dear annie
I wrote letters to you all of the time when you were growing inside me.
and then you came and everything got crazy beautiful. one big crazy beautiful mess. But, I have been thinking, and it would be good to get things down in words, because the days are fleeting, and I find myself already forgetting as each new thing happens.
So, here goes, little one. a little summary of things past. Things, I would want you to know when with past gets hazy.
you have been strong from the get go. strong in heart, spirit, body, and voice.
you have wanted to take anything that comes your way.
tummy time? you were totally there. head up, ready to move way before you actually could.
you loved your swing, and even now when you get to swing you move your head back and forth and say "swing, swing, swing, swing" in the sweetest singy-songy way.
you love being upside down. I think you like the way the world looks that way.
your first word was mamamama
your second was bye.
your third was uh oh.
dadadada was somewhere in the mix.
and now there is "hi"
and "ba!!!" which means "MORE!"- (you made that one up yourself)
there was "sisi" for Welsie
and now you are saying "taint tu"- which is thankyou.
but really, you sing much more than you talk. I have no idea what you are saying, and it is so beautiful. I hope you always sing.
You never meet a stranger, and little girls love to talk to you.
You have the sweetest eyes the world ever did see. blue as the ocean.
you love feist! you hear "1, 2, 3, 4" and your eyes light up and the hands start waving.
you started walking at 12 months. and you are fast on your feet.
you love patty cake and love humming "roll it up!"
you love itsy bitsy spider, especially when I tickle you at the end.
I still give you a bottle when you wake up in the middle of the night. I do this because I love you and even lied to the pediatrician about it.
the things you do for "love" (read: sleep)
I say this is the humblest way. but everybody loves you.
you have a way of connecting with people.
you make them look at you. and they do.
this is a gift and one you will have to learn to use in a wise and humble way.
a few months ago you lost all of your hair.
my friend leslie says that God cares about hair, so we can pray about hair.
you are beautiful with or without hair, and I hope you will always know this.
we all have things in our story that make life challenging.
This is one of the more sobering facts of life, and one we embrace one way or another.
I believe that God weaves these stories even though they are full of brokenness and surprises.
you love food. you get this honestly.
you will eat pretty much anything.
you love baths!
you wake up singing. did I mention you love to sing?
sesame street is your favorite show, and I let you watch it too much.
I am working on this.
at 16 months, you are as spirited as you were the day I met you , when you yanked that god-awful tube out of your mouth as I held you in my arms for the first time. You knew we needed a proper introduction. one that I would remember.
good girl.
love you, sweet annie.
mom
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