Dear Hazel,
It's been a crazy few weeks around here, and I thought I should update you on everything.
We brought your sister home from the hospital about 3 weeks ago. You weren't quite sure what to make of her. And you were teething. AND had a cold. So, to say that you were unhappy and acted out would be putting it mildly. It was a frustrating first week in the house. One which culminated with your Daddy kicking a few doors and having to regain his composure by taking a hot shower while drinking a beer.
Yep. The first week as a family of four and Millie wasn't the challenge. YOU were. Holy goodness, baby girl. Were you a terror!!! There was so much crying going on in the house that it reminded me of when you were a newborn. But it wasn't Millie crying. It was you. You wanted to be held ALL THE TIME. But you were very specific as to who you wanted to hold you. Yep... you turned into a bit of a Daddy's Girl. Which is great, but put a lot of pressure on Daddy. A few weeks later and you're still all about Daddy. But you seem to be okay with me holding you or reading you stories. So that's good.
It took just that first week for you to adjust... thank goodness. Since then, you've become very curious about our new addition and want to hold her. In fact, when we come out of the bedroom in the morning, you run up to me with your arms outstretched as if to say: My turn to hold Millie? Since your little sister is still a teeny, tiny thing, we don't let you hold her yet. But we do let you snuggle with her. Which you do first thing in the morning by putting your head next to hers, and at night right before bedtime. It's seriously the cutest thing and it melts my heart every time.
But, let's talk about everything else about you that's happened this month.
* You Can Dance!: You STILL lurve to dance. In fact, sometimes a fun jingle will come on during a commercial and I'll look over at you and you're just shaking your booty with a huge smile on your face. HILARIOUS. You've also learned some of the movements for the Hokey-Pokey and we sing it to you every once in a while before you go to bed. You get so excited when we start and the joy that lights up your face... wow, I wish I could bottle it!
* Baby Signing Time: When things are hectic in the mornings, we've taken to turning on the Baby Signing Time video to distract you from tearing up the house while we try to feed Millie and fix your breakfast. It kind of feels like cheating, but it's worked really well for us. Plus, you've gotten really good at signing certain things. Like "cracker", "water", "milk", "eat", "cereal" and the newest one "please". But all of this signing means that you're not really in a hurry to talk or communicate verbally... other than, you know, the standby whining.
* Using Your Words: While you're not talking a whole lot, you are occasionally throwing out some words that get us super excited. We'll ask you if you want to go to school and you'll say: "Yea" and head to the door. You've said other words like water, Momma, ball and nose. Just not consistently. What you do like to do consistently is make animal noises like Daddy. So far, you're a big fan of monkey sounds, but you like to try to do an elephant. Which is impressive because not even Mommy can replicate the elephant noise Daddy has made so popular around here. You can also make a buzzing sound like a bee... which I'm proud to claim I was able to teach you.
* Miss Independent: You neither want nor need to hold our hands while you're walking. And if we do the unthinkable and actually pick you up so you don't get hit by a car in the parking lot...well, it just might be the end of the world.
* Hitting: So... guess who has started to hit when she gets upset? And when she's playing? Yea... I'm kind of over THAT.
* Rough Housing: Also, guess who's a big fan of rough housing every night with Daddy??
* Diaper Duty: You are so helpful these days. (When you feel like it, that is!) After we change your diaper, you will take it and throw it in the garbage for us. You also will find Mommy's phone and bring it to her... which is much better than what you USED to do... scream when Mommy took it away from you because you were somehow purchasing apps. You also have a habit of finding THEEEE MOST OBSCURE items in the MOST obscure places (a piece of an orange peel underneath the couch) and bring it to me for inspection. I guess that's better than when you would find said item and immediately put it in your mouth.
* Cabin Fever: Since it's March now and the sun is actually out some times, you insist on going outside. And you NEVER want to come in. It's days like that that remind me of how much open space I had available to me growing up. I mean, sure... it meant that every Saturday was spent doing yard work ALL. DAY. LONG. But, it also meant that my sisters and I had a ton of space to be a kid in. Including the stream behind the house where we would spend hours making mudpies. It saddens me that we don't have that for you and that our backyard isn't exactly a kiddie playground paradise. Yet. But, we're hoping to work on it for you and your sister this summer so that you have a fun, safe place to play that doesn't require a hike to the nearest park.
* Organic Finger Painting: The whole hands down your diaper phase has morphed into a new phase... on in which you poop your pants and then wipe the poop in your hair, on your sheets and anywhere else you can think of. Short of putting you in a onesie at all times, I'm not sure how to fix this problem. Other than to teach you that it's ICKY.
* Wake Up: Remember when I used to brag that you slept until at least 7 a.m. every morning? It's like you knew how much I loved that and decided to poop on it and devastate Daddy by getting up at 6 a.m. every morning since Millie joined our family. Quite frankly, it's pure evil. I mean, I know it could be worse. I know someone who's little boy woke up at 1 a.m. the other day and stayed awake until 6... but seriously? Mommy's not that patient and when I return back to work in a few weeks, you're going to have to start waking up at 7 again. Sorry. Those are just the rules.
* Chairs: You have decided that any chair is your chair. You use your newfound climbing skills to pull yourself up on the kitchen chairs, but you also have decided that you are entitled to all chairs... even baby bouncy chairs. Which means that if Millie isn't in her bouncy chair, that it's fair game and we can usually find you laying back in it reading a book or just sucking your thumb. You also let us know it's time to eat by pulling out your high chair, bringing it to it's normal position next to the table and lifting your arms up for us to lift you into it.
* Who's The Baby?: You experienced a little bit of jealousy when Millie arrived home. You wanted to be held just like she was... all day long. And when we took the two of you for a walk and stupidly decided you would walk, rather that ride in a stroller... well, that was a rookie mistake that we won't make again as you threw a fit and had to be carried most of the way. And when you weren't being carried or throwing a fit, you insisted on pushing the stroller Millie was in. Even though you're not quite tall enough to do it by yourself . And, you know... you NEITHER WANT NOR NEED OUR HELP PUSHING, MKAY? So, that was another fit that was thrown. You've also been confiscating Milli's binkies and keeping them as your own. As well as her blankies. Luckily, you've gotten over this (for the most part), and we're trying to remember that although you're the older sister, you're not an adult yet and you're still (for the most part) a baby. A baby turning into a little girl, but a baby nonetheless.
We can't wait to see what the coming months bring. Hopefully more talking. Definitely more laughing. This is by far my favorite age.
Love,
Momma
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