
Dear Tai,
I can't believe you are almost a year and a half old. As I was saying to your Grandma earlier today - sometimes it feels like you've been a toddler for a long time. I can barely remember when you were an infant! Even when you're challenging, you are also so much fun and so amazing. You are growing up so quickly.
Lately you've been loving to sing - songs of your own (though I usually don't understand your words), and also songs that you learn from me and your Grandma. You enjoy the Eensy Weensy Spider. You can do most of the signs that go with the words and your favorite part is "washed the spider out". It almost always makes you grin. Today, for the first time, you asked me for "If you're happy and you know it" out of the blue. You clapped and then did the 'hooray!" part and when I guessed what you wanted, you were so pleased.
We're working together on the communication front. You're learning more and more words, and I'm pretty good at guessing what you mean other times. You say 'on' and 'off', 'up' and 'down', 'knee', 'eat', 'juice', 'puffs', 'moo'. You still point, usually emphatically. You know what you want and how you want it. You know what a lot of animals say - dogs, cats, cows, horses, pigs (you do the snorting sound), sheep, ducks, lizards (sticking out tongue), bunnies (wrinkle nose), fish (open mouth), owls (hoo hoo). You enjoy sounds - you mimic sirens and the ring that Grandma's livingroom clock makes.
You had your first kiss just the other day. On Friday we went down to Red HIll books to check out a story hour and happened to meet up with Mara and her daughter Dottie, from our Mom's Group. After the story hour, Mara and I got coffee while you and Dottie raced around Progressive Grounds. At one point Mara said, "Dottie, do you want to give Tai a kiss?" She didn't seem to, but you headed right over and stood in front of her. When it was clear she wasn't going to make the first move, you leaned forward and then Dottie did kiss you. It was adorable - if only I had my camera out! You played with her for quite a while. I'm hoping that you two become good friends.
You are really moving now. You run, you walk forwards and backwards, you can get a bit of air when you jump, you can really dance.
We traveled back East and to Michigan to visit family again this month. We celebrated your Daddy's cousin's, Madison, coming of age. You stayed up late and danced and played with my bangles and were the life of the party. You had a fabulous time playing basketball with your uncles, Kenny, Andrew and Patrick. You played with your Grandpa Harmon's cane and explored his garden. You played piano with your cousin David and the guitar with Grandpa Harmon. You even enjoyed the Smithsonian museums we went through. You are becoming quite an adept traveller.
Daddy went to China over the past week - and for the first time you really seemed to notice he was gone. Or at least you were better able to communicate it. You often said, "Dada?" And when we were going to bed at night, you'd look over at his spot and ask about him again. When he got home on Sunday, we all lay down in bed together and you had the biggest grin in the world. You kept saying, "Mama Dada, mama dada" and every so often while you were nursing, you'd glance over at him and smile.
It is so good to be a family. I am blessed.
Love always and forever,
Momma