March 2012: 18 months

Dear Patrick,

We are the proud parents of a year and a half year old, as of today!  Wow.

• You say (or rather repeat, my little parrot,) everything we say.  Everything.  And you know words for things I don’t even remember teaching you! For example, the other day you pointed to a rock and said “moss.”  And there was indeed moss on that rock!  How did you know that word?
• You spent five days at the beach with your grandparents (BB/Grammie) and your GREAT grandparents (Papa/Nannie) and your Aunt Su-Su, and you had a wonderful time.  They said you didn't cry once.  Of course, they also gave you everything your heart desired.
• We pulled out the humidifier and had the doctor prescribe allergy medicine for you this month.  Spring came early and has covered your world in yellow pollen dust.  So, you’ve been waking up in the middle of the night because you can’t breathe through a stuffy nose.  It hurts my heart.
• You have now started saying words in the middle of the sentences that you hear - not just the last word.  “Do you want to go to the park?” we might ask, and you’ll repeat the word “want” or “go,” in addition to saying “park.”  It’s like we can actually watch your little brain work to remember all the parts of the sentence.  It’s fascinating.
• Your doctor thinks you should stop drinking from bottles this month. Personally, I wouldn’t care if you took your bottle to college, but I respect the doctor’s advice.  So at the end of the month, we have moved to a sippy cup and the transition is going fine.  A little crying and thrashing around in your crib but you get over it and are asleep within ten minutes.
• Pop came to visit you in the middle of the month and after he left, you thought you saw Pop everywhere.  “Pop!” you shouted at the butcher.  “Pop!” you say as you point to strangers on the street.  (We’ve got to get Pop back here again soon.)   
• Your toenails are crazy.  I’ll never get over it.  Even on the day you were born, you were this little perfect nugget with crazy, crooked toenails.  
• You love to draw (“write,” you say) with pens and markers. And I know its only a matter of time before the house is your canvas, but for now you’ve kept your masterpieces on paper.
• At your 18 month check-up, you were 90% height and 40% weight.  When the nurse walked in the room you said, "heeeey" and waved.  However, when the doctor walked in you started to cry and said "nooooo...." It was sweet and pitiful.
• Your father and I are planning to travel to Macon to celebrate Omi’s retirement the last weekend of the month, so you will be with Grammie and BB.  My guess is that you will eat your weight in Reese's pieces and acquire a few more toys this weekend.  Oh, its good to be 1.5!

Love always,
Mom

February 2012: 17 months

 

Dear Patrick,

Today is Leap Year and we are celebrating your seventeen months by thinking how quickly they have "leaped" by.  Here are the highlights from the month: 

• You announced to us on Superbowl Sunday morning that you had just pooped.  Thanks, buddy.
• Grammy and I went to the “switch-a-roo” consignment event and bought you 18 month winter clothes and some 24 month summer outfits.
• It was 70 degrees on February 5th - a beautiful day in the middle of winter.
• The official sign language for "please" is done by making a small circular movement on your chest with one hand.  You say please by rubbing your whole body up and down.  Sometimes with both hands. 
• You desperately want to be able to jump but can't understand yet how to get both feet off the ground. 
• Your face broke your fall on the driveway this month and earned you the nickname “Bruiser Byrd.”
• You started a music class with Grammy this month.  I’m not sure you knew what to make of the other kids sitting in a circle singing songs.  You got up and stood right in the middle of it all - the center of attention.
• You made a new friend: “Snowy” the owl.  And when we read the "Owl Babies" book you say “No-eee," and run to get her because she must so obviously be their cousin.
• You have more little bumps and bruises this month than ever before - everyday, everywhere.
• You don’t have much hair to cut but we took you for your first official “trimming” on Monday 2/20 at Great Clips.  You didn’t like the bib-cover (which we didn't use), but really enjoyed the swivel chair and squirt bottle.  
• We took you to visit “school” this month at Fourth Presbyterian church and hope to enroll you two mornings a week in their summer program starting in June.
• You love to hide in the closet under your father's shirts. We say "Where is Patrick?  Is he here?" And you say, "no."  
• You love to dance, sit in the car and pretend to drive, and play "tee-he-he" (a game you and your father made-up) in the pillows on the bed.
• The child development books state that most babies your age can say ten words.  But you, my son, are a linguistical superstar.  You can say: fish, juice, dis (this), wa-wa (water), no, man, bonga (bone), ta-ta (thank you), bean, wrecker (record), dudes (garbage dude - thanks Grammie) mote (remote control for the TV), poon (spoon), bush (brush), broom, mop, soup, keeni (zucchini), canny (candy), bike, moon, rain, shoes, ball, ollies (olives), ownie (onion), hole, write (and you love to scribble on paper), truck, bus, poop, tee-tee, wooka (worker), hoops, railroad, stick, blue, black, sand, soap, gone, circle (and you know the shape), ba-ba (bottle), moaw-moaw, (mailman), heeey (and you always wave when you say it), mama, dada, barr (bear), taxi, sticky (which you use for sticker too), one two (and you can count), boo-boo, nose, knee, copper (helicopter), yucky, sneaky, meow, moo, Ganggie (Grammie), Nanny (Nana), Papa, Bunk, Gin-gin (Ginny his friend up the street), Noey (Snowy the owl), bee, buzz, toast, Backer (Baker the cat) and Pop (for your grandfather Neil and pop-tarts.) You also say “night” for the book “Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site,” and something that sounds like “Road Work,” another favorite book this month.

