Dear Zoe,
You are 2 years old today. 2 whole years. Where did that time go? How have you become such a big girl?
It really seems like just in the last week you've really outgrown being a "baby". Someone, somewhere, flipped a switch... and you're a big toddler girl now.
You're really talking. I mean, you've been "talking" for a while. But all of a sudden we can really understand almost everything you say. You have figured out that you know what you want... and can ask for it. I don't know about Daddy... but when you ask Mommy for something, I sure do have a hard time saying no. Guess I'll have to work on that. I can't be giving you cookies for breakfast just because you can suddenly say "cookie peese?"
And, after trying to let you have lunch while sitting in a chair instead of your high chair, I realize it's not quite a good idea yet... even when you do say "no chair Mommy, other chair". You even climbed up all by yourself and did a pretty good job. Doesn't work too well though. More pizza ended up on the floor than in your mouth.
You're newest question is "my try?" This seems to be your combination of "my turn" and "can I try?" This request has been pretty easy so far. Usually it's when you want something, like to write with a pencil, or look at a book... but sometimes it's because you want the scissors, or Mommy's iced coffee. You are so persistent. Repeating "my try, my try?!?" Guess I'll need to find some safety scissors for you... and maybe start drinking decaf (maybe).
You walked down the stairs all by yourself for the first time. Usually I walk in front of you... or you hold my hand. Sometimes we bump down the stairs. This time you told me "no Mommy" and pushed me back away from the stairs. You walked to the railing, held on, and went for it. You did such a good job. No falling for you. You took a second to check back and make sure I was still waiting at the top. When you got to the bottom we cheered and you announced "OK Mommy" and off you ran.
You're doing so very many things. So many new things you weren't doing just last week. So many things that I know I won't ever be able to write them all down. Hopefully I'll be able to jot down enough. Write down the things that really stand out.
You're getting so big.
Too big, too fast.
I have to remember you're not a baby anymore.
I'll try to keep up.
Love,
Mommy
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Snack
Dear Zoe,
I was reminded of something today.
A month or 2 ago we were all (Grammy, PopPop, Daddy, Mommy and you) sitting in the TV room. You suddenly got up, without a word, and left the room. That wasn't unusual. You're definitely starting to have your own mind about what you're doing and when you're doing it. We all sat and listened to see if we could hear you. It sounded like you were playing in "your kitchen drawer" and then it got quiet. A minute (maybe) passed. All of a sudden you're standing in the doorway holding the box of strawberries. You held it up, said "bay-yees", and we all laughed. It was just so surprising. The first time you got it in your mind that it was time to snack and just helped yourself. I think if you could've gotten the box open we would've found you sitting in the kitchen covered in berries.
Today this was brought into my mind because you did it again. This time you told Daddy and I ahead of time. You just suddenly said "snack?" After repeating it for us a couple times you lead me to the kitchen (another new thing... you grab my hand and lead me to things you want). You opened the refrigerator and looked around a bit. You finally made your decision and as you grabbed the container of leftover noodles you announced "nuddles" (said like puddles). "Nuddles, nuddles, nuddles." You ate almost the whole container.
You're just becoming such a big girl.
Love,
Mommy
I was reminded of something today.
A month or 2 ago we were all (Grammy, PopPop, Daddy, Mommy and you) sitting in the TV room. You suddenly got up, without a word, and left the room. That wasn't unusual. You're definitely starting to have your own mind about what you're doing and when you're doing it. We all sat and listened to see if we could hear you. It sounded like you were playing in "your kitchen drawer" and then it got quiet. A minute (maybe) passed. All of a sudden you're standing in the doorway holding the box of strawberries. You held it up, said "bay-yees", and we all laughed. It was just so surprising. The first time you got it in your mind that it was time to snack and just helped yourself. I think if you could've gotten the box open we would've found you sitting in the kitchen covered in berries.
Today this was brought into my mind because you did it again. This time you told Daddy and I ahead of time. You just suddenly said "snack?" After repeating it for us a couple times you lead me to the kitchen (another new thing... you grab my hand and lead me to things you want). You opened the refrigerator and looked around a bit. You finally made your decision and as you grabbed the container of leftover noodles you announced "nuddles" (said like puddles). "Nuddles, nuddles, nuddles." You ate almost the whole container.
