Dear Autumn

Dear Autumn,

Unfortunately my letters seem to be coming further and further apart. It's hard enough to remember all the super cute things that you do a few hours later, so imagine how difficult it will be to try to include them in this letter. I will try harder - I promise.

At two and a half years old, you change and grow up so much in just a few days. New quirks emerge while you leave old ones behind. My southern belle, you end just about every sentence with Mamma. "Oh, thank you Mamma. Outside, Mamma? No Mamma. Thank you Mamma! Drink Mamma?" It never gets old =)

In an effort to not bore you as a teenager when I hope you someday read these, here is an organized list of your happenings and general personality:

  • You don't sleep in your big girl bed very often, and that is mostly my fault. First, I don't "enforce" that you sleep in it. You sleep better in your crib, which means I sleep better too. Second, the crib is still in your room, so I don't blame you for frequently choosing it over your bed. 
  • It is physically impossible for your to lie down on the couch without "bug" and Dora, as pictured above. You no longer nap in your crib, so whatever it takes for you to nap on the couch, Mamma will do!
  • Yes, you still have a "pluggie". I didn't realize this was weird until I started hearing Mamma's friends talk about weaning their kids already. I mean, "a 3 year old with a plug" definitely sounds weird, but it's so hard to imagine you as anything other than a baby. It's also your only source of comfort, and we DO only let you have it for comfort or to sleep. Aww, look at mommy rationalizing for you!
  • No potty training yet. My goal is to have you out of diapers before your baby brother arrives, but that is easier said than done. Again, you ARE old enough to train, but you still seem like my baby! You try to potty before every bath, but we still have yet to make any deposits in the potty. 
  • This morning when I felt your diaper and asked, "Do you need a new diaper?" you turned to me and said, "No poopies Mamma. No poopies." Good to know.
  • Another question I should be asking is how soon we should stop showering together. Doing so is one of the only ways I can be assured you are not wrecking havoc on the house, and you love it when we take baths in Mamma's big tub. When I put you in, you gesture with your little hands the "come here" motion and say, "You comin? You comin?" So, speaking of this, last night when Grandpa was visiting we were playing down in the basement. You insisted on taking off your shirt, as we were nearing bedtime. You feel your chest and say, "Where boobies?" and then proceed to start to grab at the collar of my shirt. Dad and Grandpa had a good laugh... what can I say - you point, I answer!
  • You've begun referring to Grandpa just as "Papa" and it is so, stinkin, cute. 
  • You love Jodi and "the boys". You ask about them frequently. 
  • Always a dancer, you now insist on having a partner. If said partner tries to exit the dance floor, you kindly follow after and grab their hand, leading them back to your happenin' party. 
  • Since you can climb out of your crib with ease, you wake me up in the morning instead of the other way around. I often open my eyes to see you just standing there until I acknowledge your presence. You also insist on bringing everything from your crib into the room and onto Mamma's bed. 
  • You always ask, "Where's Daddy?" and the answer is always "Work".
  • You are an outdoors girl through and through. So much so that kicking, screaming, crying and tantrums ensue when it is time to bring you inside. For this, I blame Nana. 
  • On Monday we spent the afternoon at Nana and Papa's. You went with Nana to pick up the boys and I found myself playing on Nana's laptop, hidden in the sunroom. When you walked back into the house, unable to see me, I heard you keep asking, "Where's Mamma? Where's Mamma?" It melted my heart. 
  • You'll often find the house phone and pass it to me, saying, "Papa? Nana?" We call, and you can become very distraught when they don't answer.
  • If you see the Golden Arches, you say, "Fries?" Mamma probably feeds into that more than she would like to admit...
  • Everyone always asks how you feel about the new baby coming, and for the most part you are blissfully ignorant of how your life is about to change. Still, when I ask, "Where's Mommy's baby?" you point to my tummy with great importance. At the Doctor, when they put the Doppler onto my tummy to hear the heartbeat, the second you heard the "thump thump thump" you excitedly exclaimed, "Baby!"
  • You have become more picky in your eating habits. Your first choice is always "chickens" with any variety of dipping sauce. Ravioli's are a favorite no more.
  • I love hearing you exclaim, "Ewww..." or "I sorry. I sorry Mamma," especially when the fault is mine. Last night at dinner I poured myself a soda, which fizzed over the glass and made a big mess. You exclaimed, "I sorry Mamma." To which I replied it was my mess. You said, "You silly Mamma. You messy Mamma!" So cute. 
  • Last week during dinner you found a hooded vest Aunt Chelsey had given us, equipped with little bear ears on the hood. You loved wearing it and having Daddy show you the ears in the bathroom mirror. While I was cleaning up the kitchen and Dad was sitting at the table, you crouch over, growl and say, "I'm gonna get you!" and attack Daddy. So, stinkin', cute.
  • You are a girl of routine. If we try to put you to bed without first doing "Teeth", aka brushing our teeth (which you insist I do at the same time) you let us know before we try to walk out of your room. Good hygiene, I like that!
  • Wearing your glasses is hit or miss. We' ve resorted to timeouts, "You can't go outside unless you wear your glasses" and of course, bribes of chocolate. You love your chocolate. 
  • You're very shy around strangers and new people, which I think is good. The last thing I want is for you to walk off with complete strangers. You do warm up eventually, but avoid all eye contact until you're comfortable.
  • If you had your choice between going to the park and playing in the car, it'd be a toss up. You just LOVE playing in cars, going from front to backseat, turning on all the lights and adjusting every button you can find. 
  • You get sad and upset when we don't stop at every slide you see (and man, can you spot them!), even if they are in someone else's gated backyard when we're on a walk.
  • Despite being 2.5 years too big for them, you love trying on any of Brody's clothes we have sitting around. 
  • I can understand just about everything you say, but there are times when you just go off singing or talking in some language only you know, and maybe Ernie. 
  • Yes, Ernie is still the love of your life.
There you have it. I am sure the list could continue, but hopefully I can save more for your future letters. You are my special little girl. I am so glad to be giving you a little brother so that you can still be my number one girl to do all things girly with. Like every mother I wonder how on earth I will split my affections between more than one child, but rest assured you will always be loved and adored by your "Mamma".

-Love,
Mom

1 comment

  1. Fun post - makes me sad for my own kids that I didn't do a better job at that! =)

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