23 Months

Dear Madeline,

I'm a few days late with your letter again this month.  As always, I'm finding myself wondering, "Where did the summer go?"  And, in just a handful of weeks you'll be a mighty two-year-old.  How can this be?  

You're turning into quite the little lady these days, my dear.  You love the color pink.  When we went to buy cupcakes before the wedding, you insisted on getting the pink one.  When you got to choose between two pom-poms at gymnastics, you made it very clear you would accept nothing but the pink option.  When you see your clothes in your closet you plead, "Da pink one!  I want pink!"  Luckily, you have a lot of pink clothing to choose from.  

Your favorite movies are Tangled and The Best of Elmo Volume 2.  Most of the time you get bored with watching television pretty quickly, but you will sit still to watch the entire movie if Elmo or Rapunzel are involved.  

After several weeks of being quite picky, you seem to be eating a wider variety of foods again.  We were shocked to see you scarf down an extremely spicy beef taco when were visiting Vermont....green salsa and all.  When you were finished, you cried for more.  We ordered you a second one.  You ate that too.   

Of course, your favorite food is still a bowl of pasta with butter and cheese, so you're not that adventurous.  Still, it's an improvement!  

You're very independent.  You like to try to go down the stairs yourself, climb on the playground yourself, and wash your hands yourself.  In fact, you're quite obsessed with washing your hands.  Sometimes we have to tell you no, which seems a bit backward, but you don't need to wash your hands every five minutes.  

Your independent streak has also gotten you into some trouble a few times when we've caught you sneaking out of the house without us.  Luckily, it still takes you a long time to get down the stairs otherwise you'd be gone, baby, gone.  We now keep the doors latched at all times.  

We were very proud of you at your final gymnastics class last week.  Not only had you learned most of the moves, including donkey kicks and a (teacher-aided) somersault, but you were so well behaved!  A lot of the other kids were too tempted by all the toys to stay with the group, (and who can blame them?) but you very patiently waited for directions before you took your turn.  

Meanwhile, we've been getting a kick out of having conversations with you.  You speak so well now that we can ask about your day and try to piece together what you're telling us.  Out of nowhere you'll make a comment like, "I like gymnastics!"  We'll start asking you questions about it, "Oh, really?  What do you do there?  What's your favorite part?  Who's in your class?"  And you'll give us simple answers, "Hee-haw.  Foam pit.  Kids."  

This morning we listened to you talking to yourself in your crib about going in Mumma's car in your seat.  Then you started calling, "Eric!  Errrrrrrric!  Eric, where are you?"  You've figured out that Dada's name is Eric, but you haven't quite figured out why you don't get to call him that.  

Dada went in your room to get you and asked, "Who am I?"  and you answered, "Eric!"  It took several tries before you gave him the answer he wanted.

You'll be going back to daycare full time soon because Mumma and Dada have to go back to work, but we feel very lucky to be able to spend so much time with you over the summer months.  

 We've got big things planned in the coming months....toddler bed and perhaps some potty training.  I'm sure you'll take it all in stride as you usually do.

Love you lots, Maddie Bear!

Love, 

Mumma