Dear MrMan,
You are now one! Not one minute (I remember then), not one week (then, too), not one month (and then, as well), but one YEAR old! This morning, as we were waiting to take off from the Atlanta airport to head here to DC, you passed that mark. Welcome to toddlerhood! You completely qualify. Not only do you have twelve months under your diaper velcro, you walk. You really walk. You'd been trying it out - a couple of steps one day, a few steps the next - but a few days ago, you decided that this walking thing must not be all that bad. It's funny: I was recently reflecting on the fact that I'd pictured that walking would be a sudden acquisition, that you'd suddenly go from not walking to walking, and that I was obviously wrong about that, since it seemed to be a gradual process. But then it turned out that, while things were slow going for a while, you did indeed suddenly go from being a non-walker to a walker. It was like some switch was flipped and you became a walking machine. As PapaJoon points out, you walk a bit like Fred Sanford, and you topple and lose your balance. But you get up and keep going.
I love watching you walk! I also love watching you push stray food from your lips into your mouth. It just seems like such a mature thing to do. How can you, my wee boy, be so intent on making sure that every morsel possible serves as energy rather than decoration? Grains of rice, bits of broccoli - you just reach up with your finger and sort of tuck them into place, into your mouth. Your mouth that now has seven teeth. Not that mealtimes aren't still a messy venture. There's just a certain dignity to them now.
This month, you've taken a new interest in kissing. You've really mastered the air kiss - you smack your lips together and make a kissing sound. Sometimes it's to say goodbye, sometimes it's because you're feeling affectionate, sometimes it's because you're tired and initiate saying goodnight. You're also a little more into actually making physical contact with people when you kiss. I'm honored that I am usually the object of your kisses, but you've recently deigned to bestow other family members with a buus. Daddy likes to read you "Daddy Kisses," describing the body parts where animal daddies kiss their young, and then he demonstrates on you. You then proceed to kiss the pages of the book.
In addition to sharing kisses, you share your food and toys. You like to hold out bits of your food to us, either for us to nibble or to consume in their entirety. I've been trying to use this habit of yours to prevent less food on the floor: "Oh, you're thinking of throwing that cracker on the floor? Why don't I open my mouth instead? See, isn't it more fun to feed Mommy instead of the carpet?" You still sometimes insist on flinging food to the floor, but some of it is averted with my tactic. You also like to hold out your toys to us. Sometimes you're just faking us out, but usually you want us to take the toy.
One of your new favorite toys is Sugar bear, a stuffed bear (super soft!) from your Lolo and Lola. You glommed onto that bear as soon as your grandfather handed him to you. His name is a play on Lolo's initials. Your play table is another favorite. It's got interlocking blocks on one side, and various bug-themed musical doodads on the other. You like to sway to the tunes. I think that you were coveting a playmate's similar table. Then that same day, we came home, and one was waiting for you from your Godparents. Yep, you have Godparents now. Actually, both of these new favorite toys of yours were Baptism gifts. But I think really, the best gift of that weekend was getting to meet family members you'd never seen, when they came for your big day. You seemed to immediately connect with everyone, and as the short weekend came to a close, you cried with each departure.
You've developed an increasing interest in Corporal. You particularly like to move his cage and dig in his food container.... Recently, I took him out of his cage and let him run around. It resulted in him running away from you. I think he wasn't sure how to interpret your changing moods - intrigue, ignoring, chasing after.... He seemed rather relieved to return to his cage. You continue to be interested in moving things, some that are not designed to move easily, others that are. Your father has infinite patience escorting you up and down the hallway, as you push your stroller back and forth. Thank goodness, because I... not so much. My technique for getting you in the mood to move where I want you to go is to start singing, "Marching... marching, marching, marching... marching, marching, marching... marching, marching, maar-chiing." Another song you're into these days is, "Here we go loopdy loo, here we go loopdy lie, here we go loopdy loo, all on a Saturday night." Watching Amu Naysan's "party" video with him over and over has come in handy all these years later.
You've become better at communicating your wants and needs. You tug on my shirt when you want to nurse. You start waving goodnight to people when you're sleepy. You grunt when you want something. You fling things to the floor when you don't want them. Recently, we were looking for a hat to bring on our trip here to Virginia: I would pick out a hat and place it on your head, then Daddy would carry you over to the store mirror, and then you would generally pull it off and fling it down. With the exception of the cowboy hat, which wasn't going to do much for keeping your ears warm. You know what you want. I'm hoping that eventually you will decide you want the hat we bought for you.
Today, you met various new family members. As soon as you met my Amu Rudy, you went into his arms and put your head on his shoulder. While not quite so forward in your expression of it, you seem to like everyone else too, including your second cousins who are three and five years old. We all had pizza and cake (you didn't seem to care for the frosting - score!) together, and you received a crazy pile of gifts. This (early) morning, you rode to the airport in style - facing forward! You were probably half asleep, but we were excited. Also exciting - the dog here at Ameh Joon's house. This might be your favorite week ever.
MrMan, this has been my favorite year ever. There have been struggles and tears, but there've been more laughter and smiles. I've been trying to think of something I've done or experienced that's better than motherhood. I think I've lived a pretty cool life so far, visited and lived in some interesting places, met fascinating people. But none of it holds a candle to you. Thank you for coming into my life. Happy Birthday, MrMan! I love you!
Mommy
Posted by Shokufeh at November 18, 2006 10:24 PM