Beatrice at 22 Months

Dear Beatrice,

Today you are 22 months old. You've changed a lot in the last month, with quite a few interesting developments. There's a lot I want to tell you about the little girl that you are becoming, so I'll start where last month left off.

This year we went to the pumpkin patch to get ready for Halloween. You had a great time, and you took your first train ride. You were so excited to be on that train. Also, we picked out pumpkins and your father and you were off all over the pumpkin patch. You wouldn't leave his side, and shortly after that you said the word "pumpkin".


For Halloween, I got you a pretty fairy costume, complete with wand, tights and new shoes. You rarely wear a dress, and you have never in your life worn tights or fancy little black patent shoes. The morning of Halloween I got you ready in your costume because there was going to be a party at your daycare. You screamed at me and kept saying "No" over and over again. "What is this girlie outfit?" you appeared to ask. You seemed to hate it. I took your picture anyway. When I dropped you off at daycare, I feared that the costume wouldn't make it but a half hour. When I got home that evening, you were still in it. I asked your father if he put you in it and he told me that you wouldn't let anyone take that costume off you all day. Sometimes I just don't understand. It's almost like you know it will make me happy so you rebel, but then when I am not around you do things like it's no big deal.

So, on Halloween we decided to take you trick-or-treating. We put your sister in her costume, too, and went around to a few houses. Our neighbors were going out later and said we could join them. Your father stayed home with your sister because we had a lot of people coming to the door, and you and I went out together with the neighbors. You were not happy, but I think it was because you were disoriented with being outdoors when it was dark. We had a wagon with us, and you sat in it most of the time and wouldn't come out to go up to the doors. Everytime I tried, you started crying or you just wanted to be held. Oh well, maybe we will have better luck next year. I still think you had a good time, though.


This month has also brought on quite the vocabulary. My favorite words include: help, pumpkin, choo choo, Beatrice. Yes, you said your own name. You also started saying "owie", as in having a cut or scar or something else that is not normal looking on someone's body. This month when I got a blister on my foot, you saw it and kept saying "mama owie" over and over again, until you came right up to it and poked it. Then you would continue to do that to me every day. It was funny, but it did hurt, and that's ok. You pick up on words and phrases very quickly now, so your father and I have started watching what we say around you. One night I yelled "Oh my gosh!" and then right after you repeated it. So I said it again and you repeated it again. Three times this happened. When you noticed that your father and I thought it was cute, you immediately clammed up and refused to do it anymore. A week has gone by now, and everytime we say it, you yell "No!"


You've also become quite the singer this month. Even if you don't know all the words to a song, you get the ones you know in there at the right time and say them in tune with the song. I actually remembered more nursery rhyme songs this month and found out that you already knew them and learned them at daycare. So, on the way there in the morning, we sing songs the whole way. Your favorite at the moment is "Twinkle, Twinkle". You know what a lot of words in the song are, too, which makes it special to you, I think. One night when I was putting you to bed, you started singing to me. At that moment, I wanted to pull you out of bed and have you stay up just a little longer. Instead, I smiled at you, told you I loved you and that you did a good job singing. Additionally, you can do the Olivia rap without flaw. You rock, Punks!


Your enthusiam for things has grown tremendously this month. When you used to see an object you knew the name to, you would often just point it out: a plane, a tree, a flower, Elmo, Moo Moo, etc. You would say the name of it and point. This month you have wanted me or someone else to share that experience with you. So, for example, when you see a plane you scream, "Plane! Mama Plane! Plane!" You do this with just about everything. You're so excited and you want everyone around you to be excited, too, and to tell you truth, it is hard not to be excited about those things which are so often taken for granted. It's one of those stop and smell the roses types of things. Thank you for making me slow down this month.


This month has been a rocky one for your mama. I have been sick with different things for almost the entire month. My energy has been less than it usually is and I have had some moments of depression. I hope that you weren't able to see a lot of that because I really tried hard not to let you. I want your world to be perfect, and if not perfect, then pretty darn near close to it. Though you've been quite a daddy's girl, there are times when I know I mean a lot to you. When you get up at night and your father puts you in our bed briefly while he gets some milk for you, you whisper to me. "Mama," you say. And then you make your way over to me in the bed and hug some part of my body. You then make your way back to where you were before your father returns. How much do I love you? So incredibly much...

Love,
Mama

P.S. - I can't forget to mention that I taught you the "MMMWAHHHH" that goes along with a kiss this month. You do it with everyone when you give them a kiss. But you and me have a secret "MWAH". We can do the "MMMMMM" part of it for a long time and then make the "WAH" sound at the end at the very same time. It's our thing, something I am glad we have together.