7th
Dear Ruby,
Last year my mom gave me a daily journal she kept when Shannon and I were about 18 months old. Since you were born only a couple weeks after my birthday, I really enjoyed following along each day and comparing your development to our development. I’ve kept thinking I want to start a journal of the things you do that amaze me on a daily basis but it’s just not something I can seem to find the time to do. You turned two last Saturday and at your 2 year check up your doctor asked me standard questions about you and I felt sad that I couldn’t answer with certainty some of his questions. Particularly, do you speak in 3 word sentences? I hesitantly answered yes since you are a very good communicator, but in reality I couldn’t think of an actual sentence you had ever said to me. Now that I’ve had a week to reflect on it and more consciencely observe you, I feel silly for my hesitation. And after being awoken by your sweet little voice coming from your room at 4 this morning, saying “I want you to read Corduroy bear, Mama”, I realized how much I really do want to document this stage of your life where you are learning so much so quickly.
You love singing, “The wheels on the bus”, “Where is Thumbkin?”, “Old McDonald”, “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” and “Farmer in the Dell” are your favorites. Of course since you are learning all of these songs in school, there are many tunes you sing that I don’t recognize. You love colors, you name them all correctly very quickly except for white and black, you really have to think about those two for a while before you can name them. You seem to be very sensitive about getting answers wrong and you think very carefully when you are unsure. You count to eleven. You know your abc’s. You are very good with shapes, you even know pentagon, which really surprised me. You know all your animals and imitate their sounds. You love to jump. You have an amazing memory, on our walk home from school each day you tell me about the things we’ve seen at particular spot weeks and even months ago. The other day when I showed you a picture of you on the ferry boat, you pointed to it and said “We took the car on the boat and went to the island. We played on the beach with the bucket.” Which actually sounded exactly like this “car on the boat and the car on the boat and the car on the boat, island. yah. play beach, play beach. yah. bucket.” But I understood you meant perfectly.
I can’t believe you’re two years old already, it’s scary how quickly time passes and I often wonder if I’ll regret choosing not to stay home with you. But it’s obvious how rewarding school is for you. And it makes me savor the time I spend with you so much more. I remember a conversation I had with my dad one summer evening after my first year of college. I had thanked him for everything he had done for me and told him my fear that I would never be as selfless as he had been throughout my life and I hoped I could be as generous when I had kids. He said he felt the same way about the opportunities and fortune his parents had afforded him when he was my age, but as soon as he met us he instantly wanted everything for us rather than himself, and one day I would understand that. I look at you now and know that I would give up everything for you unquestionably and I am so grateful to you for teaching me that about myself. I realize I work so that you can go to school because it’s clear to me that you benefit so much from the relationships you are developing there.
I love you so much and I’m going to make an effort to document you more, especially during this exciting time for our family. And since visiting your dr. I’ve been thinking of all the three word sentences that you use. “I love you, Mama”, “Mommy, where ARE you?” and “read me books” are the ones that warm my heart the most.
XOXO,
Mommy
