eLLe - july 2009

Dear Luciya,

There is a poem attributed to Longfellow that has been playing in my mind lately:

There was a little girl who had a little curl

right in the middle of her forehead

And when she was good she was very very good

And when she was bad she was horrid.

And there you have it. There's your 27 month post.

Okay, I can write a little more. And it will be easy tonight, because you've been awesome and spectacular and happy and loving and bright and cuddly and inquisitive and amazing and not screechy and tormented and demanding and flailing and... well, you can get like that lately and it's not gorgeous. But when you are sweet you are sweet, and you hug and kiss and say "I love you."

By far, the biggest and best accomplishment of the last couple months has been your jabber mouth. You are succcchhhh a talker, and it's so hilarious and charming! I can't tell you how delightful it is to have conversations with you.


Here are a few of your best utterings as of lately:

I See the Moon

[Looking up at a daytime half-moon]:

Luciya: "Moon! Hi, Moon!"

Mama: "Hi, Moon!"

Luciya (stretching her arms up): "I tan't reach it! Mama do it."

Mama: "I can't reach it, either!"

Luciya (calling to Uncle): "Uncle! Help! Uncle reach the moon!" [Slapping her thighs like she's calling Mila] "T'mere, Moon! T'mon! T'mon, Moon!!"




Benedictions

Mama: [Sneezes]

Luciya: "Bless you, Mama."

Mama: "Thank you, Luciya."

Luciya: "Bless you, Baby. Bless you, Mila. Bless you, Dada. Bless you, Gampaw. Bless you, Toilet."

One of the coolest accomplishments is the loss of referring to yourself in the third person as 'Baby,' and referring to yourself as "I." I know this is some remarkable turning point, a statement of you realization of individuality, a leap into toddlerhood. It's actually remarkable.

The "I"s Have It

"I did it!"

"I got new shoes!"

"I want one."

"I need cookie."

Conversing

Luciya: "Mila's outside. Mama boobies pretty. Have some more cereal?

Mama: "What do you say?"

Luciya: "Puh-le-le-le-le-leeease?"



You've been using your "l" sound a lot lately: playing is "puh-lay" instead of "pay" and the color blue is "baloo." You like to look for "calouds" in the sky and are very good at saying "puhleese."

By far, the most exciting development this month is the fact that you're using the potty more and more. For the past 3 days, your daddy and I have been diligently working with you on the Diapers Free 3 Day Potty Training method, and by Jove, it's working! It must be the dance your daddy and I have devised, loudly praising "Pee-pee in the pot-TY!" every time you make a successful tinkle. It might also be the reward of 2 M&Ms per tinkle, which I guess I didn't think through very well, since yesterday you went pee pee in the potty seven times.

But it's awesome, and we're so proud of you. If we stick with this program, you'll have to be bare-bottomed under pants for 3 months! We'll see how it goes, but at this point, especially considering it's 100 degrees outside, I'm up for anything!

I love you, Luciya!

Love,
Mama