Last night I was thinking about the last 18 months and realize you have been a part of our family for a long time! Of course you were a hope and a prayer for a long time and then a prayer answered when we saw that first ultrasound picture and then again when Daniel and the midwife placed you on my chest the night you were born.
Trixie, you bring so much joy to our lives. Nadia has really blossomed this year as she grew into the role of being your big sister. It’s so fun seeing the two of you walk into pre-school together. Last month our routine shifted and now most mornings you ask to bring Nadia to her classroom first. You always walk right up to the sinks to wash hands– surprisingly turning the water on and off by yourself. You have a pretty big fan club among Nadia’s peers– many of the girls make a point to ask for a high five or give a hug. Unlike Nadia who is still so shy, you walk into the room saying “hi” and then later “bye bye” when it is time to go to your classroom.
So many of the other parents in your class comment “She’s so advanced” and I never know quite what to say. You have just breezed through most milestones. You started walking a little before turning one and now you can run, dance, and almost jump! You were a much more selective eater as a baby, preferring pureed foods, cheerios, and a few other staples for a long time. Somehow in the last few months, you have become open to trying a much bigger variety of foods– cucumbers, carrots, strawberries, clementines, cheese are all current favorites. One morning recently you woke up and your first word of the day was “cheese”– I can appreciate a girl who wakes up knowing what she wants!
Listening to your voice develop has been the biggest thrill of the last few months. You are starting to have a pretty big vocabulary! You can say: Mama, Dada, Nana (Nadia), Hi, bye bye, “nigh nigh” (goodnight), cheese, please, a new favorite– green beans, me/ mine (a new development), yes, no, up, doggie, ginger (my parent’s dog), up, outside and probably more words that I’m forgetting. Then there’s the words you still prefer to sign: more, all done, please, nursing/ mama milk, brush teeth, change (you will usually sign “change” after you pee in your diaper). It’s amazing starting to be able to have little conversations together. Sometimes you have so much to say and I can’t understand any of it. This especially seems true in the middle of the night– what could you possibly have to say at 3am?
Just last week we decided to put away the crib and move you into a twin mattress floor bed. It seems like you are sleeping better in your new bed– often you would roll over and get annoyed to bump the sides of the crib. You still always wake up in the middle of the night– looking for Mom and wanting to nurse back to sleep. Two nights ago you woke up and walked over to my bed and simply woke me up saying “Mama.” Moments like that make it hard to deny you aren’t exactly a baby anymore. You are becoming a little kid!
One thing that really surprises me is how much you love dogs. You love to go up to the window to see if any dogs might be out for a walk in the neighborhood. You also frequently ask about “Gin-gur,” my parent’s dog. In fact my dad came to church with us this weekend and you sat on his lap for awhile and I heard you ask him about Ginger in the middle of church! While we’re definitely not wanting to get a dog, you have convinced me we could probably adopt a cat!
You are starting to get into taking care of baby dolls and love using the little stroller. This is both a lot of fun for Nadia and annoying since you now want to use many of the same toys. Learning to take turns is a real challenge these days, although Nadia is surprisingly patient most of the time.
As much as I love our family just as it is now, part of me wonders if we will ever have another baby. I recently packed away more baby clothes and Nadia said “Maybe we could save them in case we have another baby.” Knowing you might be our last baby has certainly helped me really enjoy these moments because I know how quickly they will pass!
