Letter: Month Thirty-Four

Dear E,

This has been a really fun month. You and I flew up to WA to visit family and we stayed at my parents’ house. You took full advantage of the open floor plan and loved running laps through the kitchen. You quickly had Meemaw wrapped around your little finger. They don’t wear shoes inside their house, Korean-style, but she didn’t even blink when you persisted on clomping around on the white carpet in her shoes. The only thing she was worried about was that you might trip. And when your cousins gave you a popsicle and I found you eating it on the couch I expected her to chide at least one of us but she just cleaned up the drips and smiled.

Luckily you were a trooper on the plane. You love flying, particularly taking off. For a week after we came home you pleaded everyday to go to the airport and fly on a plane. I hope that your enthusiasm for flying is still around in a month when we go to Korea. 17+ hours on a plane or at the airport would tax the best of them but I think you’ll be okay. I hope so anyway.

It’s fun to to see your imagination blossom. When we were at my parents’ house you saw the wind rattling the window blinds and you told me to “Listen! It’s a ghost.” And then you proceeded to look all around the room trying to find the ghost. It was so cute.

I had always heard about the “terrible twos” and I think you’ve hit that stage. You’ve started glaring at us if you don’t get your way, sometimes even crossing your arms over your chest and pouting, “Hmph!” In the last week or so you’ve also started exclaiming, “It’s not fair!” when you’re upset which totally blows me away. How does my baby even know those words? I thought I had at least a few more years before you got to talking back.

But you’re also very sweet. You’ve started telling your dad and I that we’re “the best.” Sometimes after I do something for you you’ll say, “Thanks, Mama! You’re the best!” And I then I melt. And you’ve started spontaneously saying “I love you” and giving hugs.

You love playing with your cousins and other big kids. When we took you to a playground in WA you mostly wanted to hang around some big kids. You tried to insert yourself into their conversation by imitating their gestures and words but they blithely ignored you. It made me smile and tugged at my heart at the same time because I know you’ll be a big kid all too soon.

Love,

Mama