Seven months was only a month ago, yet sometimes it feels like an eternity.

September 11, 2008 (posted late – I’m sure you can imagine why…)

Dearest Bella,

This is a sad, sad week for us. My Daddy, your Grandpa Jack, passed away four days ago while he and Grandma Betty were on vacation in PEI. We’re currently in the process of planning a celebration of his life while doing our best to ensure that you and your brother don’t feel neglected and aren’t exposed to any unnecessary stresses. The two of you are the bright spot that helps us keep going. Your Grandpa Jack spent his last three weeks of life bragging about you and your cousins to all of his family and friends in the maritimes. He was so proud of you and loved you more than anything. We feel the same.

Aside from the loss of one of the best men on the planet, this past month has been very fun for you. You now get on your hands and knees often and take a few crawling steps before pushing back to your bum and butt-hopping away. I guess you may crawl after all. We certainly had our doubts. You are pulling up to standing with only the help of a finger from Mommy or Daddy so it won’t be long before you’re doing it independently I’m sure.

You’re now able to very easily make your way over to Primo when he’s playing on the floor, much to his chagrin. He used to think it was cute and exclaim “She’s scooting! Good job, Bella!” but now he says “Bella, NOOOOOOOOO!” more often than not. He has resorted to a little bit of knocking you over and sometimes even sitting on you to keep you away from his goodies, but he’s remarkably gentle even when he’s being a stinker. He doesn’t push you roughly – he just gently knocks you backward to get you away from whatever he’s playing with. You’ll get used to it, and I’m sure you’ll be tougher for having a big brother. It won’t be long before you’re fighting back, I’m sure, because even now you look at me and scream “Raaaaah” when he takes something out of your hand.

You talk up a storm now, and you talk like you really mean it. You say, and mean, “Mama” and “Dada” and have started to occasionally call your brother “Rah.” You babble and sing, and we all love the sound of your voice. Primo says “She’s saying HELLO to me! She’s my girl!”

All of that learning is reaking havoc on your brain. You can’t sleep for more than a few hours at night without waking up sitting and not knowing how you got there. We have had great success with implementing a better bedtime routine this month. You go to bed between 7 and 8, just like your brother. All four of us read a story and sing together in Primo’s bed (because we can’t all fit in your crib) after bath time, and then you both are sleeping by 8:00. Thanks for your cooperation with that. We sure appreciate it. You generally wake up to eat between 11 and 12, and again between 3 and 4, when I bring you back to bed with me because I am too tired to sit up and feed you. You eat usually one more time before waking for good between 7 and 8. I think you get more milk in the night than during the day, when you’re too busy playing and eating solids. At least we know you can sleep through the night, since you did for your first six months. I am looking forward to the day when you do it again, but I know I will miss our snuggles and nursing in the silent darkness so there’s really no hurry.

This month you got two teeth! The two bottom ones, front middle, made their appearance within ten days. The first one , your bottom left, came August 14 and the second August 24th. You slept through the night before the first one came in, which was amazing to us since your brother’s teeth have been the bane of our existence, and his, for nearly two years. Your huge smile with two little white chicklets in it is the greatest thing. You flash it regularly, and have been called “The happiest baby I’ve ever seen” by many many people.

You love to laugh and your ribs are incredibly ticklish. You love it when I “eat your ribs” or “munch your belly” or just come at you with a hearty “Boo!” You laugh so hard that you get the hiccups at least once a day.

It breaks my heart that you won’t have any precious memories of your Grandpa Jack. I am so glad I’m a photo hound because I have many images of him holding you and playing with you and oogling over how cute you are. You can see the love in his eyes in those pictures, and it’s my hope that you’ll feel him watching over you from heaven and always know that he loved you and will continue to do so until you meet again.

I love you so much, Bella. These moments we have together are so precious, and I thank you for making my life fun and rich and filling it with laughter and baby giggles.

Love, Mamamamama
xoxo