Eighteen Months

Dear Patrick,

I'm sorry it's been three months since your last letter. You'll be happy to know that Mommy is starting to feel much better again. You've been such a trooper, putting up with all sorts of changes as we've gotten used to Mommy feeling bad and then better again. I've never been more grateful for your laidback personality. Even as you've been undergoing your own transformation to a toddler, you've struggled very little over the last few months.
In the past few weeks, you have most certainly made that final transition to toddlerhood, just in time for your eighteen-month birthday. You took your first few halting steps last week, and this week you're showing off your talent walking for everyone. You'll walk short distances just for fun now, with less and less hesitation every day. You act as though standing unassisted is old hat, even though you seemed quite nervous about it not that long ago. I love how proud you are of your accomplishments, hiding the pride under your nonchalant attitude. You beam when Daddy and I praise you for anything. I love that aspect of your personality.

With the independence of walking has come a desire for all kinds of independence, especially in the eating arena. We knew to expect this long ago, and Daddy and I have been grateful that you didn't before now. Every meal that you ate off a spoon readily, without a care as to what was being fed to you, was a gift. We'd heard rumors of picky toddlers. Slowly but surely you are turning into one. Every so often we can still feed you a meal off a spoon, mostly particularly messy meals, but you prefer meals that you can feed yourself. We've had some huge messes to clean up after letting you get your own way. There are also some meals when Daddy and I have to get creative to find something, anything, that you will eat. Fortunately you are still always hungry, so we can always find something you will eat.

You definitely still have Mommy's metabolism, though. We'll be lucky if we discover at your check-up on Monday that you weigh twenty pounds or more so that we can finally turn that carseat around. You're tall, though. Those legs can't even straighten all the way out in your backwards carseat anymore. It's funny to watch you eat Mommy-sized meals--quite literally, I might add--with a big, poochy belly (also resembling Mommy's) when you finish eating. When we weigh you, however, you weigh the exact same you did last time. I know this metabolism is a blessing, but it's starting to get frustrating. Finally I understand the phrase "eating us out of house and home." I can't imagine what your teenage years will be like.

On the bright side, I think you're hitting a growth spurt. You've been less hungry and more sleepy for the last few days. I hope I'm right. This will be perfect timing. Pack on those last few ounces before Monday's appointment. Of course, it's also possible you're readjusting your schedule yet again, finally reaching that one-nap-a-day schedule I've been expecting...um, dreading for so long. I may miss that extra "free" time during the day, but it's a good sign that you're growing up.

It's fun watching your language development as well. You want to talk pretty much all the time. Daddy and I have even heard you muttering to yourself in your sleep late at night. Unfortunately, most of it is still in baby gibberish. That doesn't seem to matter to either of us. We still hold complete conversations, with neither of us understanding more than a word or two of what the other is saying. You were even answering, "Yeah," to Nana's questions over the phone the other day, acting like you knew what she was asking. These conversations are precious to me. It means a lot that you're making such an effort to talk to me.

Today you were mimicking whispering to me. You kept making "s" noises, and when I whispered back to you, you'd smile and "whisper" right back to me. Clearly you're understanding the concepts of a conversation. I expect a full language explosion before long. In the meantime I'll keep listening for the five or so words you have already mastered. I just can't wait to find out exactly what is going through that mind of yours.

My favorite thing ever, though, is your laugh. You are so full of life, ready to enjoy everything around you. You love playing with Mommy and Daddy, and any unexpected--or sometimes even expected--move can bring giggles or even belly laughs. You continally remind me not to take life too seriously. It is worth it to take the time to enjoy myself, the way you can any second of the day. In fact, playing with you is the best laugh break I can take. Your laugh is so infectious.

I've heard that having a baby ages you. Something about the idea of being someone's mother and all the responsibility that comes with it can turn hair gray faster than anything else. But I don't think so. All I have to do is get on the floor with you and tickle you--and suddenly I might as well be a kid again myself.

Thank you for keeping Mama young, my dear boy.

Love,

Mama