Rosalind's Letter

Dear Rosalind,

You are 10 months old today. I can hardly believe you have already existed longer than it took to create you. I must say that these last ten months were a vast improvement over the previous ten. I have only puked maybe twice in all the time since you have been alive! And you weren't even to blame for that puke! Good job.

A little over a week ago you decided to take two consecutive steps. Then you stopped even standing up for a week or so. Then you took three consecutive steps yesterday. These definitely count as "Baby's First Steps" but we are unsure if they count as walking. Not that it matters for any purpose other than bragging rights. You should probably start preparing yourself now for the embarrassment that your father and I plan to inflict upon you your entire life. We are proud and we will tell anyone within earshot. We aren't even nice enough to give you a sibling with which to share that burden. We have already decided that once we get you sleeping to a decent time every morning we have no intention of ever starting that whole process over with another. So there.

While we are on the subject of sleep, let me just say, you are not bad at all. Unless ill you want to be down no later than 6:30 0r 7 every night and then you tend to sleep with virtually no input from us. The problem lies in your internal alarm clock. 4:30 or 5 is not when we wake up in this house! Putting you to bed later seems to have absolutely no effect on this behavior. I have the distinct impression we are stuck with this schedule for a couple of years. Oh well, I'll take it.

Yesterday your dad and I saw some photos of extreme body augmentation. Can I just make you promise right now not to tattoo the whites of your eyes or put spacers anywhere on your face? Oh, I totally just saw you nod in your sleep. No going back now. You promised. I promise not to give you too hard a time on multiple piercings, tattoos, or hair color if you promise not to make a circle under your bottom lip so big I can see almost all of your teeth with your mouth closed. Deal?

Anyway, things you REALLY like about now? Swings at the park, putting things inside other things and then taking them back out again, walking with your walky thing, DANCING, playing tug of war with Greta, tugging on Eliot's hair, trying to climb the stairs even though you know better, eating food on all plates but your own, saying Dada. Only Dada. I know you can say Mama. Considering I am always the one waking up with you at 5 am I would think you could be a bit more grateful. I expect to see some improvement.

Only two more months until you are a year old! No more formula! I am both sad and happy!

Love, Mama