January 2012: 16 months

Dear Patrick, starting off the new year this month:

• I bought a children’s song CD to play in the car and you love it.  Especially the “Ants go Marching” but you really love all songs.  If you are ever upset and someone begins to sing any melody at all - you will forget your worries and stop to listen.
• You love the moon and look for it in the sky all the time now - day or night.  You point upwards and say “moooon.”
• You play “ah-boo” with Dad on his iphone.  And then you bring the game to the dining room table when you peek over the top to look at us on the other side.  I can't see your mouth (only your eyes) but I know you are smiling.  Your height amazes me since just last month, we watched you walk under the table without bumping your head.  
• If you are talking to us and we aren’t giving you our full attention (the quality attention you deserve!) you pull our faces to look at you.
• Uncky and your father do push-ups in the living room and you run over and jump on their backs.
• We took you to the Mexican place around the corner for dinner the night of Monday 1/16 and you had no desire to sit at the table in the high chair they provided.  Good thing its so loud in there.  Your father and I took turns noisily walking the length of the restaurant as you visited other patrons, splashed in the fountain, banged on the windows.
• You have both bottom molars in now.
• You are going to bed closer to 8:00pm vs 7:30.
• You can open the front door, which is scary.  So it now has to stay locked at all times because you desperately want to get outside.  Even when you are wearing nothing but a diaper...in the middle of winter.  Did I mention its January?  
• You love to taunt Cooper.  You demand to have a bone (“bonga”) from the pantry only to wave it in Cooper’s face and run in the other direction.  And when Cooper does finally take it, you cry buckets of tears in surprise.
• You don’t say “please” often but when you do it sounds like “plah.”
• We sing “Naked Baby Time” and no matter where you are in the house you go running for the bathroom to stand by the tub.
• You were always a good eater, but you’ve become a little picky lately.  Your father has gone so far as to write on the grocery list not actual "things" but instead phrases like “More exciting dinners for P” or “Ideas for breakfast?” We are trying.

December 2011: 15 months

Dear Patrick, during this month of December...

