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Dear Dad,

I came across these pictures of you with both Maggie and me. Aren’t they darling? I like that you’ve still got your wire-framed glasses and a hat on after all these years. I also like that both Maggie and I are totally asleep in your arms. Plus, you look pretty content in both the pictures, if I don’t say so myself.

I think you’re a pretty awesome dad and grandpa. Remember when I was little and you’d turn into the Tickle Monster and then eventually the Pinch Monster? Or remember Ray-Tay-Kay-Pay-Are and  Mud Lake? What about when Trafton would freeze over and you’d skate with me riding on a sled attached to a rope around your waist? Then there was that time that mom, Izak and Phil went to Hawaii and you and I stayed home. You had to do my hair and it was the only time I ever remember somebody asking me about my hair style, I think it must of looked strange, real strange.

My brain is full of incredible childhood memories because of you and Mom and your awesomeness. Don’t let this all go to your head because you’ve got to continue being awesome for Maggie. I hope that you guys get to have your own Ray-Tay-Kay-Pay-Are and that you get to let her tag along with whatever projects you’re working on when she’s old enough because I never remember feeling like it wasn’t okay to be by your side.

Keep being awesome, please.

The Little

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Kissy, Kissy

Mags is learning to ‘give loves’ and it is a slobbery mess, but I’ll take ’em. Sometimes her kisses turn into bites and so we’re working to distinguish between the two. Seeing as the poor child has been kissed nearly every minute of her life, you’d think she’s be able to plant a good one here or there.

In other news, we (and I mean Barry) is thisclose to finishing some of our FALL gardening/weeding. I’m not sure I really remember what our garden looks like, it has been so long since I spent a significant amount of time with it. There was a point when Maggie was a few months old and my parents were visiting and I got to go outside and do some major cutting back. It felt so good!

At one point my dad was inside with tiny Maggie walking around the house with her as the rest of us were outside….it started to rain and I kept on cutting back the bushes in front of our house until they really couldn’t be cut back anymore. It was so satisfying to be outside and ripping and tearing, but equally satisfying in a very different way, to come back inside and hold my new baby.

As Maggie learns to give kisses and mixes in a few bites, I think about that day all those months ago where I spent part of my day ferociously cutting down part of our cherry (?) tree and ripping out weeds, only to be called inside to peel off my dirty clothes and tend to my hungry baby. Some moments feel like bites and other like big, sloppy kisses. I’ll take both, thankyouverymuch.

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9 Months

Maggie’s Ninth Month from hannah on Vimeo.

Maggie,

This is the second time that I’ve written your nine month letter to you. Earlier I wrote about spending your 9 month birthday yesterday with Caroline and Thomas at story time and how we spent the night at Grammy and Grampy’s house and went swimming today. That letter, although it was written just this morning, seems like old news.

We’ve done a ton of stuff since I finished it and now you are trying to fall asleep in your Papa’s arms and fighting much needed sleep every second of the way. Just a few hours ago you accompanied me to book group where you were a contributing member to the conversation and made everybody smile and laugh. But now you are making unhappy noises and letting us know that you aren’t ready to say goodbye to today.

This month was jam packed with Christmas, New Year’s, a trip to Lopez Island, a wedding, snow, and visits with all ten of your grandparents. You also have become a full-on crawler this month and our house has slowly adapted to the change of having you mobile. We also went and saw your first play, directed by Great Aunt Sue, “The Wizard of Oz” and you were the best audience member…watching from my arms while we stood in the back.

You also have started to wave, eat small cheerio-type foods, say ‘ma-ma’ and ‘pa-pa,’ but not directed at us. I have no doubt that you’ll be a vocal little pipsqueak, however. One of my very favorite new things that you have learned to do is turn the pages of the books that we read and you also point to the pictures that I’m pointing at. I LOVE that about you!

I love being your mom, it is the greatest thing I’ve ever done. I’m pretty sure your papa feels the same way. You are so happy and full of delight as you discover the newness of each day. We’ve decided that you don’t require much sleep because after a quick ‘power nap’  you are ready to take the world on!! Plus, you like to stay up late and we’re ready to close our eyes. I had thought we’d be over the whole ‘not sleeping because we’re parents’ thing by now, but I’m now guessing that it never ends.

Since I’ve written the past three paragraphs, your dad has now started humming to you a Christmas tune….I can’t quite place it, but I’m trying to contain my laughter for some reason. I guess whatever works, right?  Sounds like you might be giving in to the humming – and now sweet lyrics he is making up.

We adore you. A TON.

Love,

Mama