You're just becoming such a big girl.
Love,
Mommy
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Smartie Pants
Dear Zoe,
Sometimes you shock me with the things you come up with. I'm not sure how your brain works, or how you process things to remember what you do. You're not even 2 years old and the things you think amaze me.
This morning you were in your crib and I was pulling your clothes out to wear for the day. I opened the shirt drawer and picked a shirt. I put it on you while you were still in the crib (you just love to run away when we try to dress you!). Before I could close the drawer you started yelling "Ina! Ina's shirt! Ina's shirt!" It took me a minute to figure out. But, there in the drawer was your new ladybug t-shirt. The one I just bought you that you hadn't worn yet. The one I also bought for cousin Nina (in the matching onesie version). The one she just wore at their picnic on Saturday. That was 5 days ago! You saw her in it for a couple hours! How did you remember that??? Such a smartie you are.
Oh, here's another thing that surprised me. You have been saying your "ABCs" and "counting" for quite a while now. I can't even say for sure when I first heard you chanting them. I can tell you that you can count to 13... and this is because we have 13 stairs that we count each time we go up and down them. Sometimes you miss a number when you do it on your own. Or you skip "1" (Why don't you like 1?). Or you start at 8. But, sometimes you count straight from 1-13. But you surprised me this week. You counted in Spanish! I know that on Fridays in school Franklin (one of your teachers) has a little "lesson" with your toddler class. I know you've said "hola" quite a few times. But you counted in Spanish!!! No prompting. Just suddenly felt the urge to count in Spanish. You blow me away.
I know lots of moms think their kids are smart... but, boy Zoe, you're just the smartest!
Love you,
Mommy
Sometimes you shock me with the things you come up with. I'm not sure how your brain works, or how you process things to remember what you do. You're not even 2 years old and the things you think amaze me.
This morning you were in your crib and I was pulling your clothes out to wear for the day. I opened the shirt drawer and picked a shirt. I put it on you while you were still in the crib (you just love to run away when we try to dress you!). Before I could close the drawer you started yelling "Ina! Ina's shirt! Ina's shirt!" It took me a minute to figure out. But, there in the drawer was your new ladybug t-shirt. The one I just bought you that you hadn't worn yet. The one I also bought for cousin Nina (in the matching onesie version). The one she just wore at their picnic on Saturday. That was 5 days ago! You saw her in it for a couple hours! How did you remember that??? Such a smartie you are.
Oh, here's another thing that surprised me. You have been saying your "ABCs" and "counting" for quite a while now. I can't even say for sure when I first heard you chanting them. I can tell you that you can count to 13... and this is because we have 13 stairs that we count each time we go up and down them. Sometimes you miss a number when you do it on your own. Or you skip "1" (Why don't you like 1?). Or you start at 8. But, sometimes you count straight from 1-13. But you surprised me this week. You counted in Spanish! I know that on Fridays in school Franklin (one of your teachers) has a little "lesson" with your toddler class. I know you've said "hola" quite a few times. But you counted in Spanish!!! No prompting. Just suddenly felt the urge to count in Spanish. You blow me away.
I know lots of moms think their kids are smart... but, boy Zoe, you're just the smartest!
Love you,
Mommy
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
More Words
Dear Zoe,
Daddy and I are now jotting down words and things on a notepad on the fridge whenever something strikes us... or when we remember something you've done in the past. It is just so fun to experience new things with you.
When something has been too hard for you to pick up you've always made sure to show us how you struggle. Exaggerating your lift and grunting, even if you were only pretending to try so hard. Now you've added the word heavy... only you say "heaby". You'll pull and pull, then look at us and just say "oh, heaby" and keep trying until we help.
Along with "heaby" you also learned to say "reach it". You do your same struggle... but with arms in the sky. Usually it's about something on a high shelf, or the kitchen counter. Anything too high for you to get. You just stretch and stretch and finally say "reach it, reach it". I have a very hard time not giving you something when you make such an effort. Luckily it's usually something of yours that you want.
