Friday, March 20, 2009

Jack's Monthly Newsletter, One Year Four Months

Dear Jack,

I was worried about coming up with the words for this newsletter, but I took a look at one of the photos Daddy took of you this month and realized I didn't need to talk at all.

This photo is all Jack.



That is just you. Sweet face, sturdy little chewable body, covered in mud, standing on a sewer grate.

You are less obvious about it than Nate was, but you're just as determined once you set your mind at something. Maybe more determined. If you decide you want to walk somewhere, it doesn't matter how many times I turn you away, point you in another direction, heck I can carry you half a mile away and the minute I set you down you just start walking back to where you wanted to go.

The day Daddy took that picture was at a soccer game we got to see Connor play; you found this one muddy slope that led down to the drain and you walked up and down and up and down. You love to negotiate new terrain - you just joyfully toddle around and around and around. I took you and Nate to Kennedy Rec a few days ago and you just stalked around the big field with a huge grin the whole time.



You and Nate are still so incredibly happy with each other. Sometimes you drive him a little crazy when you take his legos, but yesterday when you dropped a can on your foot and sobbed with pain Nate raced in from the living room to kiss you over and over again. After lunch I let you two watch a show together before naps, and Nate's very happy to let you share his big chair. He doesn't even let me share that chair and I own the darn thing.



You're still not talking but you're making more sounds: woah and nuh-nuh-nuh are your favorites. I spent the night at Grandma's house last week and talked to you on the phone the next morning. I said "Hi Jack! Hi!" and this tiny breathy voice said "hi" right back to me. Three times. I cried after I hung up the phone, and then spent the next week making Daddy promise that he hadn't actually been the one saying "hi" and pretending it was you. You haven't done it since, but I'm keeping the faith. You're waving "hi" and "bye" now, and clap for yourself all the time, which is a relief and super-cute to boot.

You love books, and it's such a joy to come in the room to see you looking through a book. I think most of what you love is the process of turning the pages, but I'll take it where I can get it.



You are still the cutest, happiest kid I've ever known. At the grocery store this morning one of our favorite employees was cooing over you and telling another employee "Even when this baby is sick, he's sweet. He's always like this!" You were grinning at her the whole time, laughing, soaking up the attention.

We get to walk around together now - I don't take the stroller when we pick Nate up at school anymore. You absolutely love walking down the sidewwalks, looking around, stepping on and off everything in your path. If I pick you up to cross a street, or hurry you along a little, you squirm like mad trying to get your feet back on the floor. Sometimes you'll hold my hand when we walk, but mostly you want to go it alone. I usually end up walking in front of you a bit, keeping up with Nate or just moving faster than you, and every single time I turn around and catch your eye you just grin wildly at me. I absolutely cannot get over you.



You are the light of my life.
Love,
Mama

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