You're One and One Half, Bea

Dear little miss Bea,

When in the world did you turn into a little girl? It's so hard for me to believe that you are walking, talking and establishing a personality. I guess because I see you each and every day, the change happened right before my very eyes. But, when exactly did it happen?



Today you are a year and a half old.

You crawled at about 8 1/2 months, and you were walking shortly thereafter at one year. Since then, your instability to be upright has been perfected (except when you are tired) and has grown into a full-blown run at times. I have often found myself running after you and worried that I might not be able to catch you, or that you will be out of my sight in less than five seconds if I don’t keep up with you.

Your first word was "uh-oh", so we labeled that one as being unofficial. Your first official word was "bye-bye". And a month later came the arm waving in conjunction with you saying it, and also understanding what it meant. Words that followed included mama, balloon, Dora, map, bah-bah (bottle), no, backpack, Olivia (Oh-la-la to Oli-fia). In the last month, you have perfected the pronunciation of most of those words, and have added a whole new repertoire: shoe, toes, Elmo, plane, flower, MooMoo (the cat), yeah. This month you surprised me immensely when you put two, yes two, words together to make a sentence. You picked up Olivia's bottle and walked over to her, set it down next to her, and said "Oli-fia bah-bah." Why it still remains that you can't say "Dada" is a mystery to us all, but your father is most upset by it all. You still call both of us Mama, no matter how much we correct you.



If there is one thing I have learned from you recently, it is about seeing new things and not taking those things for granted. Like stopping to examine a flower or pointing up to the sky and watching a plane until it disappears out of sight. You’ve also taught me that every cause has a reaction, even the smallest things. You learned how to turn on the vacuum cleaner this last weekend, and the noise of it going on had startled you into tears. Not more than ten minutes later, you were at it again and the same reaction ensued. You did it a third time later in the day with very little reaction and a “so, that’s what happens when I push the red button.” I will never tire from watching you learn and do new things.



This past month has been a rocky one for you. You've been sick twice but have pulled through it when we are just about at our wit's end. It's funny how you suddenly pop out of being sick and are back to your old, happy self in no time. Unfortunately, the crib is no longer your friend because you have spent many nights on the sofa, refusing to go into the crib because you just wanted the comfort of one of us in your presence, laying on the sofa with you (but we sneak away after you fall asleep). Your dad and I are the same way...when we are sick, the sofa becomes our one and only destination to wellness. Maybe sometime soon we can get you back to where you belong, our friend, the crib.



You also took an interesting turn in the last month, which we hope is related to you being sick or something you picked up elsewhere. Tantrums, lady. What is this all about? Did the terrible two’s strike you early? At first, your father and I thought (and still think this is true in some instances) that you are just trying to communicate with us and are frustrated that you are not able to. It's like when I talk to your father and I can tell he isn't listening, so I repeat it again once or twice, and I still get the "Huh? What did you just say?" Instead, I raise my voice one last time and repeat, and then he gets it. You're the same way, but I hope you don't take after me in that regard – have some patience, please. Sometimes the tantrums are a little much - the ones that result in you dropping to the floor and screaming. It kills me when you look up at me and I can see your tears and the sadness in your face. You'll understand one day why I had to take the bottle of Tylenol away from the curiosity of your mouth trying to open it, which resulted in a tantrum on your end. I want you here with me for a long time, Bea...



It's really hard for your father and I to look into the past before you were part of our family, even when we look back at our wedding day. That was life before Bea. Sometimes I feel like my life restarted when you were born. You have altered our lives in the best possible way. I have had some rocky moments myself of breaking down, and when you are the only one around, you seem to realize that I just need you. Nothing means more to me than you coming up to me, saying “mama” and hugging me (or my leg) for no reason at all. I love you for everything little girl...you will always be my baby.

I love you,
Mommy