• You pronounce “spoon” as “poon” and you said “bowl” and something that sounded like “truck” and “okey-dokey” to me the evening of 12/8.  The most common word you say is “more” and you grunt for things you want.  There is a lot of grunting this month.
• We put the Christmas tree up the first weekend of the month and you love the ornaments and lights.  “Careful,” we say when you get too close.  And you always back away very politely.
• You do not believe me when I tell you that Baker is not always a nice kitty and will scratch the $%&*@ out of you.
• You scoot and slide backwards on your belly, pushing with your hands.  Sometimes all the way down the hall.  Why can’t I get this on film.  Its awesome.
• On 12/16 we asked you your name and you said “Pat-Pat,” which is what Virginia Whitaker calls you.  It actually sounds more like “Bat-Bat” but we know what you mean.
• You are getting another tooth!  I put my finger in your mouth to feel it the other day and you bit down so hard that I will never do that again.  Seriously, it was like you were a wild animal and I was stuck in the jaws of life.
• I’ve never seen a child love the mail man as much as you do.  You will say “mouw-mouw” for entire hours at a time.  Mr Johnny the mail man is very nice to you.  He even delivered you a post card addressed to you to thank you for our Christmas gift to him.
• You passed out candy-canes at my office and your father’s office this month (with some help from Grammy and Biggie).  Once you figured out that you could eat the candy however, you stopped giving it away.
• Cousin Marie came Saturday 12/17 and we all went to dinner together at “Trap Door,” which was entertaining because sitting at a table is not really what you want to do any longer now that you’ve learned to walk.  Cousin Ree-Ree let your father and I sleep in Sunday morning and you two played together.
• Uncky brought you a stuffed animal bear (which you pronounce “baar”).  Its really a foot-stool and very solid.  You can’t quite climb on his back alone, but with a little help you like to ride your new pet.  He is just your size.
• For Christmas, your Uncle Jono and Aunt Jen brought you many construction and truck books, so now the whole family knows the difference between a Front-Loader and a Digger.  Your other big surprise this holiday was "Pockets the horse."   

November 2011: 14 months

Dear Patrick, this month of November:

• You love to eat cold green peas.
• We are done with formula completely.  Your drink warm 2% organic milk for bottles now.
• At least once a day you wave to “James Oglethorpe” - the red plate Judge Fitzpatrick gave us for our wedding present.  I have no idea why you like Mr. Oglethorpe so much, but you smile big every time you notice him.
• The time change came this month (extra hour) and you did just fine.
• New bigger car seat that faces front was installed in my car for you.
• I’m sewing you a pair of Turkey overalls for Thanksgiving with help from Helen.
• You say “More” now -- it sounds like “Mauha” and we’re working on “mauha pweese.”
• We’ve started recording Sesame Street to watch in the mornings with you while you are still a bit sleepy and cuddly.
• You have eight teeth this month - four on the top and four on the bottom.
• You learned to walk on November 18 while we were in New York.  Our welcome home gift was watching you cross the living room for a hug.
• When you walk you hold your arms straight out in front for balance so that you look like a drunk Frankenstein
• You have full-on jibber-jabber conversations... not words exactly, but they very clearly mean something to you.
• Not much of a meat eater, but you like to try most foods.  You do better when you are distracted while eating - like if we give you a spoon to hold or a toy to chew on between bites.  You’ve expressed some interest in feeding yourself, but only like to hold the spoon for a wobbly bite or two.
• You called Sonny, Jono, Uncky and Mitch “da-da” over Thanksgiving.
• You say “tick-a-tick-a-tick-a” as you chew on Biggie’s watch.  More amazing - Biggie lets you chew and slobber on his watch.  He may not even care about the time and in fact only wear a watch for you to eat.
• I can walk standing upright while holding your hand - you are so much taller this month.
• You called Winnie “Babu” (repeatedly) over Thanksgiving in Macon.  And you sat at the table with us - you had your very own bowl and spoon and sippy cup.
• Your Pop taught you to climb up and down the long staircase in Macon.
• You clearly say “book” now - you absolutely love to read.  Your Aunt Jen and I both found some “Golden Books,” which are still a bit old for you, but we look at the pictures without reading all the words.

