The last two weeks have been the best fourteen days of my life! Mommy is now unemployed and has been staying home with you. It is amazing how much I feel we have bonded in the last two weeks. I guess just being able to let go of all of the stress that I have been dealing with at work for the last two years has allowed me to look at everything in a whole new light—particularly you! I am calmer, more patient, more understanding, and surely more fun! You have opened my eyes in so many ways in the last eighteen months and for that I am so grateful.
Obviously a lot has changed in the last month. The realignment with Mommy’s work became effective March 1, and although Mommy was offered a job, she would have had to commute to Edmond every day. Not only is that too far to drive every day, it’s also too much money spent on gas, and most importantly too much additional time spent away from you. So, Mommy declined. I have been looking for a new job, but as each day passes that I get to spend with you, it becomes more and more difficult to come to terms with the idea of going back to work. In the mean time, I am treasuring every minute spent with you.
We have done so many new and fun things in the last month, but before I get into that, I will catch you up on you! Mommy and Daddy were finally able to take you to the ENT doctor. You had a hearing test done, which you did perfectly well on. Then the doctor looked at your ears to see if the numerous infections had done any damage. Luckily, they had not, and he suggested that we try to make it through the rest of the cold season rather than opting for tubes. So we agreed, and less than two weeks later we were sitting in the doctor’s office with ear infections. But, still, Dr. Stacy agrees that we should wait it out. I don’t know how much more of it you will handle so gracefully though.
You have spent a great deal of time with your friend Mariah P. lately. The two of you are truly friends and have learned to play together very well. You share with each other and are considerate of one another’s feelings. There is the occasional tiff, but a surprising few, considering your age. You have even asked about her out of the blue a couple of times. I see the two of you becoming very good friends in the future.
The weather has been wonderful lately, and we have been spending a lot of time out side. You absolutely love to be outside! We went over to Nana and Papa Hall’s house one beautiful Saturday and had a great time! Cousins Audrey, Bethany, Laney, and James were there along with JJ, Tanya, Jason, Jaden, and Jada. We played outside and went to the park and played. It was a beautiful day and we all had a great time! You adore your cousin Bethany and she adores you in return!
Your vocabulary has become quite extensive in the past few weeks. Although not all words are perfect, they are certainly understandable. Some of your new ones include lion, bear, frog, turtle, monkey, turkey, milk (moke), more (mo), juice (jew), please (peas), thank you (tank two), sleep (seep), blankie, pants (pan), shoes (jews), socks (cock), ear, nose, mouth, teeth, Elmo (Melmo), blue (boo), red (wed), block (bock), bug, bee, owl, and Barney. You also have begun making the sounds of animals, including the cat, lion, dog, bear, frog, monkey, chicken, duck, rooster, cow, horse, and pig. You often sit around reciting them, such as “meow, oink”.
You have also begun to show your artistic side and enjoy drawing and coloring. I can’t count the number of time I have caught you at the desk with a pen scribbling away on what ever I left lying in reach. You ask me about ten times a day to color. Mommy recently bought you sidewalk chalk, which has been put to use, and you had your first finger painting experience:
Then, of course, Daddy had to try out his face-painting skills, and after some help from you, we ended up with this:
Then it was obviously bath time:
Even with all of your new discoveries and toys and ideas, nothing can compare to reading. We read at least ten books a day, including three every night before bed. You would rather read a book than play with any toy, any day. I thoroughly enjoy reading to you and treasure that time with you.
We have begun the practice of cleaning up after ourselves and it pleases me to see you grasp the concept so well. While I started out making you clean up your blocks before I’d get out your farm set, you now pick them up before you even ask for it. Even when you drag your toys throughout the entire house, you are usually subordinate about picking them up.
With all this good independence you’re gaining, comes the not-so-good. You have perfected the word ‘no’ and even ‘uh-uh’. You tell me no about twenty times a day. I tell you to get down off the chair, and as you obey, you say “No!” I ask you if you’d like some juice and five seconds after you tell me “No!” you ask for juice. It’s a scary glimpse into the future of your rebellion, but I appreciate your independence at the same time.
While the past two weeks have been fabulous, they have been equally trying. It’s taken me a little time to accept the fact that I spend most of everyday communicating solely to a toddler. While only fifteen days ago, I had more than 5000 girls relying on my commitment to them, I now answer to one. My hardest decision in three days may be Barney in the morning or in the afternoon? While I love every minute of this, it is a difficult change to make. It is trying to spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week with you. And it is hard to accept the fact that our annual income is now nearly $30,000 dollars less than it was two weeks ago. And it’s a little surprising to find that I don’t care nearly as much about that $30,000 as I thought I did. Every minute of every day with you is exactly how I want to spend my life. I’m so blessed to have learned that.
Love, love, love,
Mommy
.JPG)
No comments:
Post a Comment