove to Canada to visit lots of family again and you were a real trooper on the 2.5 day drive from Silicon Valley to Alberta. You amaze me at how easily you roll with the punches, taking everything in stride and making this parenting gig seem easy.




This month you've continued to giggle and bless your Mama and Daddy with your gleaming smiles. I still am in awe that I am so lucky to have you! I think that I will be in awe for a while since I am still amazed that I am married to your Daddy and that we have such a wonderful life.
This month was rather busy for you. Papa (my dad) was out for a long visit and you got to know him really well. Daddy turned 30 and you helped to celebrate his birthday. (here you are with your Daddy and his Lego shaped birthday cakes, you couldn't take your eyes off of them!)




Physically you are still a petite little baby, being about the same size as your 2 month old friends, but developmentally you are a four month old baby. (here you are with your cousin Liam, he is 2 months younger than you, and you are the same size, although he can't stand like you and doesn't have the head control that you do.)



You love faces and enjoy looking at yourself in the mirror. You only want to stand and spend a lot of time standing on Mama's lap. Daddy recently found out that you can stand holding on to furnature and you will stand for long stretches of time taking everything in, enjoying your newfound perspective.
Your favourite toys right now are your O ball, your fuzzy rattle and Mama's hair! When you wake up quietly in the morning you will play with Mama's hair ever so gently, just touching it, until you get bored of that game and give it a tug, reminding Mama that it's time to wake up.





When we arrived in Calgary your Great Aunt Joanne had a present for you which was a fuzzy purple spider which you seem to enjoy wrestling. You are able to grasp things a lot easier than you did earlier this month and are grabbing for toys and play things more and more.

I think your eyes have finally settled into the colour that they are going to be. They are the exact same shade of corn flower blue as your Daddy's. I will often get compliments on how you and I have the same eyes, I guess most people think that green and blue are the same colour!

You have started to notice the pets a lot more recently and I can sometimes find you trying to pet Chachi who is often camped out near you since you are always near the soft stuff and goodness knows that dog does not like to place his royal heiney on anything hard! Chachi tolerates your attempts at petting, but I do supervise because while he'll tolerate it I don't want to push him past his limits. I hope for you two to be great friends since he will be around for a long time. Bonsai on the other hand, is a grumpy old man and has bearly noticed you, and you him. Although you will take a swipe at him when he's near. I do really need to watch him, he's not so fond of children, I hope that he will mellow out with even more age and learn to love you. Until then, just ignore him, 'kay. I do wonder though if your first words will be "Shut up Bonsai!" since we yell that often 'cause he likes to wander around the house yodeling!

I think you are starting to sprout some teeth. I've based this guess on the massive amount of drool that you've started to generate and your cheeks are getting a bit of a rosy glow, and by rosy I mean scarlett hue! You've also gone from gently sucking your fingers to madly sucking them in between gnawing on them like a trapped animal. I make you wear a bib now most of the time to catch the copious amounts of drool and I seem to wipe your chin every couple minutes with the bib. I think I might be one of those moms forever chasing you down with a wash cloth in fear that you will get dirty. I promise that I will work on this or toddlerhood will make us both crazy!

Trixie, I continue to marvel at how blessed I am to have you. I really do think that I am the luckiest Mama in the whole wide world. I love you more every day, which I didn't think was possible because I already love you so much, but my love for you keeps growing. It's amazing. Nothing compares to parenthood. This is clearly the best useage of my life.

love Mama.