Month Ten

Dear Abe,

Today you are ten months old, and to commemorate this momentous occasion you did something very special. No, it’s not two bowel movements (but you did that, too.) Today, you were watching “Sesame Street,” and Elmo was on talking about family. You looked at the TV screen and said, “Mama” and then “Daddy.” Once again proving to us that you are the smartest baby in the entire world.

However, I didn’t actually witness this occurrence; this is second hand from your father who has been spending every day with you this summer. I’ll admit, I am jealous. You guys get to bond, and stay in your mesh shorts all day long. You have gone swimming almost every day. He has a secret code language with you, and now he is telling ME how to feed you. What’s up with that?

But I think one of my favorite things out of this whole deal is the phone calls I get from Daddy at work.
“Oh, that’s when “Step by Step” is on,” he says. “This show is way better than “Family Matters.”

Or, the ever popular “Your son” phone calls that always start out, “Your son …” and then end with some kind of crazy and/or smelly thing you have done. “Your son just took the biggest poop I have ever seen. The house still stinks.”

During this month we went on a vacation to Las Vegas. It was my first time away from you, ever. I knew it was going to be tough, but I did not prepare for the anxiety that began two weeks before we even left. While we were there I missed you so much it physically hurt me. It took all of my might to not show random strangers on the street pictures of you in my digital camera. Your father would just talk about you non stop at the pool to all of his friends (most of which do not have kids). What can I say? You are an easy topic over cocktails.

But, you had a fun time at Grandma Pat’s. She took you to a park with lots of sprinklers and said that you were a maniac. You love water. We knew you loved your baths, but now you have taken them to a new level. You will splash and crawl around in the tub, and put your face in the water. You love it when we pour a cup of water over your head. I think that is unheard of in the baby world. The other day when I was getting ready to put you to bed, I stopped by the bathroom to wash your face – you weren’t getting a bath tonight. As soon as you caught one look at that bath tub, you started lounging toward it. I turned to leave, and you started crying. More like screaming, actually. So, you got a bath.

I think the best thing that has happened this month is the debut of your dance moves. You are a fan of the bounce (sitting or standing) and the arm wave. I enjoy them both immensely. You really love dancing to the “Wiggles,” and as soon as they start singing you bounce along and throw in some arm waves.

But, I would also like to report for posterity’s sake; some of the things that you do that drive us nuts. You throw your sippy cup. Did I say throw? I mean LAUNCH. After you take a Napoleon Dynamite-esque swig of juice, you take that cup and launch it. Sometimes over your head. Sometimes on the floor. Why do you do that my little baby Abe? It has gotten past the point of funny, and you know that I am two throws away from googling, “how to make ten month old stop throwing sippy cup.” (Okay, I already googled it.) I also do not understand your eating habits. All you want to eat are Cheerios, bread, and applesauce. If we try to give you something you do not like you gag. I mean, that’s a little dramatic. A simple closed mouth will do.

I must say that it has been hard for me to be at work while you and Daddy are at home together. I started to feel like I wasn’t special to you anymore and was worried that you weren’t excited for me to come home. It has been really hard to be a working Mommy, and I feel guilty that I can’t be home with every day with you. It is one of the hardest things I have done in my life. But, we have to make it work, so you can have a pair of mesh shorts in every color and watch the “Wiggles” every day. So, because I don’t spend all day with you, I try to kiss you more, hug you more, make you laugh more. I try to be the best Mama I can be, which I guess is what every Mama tries to do.

Love,
Mama