» Month 6: Road Trip!

dear buddy,

this month we went on your first road trip. a twelve hour road trip. across three states. can you hear the tone of my voice in this kid? does it sound anything like i’m talking through clenched teeth? because i am. in all honesty you were the perfect traveler going up to lake toxaway, north carolina. you slept most of the way and when you were awake you were happy and playful. once we arrived at our destination you were immediately taken from me and i think i got to hold you once the entire weekend and that was only because i accidentally banged your chubby little legs on your stroller and you WAAAAILED. apparently when a baby is screaming everyone within a 100 yard radius scatters like cockroaches. wusses.

if i was to ever take another vacation not only would i bring your nana and grampa, but i’d bring The Grammas. this is a group of retired, RV’ing ladies who obviously do not get enough baby cheeks in their diet. you were constantly fussed over, snuggled, bounced, and burped. sadly none of these women were around on our trip home. the trip in which you whined for 5 hours. the only time you weren’t whining was when you had a bottle jammed in your face. that trip home made the entire trip to see your grandparents seem like we were being punished a la Waco tactical strategy. “i hope you had a great time being a weird and creepy cult, now listen to some Metallica at ear shattering decibels”.

you have single handedly set my amazement to all new highs. just this past week you’ve starting waving. mostly at anything that passes by but HOLY SHIT YOU’RE WAVING! this tiny human interaction blows my mind. you can’t talk but you are so expressive. whether you’re studying something so intently that your little tongue sloooowly creeps out the side of your mouth or you are laughing at the most ridiculous noises your father and i can make (in the Publix as we’re grocery shopping) or gobbling up a new food we try with you, you never cease to make life completely magical.

you have changed your night time schedule a bit, to the dismay of your father. he loved rocking you at night, letting you drift off in his arms. one day, out the blue, this was no longer acceptable. there was much grunting and flailing of arms. i tried rocking you, with the same result. you were becoming too independent. at the suggestion of the fantastic Dr. Richard Ferber (Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems) after your bath and a bedtime story i put you in your crib with you pacifier and your lovey and you went right to sleep. no crying, no fussing, just dozed off. since then we have repeated the same method and most nights you put yourself to sleep. occasionally there is a bit of writhing and pacifier replacement but eventually you’ll get to the point “and she’s out”. now when you wake up you babble to yourself until i come and get you and sing the Good Morning song. you’ll look at me as if to say “mama, there you are! i knew you’d come and get me so i did some quartic equations while i waited!”.

buddy, you’ve grown into the daughter i always imagined. you’re happy, well adjusted, frustrating, bull-headed, and beautiful. you are incredibly loved and missed every day. i rush home at the end of every day just to see your smile and to make you giggle. i will make you the promise that at the end of every day i will kiss you and hug you and say i love you if you promise to give me your smile that makes my heart melt.

love,
mama

you rang?