52 weeks: October

Dear Patrick,

• You slept in the bed with me for the first time while your dad was out of town on 10/17.  From 4:00am on, you slept great!  I, however, was afraid to sleep for fear of squashing you.  So I just watched you sleep and it was so nice...and exhausting.  We cuddled and hugged until you were sound asleep and then I removed myself and surrounded you with pillows.
• We moved you to a more milk-based formula at bottle time.  You sip on organic whole milk with meals, but you really don’t like it much.
• Now that you are officially a year old, you can eat everything.
• You had an ear infection and “hooves disease,” (hand/nose/mouth) this month.  Your throat had a rash (as well as the rest of the truck of your body), but it hurt to swallow.  The lack of eating, sleeping and medicine all make for a rough couple of days.
• We put a box in the living room and you love it!  We play in that box every night (and we have some cute photos, which are Papa’s new favorites.
• You can walk holding a single finger, but refuse to do it on your own.  
• “Little Blue Truck” a new book from April Turner on your first birthday, is one of our favorites this month.
• You love to kiss the fish in the bath-tub.
• You wave good bye in great spirits to me and your father, but you cry when Grammy leaves.
• Getting another new tooth this month (top left).
• On the morning of 10/20, we brought you back to our bed and even though your father and I had to get ready for work - we laid in the covers and tickled you for an extra 15 mins and it was so sweet.  You seemed so happy just to lay there and let us fawn over you.
• You are trying to blow a kiss this month and you use the back of your hand.
• We took a video of you parroting: “wow, yuck, ah-oh and tickle.”
• You were the perfect “Charlie Brown” for Halloween with Snoopy-Coopy by your side.
• We got you a new carseat at the end of the month for big boys!  The package says it holds 5 - 100 lbs so I basically could sit in it too!

48 weeks: September

Dear Patrick,
This past Saturday, we celebrated your FIRST birthday with a farm-themed party at the house.  Omi and Pops came into town and it was a wonderful blur of family, friends, cowboy hats, straw, pinatas and animal shaped everything from balloons to cupcakes. There was also a very clear moment when Lisa Howell next door said to me, "Well, I guess baby Patrick is not a baby anymore." And she is right.  You are growing up and I am so very happy to watch your transformation into a little man.  But let's get this clear right now: you will always and forever be my baby.

A few notes from the month:

• A new tooth (your third!) came in up top at the beginning of the month.  And the beginnings of number 4, 5 and 6 have quickly followed just in time for Halloween, my little jack-o-lantern.
• You wear a size “3.5 Extra Wide” shoe.  Grammie and Biggie took you to Stride Rite in the mall to get your first real pair of white leather kickers.
• The other day when we were playing outside, you looked straight up and put your hands out to feel the air. Grammie has been teaching you “sky” and “wind” and it was amazing to watch you stop and appreciate them both.  
• The blue sweater and hat Omi knitted for you fits.  We tried them on this month when the weather dipped cooler and you looked so cute - like a little blue knight.
• I caught you talking to the photo of the baby pictured on the diaper box.  In fact, we kept that box in the center of the living room for a week just because we didn’t want to separate you from your new "friend."
• You like to watch the lawn care men cut the grass.  You stand on the couch to look out the living room window and make the sound of the motors.
• You are experimenting with a scowl face this month.  Its the kinda face that should follow, “what you talkin’ about Willis?”    
• You can use your musical walker to walk the length of the living room.  You don’t understand how to turn and need help at the ends, but you walk holding on very well.
• I’ve seen you take a few running steps from me to your daddy.  You try to do it really fast so its more like flying than walking.
• One of your favorite books this month is “Beep, Beep, I’m a Jeep” and you like all motor sounds.
• You said “ut-oh” on Wednesday 9/21 when you dropped something on the floor.
• You love to look at yourself in the bath-tub drain “mirror” so I bought you an actual mirror made for the tub.  Now every time you see the handsome baby reflection, you laugh.  Apparently, you are the best part of your own day.   
• On Thursday 9/22, you woke up from a sound-sleep at 9:00pm crying.  I have to admit that your father and I were a bit un-nerved since you have never done this before.  But we cleaned your nose, changed your diaper, rocked you with another bottle and you went back to sleep within the hour.  I guess sometimes we can all can use a second dinner and some extra love.
• Your Uncky has been working on the paperwork for your German citizenship this month.
• At the end of the month, you started staying up through your first nap - never really getting tired.  And now it appears that you may be moving to only one nap per day (1:00pm - 3:00pm) vs the standard two naps you’ve been taking (10:00am - 12:00 and 3:00pm - 5:00pm).
• Omi and Pop recorded a "Winnie the Pooh" book for your birthday.  Pooh says things like "Oh, baathaa, Piglet" (instead of "oh, bother.")  Did you know Pooh was from Boston?
• The made up songs we sing to you that you seem to like most are, "Naked Time" and "The powder is our favorite part."  Yes, these are real songs with actual lyrics.

One. Year. Old.  Wow.  With all my love,  

Mom