Dear Zachary,
It has been a while since I’ve written you one of these update letters. The last one was when you turned two. It is amazing how much you have changed in three short months. Somewhere in there you changed from a whiny, needy, toddler into a very determined little boy who wants to do everything on his own…except when it comes to walking. Apparently you still need me to carry you everywhere we go. As much as I complain about how heavy you are, sometimes I don’t mind that you still want me to carry you because I know that one day soon you will be off and running and will no longer need the comfort of my arms.
It seems like every day you lose a little bit more of your baby tendencies and gain a little bit more independence. You like to open the refrigerator to get your own snacks out. You like to serve yourself and try to cut your own food up at meal times. You even say a prayer all by yourself before you eat (and with just a little help at bed time). You like to brush your teeth by yourself (even when mommy really wants to help). You like to open and close the doors for mommy when we go out. You really like to put your own bubbles in the tub when it is bath time. I try to be patient with you, but sometimes I get a little frustrated when I’m in a hurry and you want to do everything yourself. I’m so proud of you when you accomplish a new task, but sometimes I wish you could realize that mommy really can do it faster.
Your personality shines through more and more all the time. You have a really great sense of humor and try to express it more and more all the time. You have started telling “knock, knock” jokes and even though you rarely add on a punch line at the end, you laugh so hard that it makes everyone around you laugh as well. You think burps are hilarious and always try to imitate it when you hear someone else burp just to get a laugh. You make other little jokes here and there, just waiting for someone to catch on to what you have said. One of my favorite things to do with you is to laugh. The smile on your face and that little glimmer you get in your eyes can light up even the darkest of rooms.
These days I constantly want to compare you to a sponge as it seems you just soak everything up. Since you started at your new day care (“school”) at the end of July, you have been learning so much. You surprised me just last week by counting all the way from 1-20 while I was pushing you on the swing at the park. I didn’t even know you could count to 10, much less 20. You know most of your colors and can pick them out in pictures when we’re reading books together. You can even pick out a few letters when we read your Elmo ABC’s book. You’ve been singing your ABC’s for quite a while now, but I didn’t realize you could pick the letters out by sight. Besides ABC’s, you’ve picked up several new songs that you love to sing. The first time I was surprised when you started singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat in the bath tub. Now you go around singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, B-I-N-G-O, ABC’s and other various songs all the time. You still skip over some of the harder words, but you are so cute when you’re singing I’ll let that slide for now.
Things haven’t been all rainbows and sunshine over the last few months though. You’ve regressed in several areas that I’m not real happy about. I’m pretty sure that it is because you are learning so many new things at once, but it still gets frustrating. The main problem areas right now are sleeping, potty training, and that dang pacifier. It all started around the end of July, when we went on vacation. I can’t blame it all on the vacation though, because you started at your new day care about a week after we got back so I’m sure that has had a lot to do with it too. Since that time, I’ve barely been able to pry your pacifier or “noonie” out of your mouth. I’m so sick of seeing that thing I could scream, but I’m trying to come up with the least traumatic way to get rid of it. The sleeping is starting to get back on track, but we still struggle some nights at bed time. As for the potty training, well, let’s just say momma quit pushing so hard. You still go potty at school when your teacher takes you, but I have a really hard time getting you to go at home. Some days you fight and scream so bad that I wonder if it is really worth the effort. I’m hoping that if I back off a bit, you’ll decide you want to start doing it on your own. Meanwhile, your Elmo and Diego big boy underwear sit unworn in your dresser drawer.
While all of this has been happening, Daddy and I have also been trying to get you ready for a very big change that is headed your way. In about 6 months, you will become a big brother. I know it is going to be hard for you to get used to having a baby in the house, especially when you are used to having all of our attention on you. We’re all really excited to meet your baby brother or sister in March, but I have to admit that I’m also a little sad that I won’t be able to spend as much time doing the things I love to do with you. I’ve been really trying lately to spend more quality time with you in the evenings and hopefully will be able to continue doing that even after the baby arrives. I don’t want you to ever feel like you have been replaced or that we love you any less. If anything you will be loved even more, because your new sibling will love you just as much as (if not more than) your daddy and I do.
Some days when I sit back and watch you I am just filled with so much love I feel like I could burst. I want to share every little thing you do with the world because I am so proud of you and the boy you are becoming. I cherish our conversations, no matter how silly they may seem at the time. I wish I could record every moment so that when you are all grown up I could go back and re-live it over and over again. You are everything I ever wished for in a child and more. I’m not sure it is even possible, but I think I love you more and more each day.
Love,
Mommy
