eLLe - 22 & 23 months

Dear Luciya,

Well. I’m busted. I did not write you a letter last month. The night you turned 22 months old, Mila went missing and she ended up being gone overnight. This worried the crap out of us and consequently I wasn’t able to sit down and write that night (she returned home safe the next day). Then a few days later we received the devastating news of our miscarriage and it was all I could do to focus on keeping my head up, let alone finding the brains to write intelligently.

So here we are a month later, and you’re 23 MONTHS OLD. Get out of town, girl! How in the world did that happen?

And you’re fabulous. I mean, really, a delight. For a while there you could certainly feel the angst in the house and you were clingy and needy and sad, and that made me sad. But we’ve all turned a corner and I have been dazzled by you lately – your happiness, your intelligence, the bright and inquisitive way you see the world. And I am so very appreciative of you and for all the ways your sweet little self, in your 29.5 pound body, has truly been my saving grace. I have you, and you chose me, we are here in our comfy little family, and… hey, that rhymed. Let’s keep it up.

 

To Luciya at Almost-Two:

 

Getting dressed is so much fun

Putting on your shirts and shoes

You can’t quite say the “r” in “shirt”

Which sometimes makes people confused

 

Your best language yet is loving trust

Embracing, cuddling, nuzzling too

“Huggies” and “tisses” all day long

The whole world is a friend to you

 

That’s not to say that all day long

You’re hugging and smiling and fresh as a daisy

Sorry, my child, but we both know

Your determination can drive me crazy

 

You’re under, over, in and out

You’re up, you’re down, you’re in between

And dare I try to strap you in

I’m often greeted with a scream

 

Why scream when you can talk so well?

All of a sudden, words just flow

“Dirty shoes”, “brush hair”, “read book”

“Pretty hat,” “change diaper,” “ooooh, toe”

 

“Oh, pretty!” is a favorite phrase

This word describes things near and far

Your painted toenails are so pretty

As is an empty mason jar

 

You tripped on your towel and bumped your lip

It bled and bled and hurt you so

For a while you had the bee-stung look

Remind you of anyone we know?

 

I gave in and finally cut your bangs

Can’t keep that hobo hair from your eyes

At first the bowl cut look was harsh

But now you’re the cutest – surprise, surprise

 

We lost a sibling of yours this month

Hard to imagine now where we would be

Getting you ready for a big bed

And working more diligently on the potty

 

We’re returning to Maui next week

I can’t wait to watch you run and groove

This is where you were born, my dear

You were 8 weeks old the day we moved

 

I can't believe it, but every day

I love you, daughter, more and more

You’re smarter, stronger, and more lovely

Cuter and sweeter than the day before

 

You’ve blessed my life and fed my soul

You’ve kept me faithful, humble, and strong

Without you, who knows where I’d be

But right here is where we belong.

 

I love you, Luciya!

 

Love,

Mama