Grammy recently gave you some stickers. Oh were they fun. You were so excited and told everyone who would listen "my stee-kahs". Now I just love to give you sheets of stickers so I can hear you say "yeah, stee-kahs!"
A favorite "game" of yours has been to pretend to sleep. The first time you did it you were on Daddy's and my bed. You put your head on the pillow, motioned for help with the covers, looked at me and said "sleepies" and closed your eyes and started to snore. It was so funny. It made you giggle so much when I did "sleepies" with you. Since that first time it has become a rather regular game. Sometimes on our bed, sometimes on the couch with a pillow and blanket. Sometimes in random places. Always you will announce "sleepies" and then close your eyes and snore. You also expect us to join you. We have to lay down, pull up the covers, close our eyes, and snore. At that point you'll always yell "ee up Mommy!" or "ee up Daddy!" Your version of "get up!"
The newest thing you do to me is ask if you should eat something. You'll hold up whatever it is and ask "Eat it?" And then you wait for my response. Usually whatever you find is food. Something you've had for snack. A cheerio, a golf fish, a piece of cracker. You're pretty good about responding to my answer too. I'll say "yes" if it's something you just ate... and you pop it in your mouth. I'll say "no" if I have no idea how old or where something came from. When I say "no" I'll usually offer you something else and you accept it as a fair trade. Occasionally you're not too happy about giving something up though. The most recent "eat it?" upset was a boogie (eeww). Finger in the nose, boogie out. You looked at it, looked at me and asked "eat it?" I guess you expected a "yes"... because when I said "no" and took it with a tissue you had a regular meltdown. I have to say, I was quite impressed that at 23 months old you thought to ask before just popping it in your mouth (again, eeww)!
Love you bunches,
Mommy
Daddy and I are now jotting down words and things on a notepad on the fridge whenever something strikes us... or when we remember something you've done in the past. It is just so fun to experience new things with you.
When something has been too hard for you to pick up you've always made sure to show us how you struggle. Exaggerating your lift and grunting, even if you were only pretending to try so hard. Now you've added the word heavy... only you say "heaby". You'll pull and pull, then look at us and just say "oh, heaby" and keep trying until we help.
Along with "heaby" you also learned to say "reach it". You do your same struggle... but with arms in the sky. Usually it's about something on a high shelf, or the kitchen counter. Anything too high for you to get. You just stretch and stretch and finally say "reach it, reach it". I have a very hard time not giving you something when you make such an effort. Luckily it's usually something of yours that you want.
Grammy recently gave you some stickers. Oh were they fun. You were so excited and told everyone who would listen "my stee-kahs". Now I just love to give you sheets of stickers so I can hear you say "yeah, stee-kahs!"
A favorite "game" of yours has been to pretend to sleep. The first time you did it you were on Daddy's and my bed. You put your head on the pillow, motioned for help with the covers, looked at me and said "sleepies" and closed your eyes and started to snore. It was so funny. It made you giggle so much when I did "sleepies" with you. Since that first time it has become a rather regular game. Sometimes on our bed, sometimes on the couch with a pillow and blanket. Sometimes in random places. Always you will announce "sleepies" and then close your eyes and snore. You also expect us to join you. We have to lay down, pull up the covers, close our eyes, and snore. At that point you'll always yell "ee up Mommy!" or "ee up Daddy!" Your version of "get up!"
The newest thing you do to me is ask if you should eat something. You'll hold up whatever it is and ask "Eat it?" And then you wait for my response. Usually whatever you find is food. Something you've had for snack. A cheerio, a golf fish, a piece of cracker. You're pretty good about responding to my answer too. I'll say "yes" if it's something you just ate... and you pop it in your mouth. I'll say "no" if I have no idea how old or where something came from. When I say "no" I'll usually offer you something else and you accept it as a fair trade. Occasionally you're not too happy about giving something up though. The most recent "eat it?" upset was a boogie (eeww). Finger in the nose, boogie out. You looked at it, looked at me and asked "eat it?" I guess you expected a "yes"... because when I said "no" and took it with a tissue you had a regular meltdown. I have to say, I was quite impressed that at 23 months old you thought to ask before just popping it in your mouth (again, eeww)!
Love you bunches,
Mommy
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