October 11, 2009

Twenty one months, my sweet Bella! It’s an awkward number to spit out but you are anything but awkward. You are absolutely, utterly amazing and adored by all who are blessed enough to cross your path.

Closer to two than one, you are growing and learning more quickly than I can keep up with. You are a very quick learner. You know your alphabet (26/26 letter recognition and 20/26 letter sounds – all but the vowels) and love to sing it and receive applause. You can count to twelve, and to twenty with a couple of errors in the teens. You know all of your colours, numbers by sight and can even read a few sight words. It took me by surprise when your big bro was watching the sight word DVD and you piped up with a few of the words before the DVD said them. There are no words you can’t say now and there’s no way I could count them. Some you have a unique way of saying, but you try everything. “Chiyapactah (chiropractor), Gadys & Tabos (Gladys & Carlos – Cecilia’s parents), Damma (Grandma), Dapa Tent (Grandpa Kent), Dapa Wodgah (Grandpa Roger), weecyking (recycling)…there are so many, and they’re all so super cute!

You are a very active little girl and love nothing more than playing with your family. You love to go for a run with Primo, which is one of his favourite hobbies. (You both did your first race a week ago – the Run for the Pumpkin 2 km. Daddy carried you for about half of it, and you loved every second of it.) You still have a bit of the bouncy run going on but it’s becoming less and less apparent. My baby is becoming a little girl. Another thing you absolutely love? Jumping! For the past 6 weeks or so you’ve been getting some great air and you are thrilled to bits about that! I think your trampoline training in the back yard really helped.

You had your first horseback riding experience in August with Auntie Cindy. Daddy, Grandma and I took you and Primo out to her parents’ farm and you rode Mandy, the little pony that Ashley rides for 4H. You weren’t so sure about being on her by yourself, but Primo got on behind you and held you and that made it much more enjoyable. The picture of the two of you riding together is the desktop background on my laptop now and you love looking at it.

You love our animal family, and are sure to let them know it on a regular basis. For some reason, you’re especially obsessed with poor Chloe who has no interest in children. The two of you have an arrangement, though, and she sometimes even lets you pet her. It’s a miracle. She runs at first sight of your brother! You say goodnight to her, and Thai & Mavi, every night, and tell them that you “huv” them. You love to lie on the dogs’ bed (especially if the dogs are in it, and you think it’s much funnier than they do).

Though you’re incredibly active and can roughhouse with the best of them, you’re also quite the girly-girl. You love to go shopping, you love your purse (& have started to say “I need money!), you love ponies, stuffed animals, baby dolls, and PINK! It’s rather hilarious. Nobody has ever told you that pink is a girlie colour and I have made an effort to buy you a lot of purple & blue, but you wake up in the morning, head to your dresser and say “I wear PINK! I need a PRETTY for my hair! A PINK one!” If you go in your room and close the door, we’re sure to find you naked minutes later trying to change into something pink. Your babies are almost an obsessions. You have never stopped loving the twins that Grandma Betty bought you for your first Christmas, which you’ve now named “Baby Pink” and “Baby Blue.” Mommy’s friend Cathy bought you “Baby Tyler” who has a soother just like her own baby Tyler whose soother you love to play with. You call him “Baby Ty-ah” and you tuck him in, feed him snacks, kiss & hug him, put lotion on his head after your bath (all of the babies get lotion, actually) and sleep with him. You also have “Sleepy Baby” which Janene, Matt, Liam & Josh got you for Christmas and you love to sleep with her too – she’s your baby that lives at your babysitters house at the moment. You also love to talk on the phone, and several times every day you cry & whine that you need to “Talka Damma Betty!” until I dial her number. You say “Hi Damma! Iss Bella!” and always sign off with “I huvva you Damma! Bye Bye!”

You and Primo started going to a wonderful dayhome mid-September (with lots of playdates there before hand and a few weeks at home with Daddy while Mommy got settled back into working). You love it there and are excited to get in the van every morning. From you, I’m lucky to get a hug and kiss before you run off to be with your friends. You just toss me an “I huvva you Mommy!” and maybe a “Seeya haytah!” and you’re off like a shot. Your brother is struggling a little more emotionally for the first few minutes of every day, and that is so very very hard on a mama who’d far rather be at home so I thank you for your adaptability and for being there for him to play and hug whenever he needs it.

I love you passionately my baby girl. I love your smile, your lively & sparkling eyes, your hugs & kisses, your love of learning & your fiery enthusiasm for life. There’s nothing I love more than being a Mommy to you & Primo. You make our world complete.

I huvva you!
Mommy
xoxo