To our Mattie -
This past week you turned 10 months old. TEN MONTHS OLD. We cannot believe how fast you are growing and all that you are learning. Everyday is a new adventure with you in our lives and we love it. You are now over 18 lbs and 27" long. Your favorite food is still bananas but there are a few close contenders: avocados, anything sweet (of course), greek yogurt and cheese. You also want to eat everything we are eating at this stage. It is so much fun to watch you feed yourself. When you eat, Daddy and I like to listen to the noises you make like, "Mmmmmmmm" and "Ooooooh!"
There have been many first this past month and it is hard to keep up with them. You are standing on your own now when holding on to something. But, you have no interest in walking yet. Now that you've figured out the whole crawling thing, you don't want anything to stop you from getting where you want to go. And I totally understand that. :) Along these lines, you get very frustrated when you can't get where you want to go. Your Daddy and I have to chuckle when you arch your back and wail as if we are twisting your arm behind your back. The pitiful cries and sadness that you put forth can be quite comical. You also are not a fan of having your diaper changed during these times. It's as if you're saying, "Don't you know you're slowing me down, people?!"
Another first this month: saying "dog." So far, you say "mama" "dada" and "dog." And, believe it or not, your father and I firmly believe you are trying to say "George." It is adorable. The dogs are very important to you and we can certainly tell when you wake up every morning and look for Reese. You love pointing at her with your tiny little finger and exclaiming, "Dog!"
One of your favorite things to do right now is use your hands when you talk. You will point at things, clap and smile. You are always so happy and positive, and it is contagious. After a hard, long day being around you is enough to sustain us and keep us going. You are such a blessing to us!
You started daycare on April 16 and have done exceptionally well. Better than we could have ever imagined and certainly better than both of your parents handled it. We were so blessed to have Eleri and Henry take care of you for 9 months and weren't ready to hand you off to anyone else. How would they know what you liked? How would you sleep? Would you be ok with such a high-energy environment? But, like a pro, you helped ease our anxiety by thriving in the new environment and making everyone around fall in love with you. Each day gets easier and you are thrilled to see your new friends each morning. This morning, when I dropped you off, you squealed when you saw your friends and started waving at them. They were excited to see you, too. It was the cutest thing and I'm glad that you are enjoying spending time with them.
Now Mattie, today you had a first that will make any mom's heart skip: your first kiss. Your teacher promptly texted me to let me know, which I appreciate. Of course, I had to investigate to find out who it was and your teacher told me the name. I happen to work with his father and sent him the following note:
I was informed this morning that Mattie had received her first kiss and
it was non other than Mr. Hart. I would appreciate you having a
stern "talk" with your son when he gets home about taking advantage of
younger women. :)
Now, before you get mad at me, you should realize that it's for your own good. Your Dad and I will do these things from time to time to check up on you and make sure everything's ok. Plus, I don't think we have much to worry about on this front for a while. It is good practice for us so that we can 'keep our cool' when we really have to deal with these kinds of issues.
This past weekend you got to meet your new baby cousin, Joy Claira. She was so tiny and reminded me of when you were first born. While you didn't show too much interest at the time, I know you two will become good friends. It's important for girls to stick together - especially since you are the only ones!
Lastly, I want to thank you for being such a good daughter. Everyday when I come home you give me such sweet hugs and kisses. You hug me so tight around my neck and it is wonderful to feel that much love from such a little person. You are a gift from God and we thank Him everyday for you. Your Daddy and I could not imagine being here without you. We love taking you for walks in your car, reading books, playing outside and singing you songs. My favorite time of the day is when we rock in the chair before I lay you down for bed. Thank you for being a part of our lives.
Love you always,
Momma
