Law Students

Baby Becca: Month 12

By Andrea

Dear Becca,

Well, kid, we made it, the three of us. I've been writing you one letter a month, explaining your new abilities and favorite things, so that you, Daddy, and I could look back and remember what a joyful, tiring, strange, poopy, and magical year this was. But today I just want to describe you as you are.

Right now you're sleeping in your crib, wearing a striped 12-month sweater that's too loose because although you're tall for your age, you're also skinny, meaning for the last week we've been introducing half a banana at breakfast and shreds of whole milk mozzarella at dinner. You're snuggled up with Jungly Monkey, your best friend ever since you learned to grab things.

And before you started the whining that means it's nap time, you were toddling slowly - really slowly, like you're processing in a wedding or you need a cane - across the living room floor, clutching the handle of a purple sippy cup of whole milk, exclaiming things like "MOMMY" and "HIIII!" and "BU-BA-MEH-DA-EE!" You've got a limited repertoire of words we actually understand, so who knows about the last one.

This morning, while doing your old lady walk (and I probably shouldn't tell you this, because I'm going to let you read these letters when you're nine or ten or something, but I can't lie) you toddled toward nothing in particular and said, "HI, BITCH!"

I mean, you didn't mean it; you're a babbling one-year-old, and I could just as easily say you said "AIB-ITS!" But Daddy was right there, and we looked at each other, and now I'll never forget that. Becca, you're still a baby, I guess, but you're no longer a baby.

Sometimes I miss your tiny warm self sleeping on me in the afternoon. But I can't wait for the adventure that lies ahead of us and all the things I can tell you have to talk to us about. I'll keep writing about what you're up to and what you like. Today I just want to say that you have changed us forever, just like we knew you would, and also just like we never knew you could.

Love,
Mommy

P.S. Dum ditty dum ditty dum dum dum.

Full post as published by Peanut Butter Burrito on January 25, 2009 (boomark / email).