A
friend of mine blogs a letter to her daughter every month around her birthday with updates of her development and what she's been up to that month. It's such great information to have written down, especially when a first-time mom friend asks in what month kids start doing this or that. It's amazing how things about Wesley I think will be impossible to forget, just seem to fade from memory. The big ones of course stick out, like when he started sleeping through the night (4 months) and when he started walking (12 months) but the little things are hard like when he started eating cheese or when he realized how much fun it was to throw things off the balcony. So anyway, this will probably be my one and only letter, but for posterity, I figured I'd give it a shot:
Dear Wes, You are quite the little man these days! Too me, all the baby in you is gone and I only see a busy, curious, and happy little boy. You are into everything, all the time and I am constantly fighting a losing battle with your toys. Our house is filled with cars, trucks, tractors, rocks, balls, and books. We got you an art table and easel for Christmas, but so far it looks like the arts come in a distant second to auto shop (which your dad is not so secretly thrilled about). You absolutely love to read and your favorite is the Big Book of Things that Go. You can nearly point out every single car, truck, plane, train, tractor, and boat in the book. Climbing is your number one activity these days and it's a little embarrassing having to explain all your bumps and bruises to your Bible study teacher each week. But you do great in your kids class while I'm at CBS and you have lots of fun in the nursery at church on Sunday's. You're not much of a talker yet, which everyone keeps telling me is normal for boys, and that pretty soon I'll rue the day I begged you to talk. But some of your words include: momma, dadda, mailman, bubbles, book, block, down, up, several animals and their sounds, milk, water, pretzel, vitamin, blueberry, all done, one and nine. (the other day I asked your dad what time it was and you answered nine, I have no idea why you know that number, but it seems to be your favorite) And since you know exactly what you're talking about, I'm sure I'm the one with the communication problem.
Our weeks seem to fly by and are filled with time spent with friends and family, Grandma (you go to grandma's house every Monday and Friday while I go to the gym), the park and farmer's market and a million other activities. Daddy recently taught you to tackle people (ugghh), so you back up and then run at me full force tackling me to the ground. You're still an excellent sleeper and sleep from around 8pm to 7am and nap from about 1-3pm give or take. After we read books, you tell me na-night and point to your crib. You eat anything and everything in sight including bell peppers, hummus, and kiwi's. You love berries, bananas, raisins, and your fish oil gummy vitamins. I don't think you have ever refused to try a new food and I can count the number of times you haven't liked something. At your 18 month well check last week, you weighed 27 1/2 pounds and were 33 inches long. You wear 24 month clothing, a size 5/6 shoe and a size 5 diaper. You make me smile with laughter and sigh with exhaustion each day. I asked God for you for so long and am often beside myself with gratitude. Though I'm often beside myself with frustration too, I know I am blessed beyond words. I love you buddy!
Love, Momma
