This week a year ago we were in Maui watching you, holding our breaths, as you mastered the art of walking. Those moments seem like yesterday yet here we are one year later…watching you, listening to you, holding our breaths as you master the art of talking. Each month I think, “how could she talk more?” And then you do. Your talking accelerates at the speed of light. Three or four times a day Your Daddy and I stop, look at each other in amazement and say, “did you hear what she just said?!” You recently said your longest sentence of 8 whole words: “Sagey eat a bar on the bike ride” only to beat it the next day with 10.
And it’s not just to us that you like to talk. The concept of stranger means little to you. You reach out and ask strangers to hold your hand, you bellow commands at people-“hike up!” “come down” “on bus, lady!” Your Daddy and I find each other’s eyes and shake our heads with laughter. How are you so comfortable with the many strangers who cross your path? I adore this quality, it glows with beauty. At times though… it can be awkward. Especially the time when you didn’t want to let go of the lady’s hand you held while exiting the bus. “Come lady” you gently said as we parted in opposite directions. As she said goodbye and turned to walk away you arched your back in my arms and let out a wailing cry.
You are loud. In restaurants, on the Zion bus, on hikes… you yell and sing. You are without question an extrovert. You scan the world like it’s yours for the taking. And it is. You are passionate and loving. You throw your arms around my neck and I wish you would never let go. I don’t know how many times I have said this before, but I will say it again: you are a natural climber. If there is a hand rail, a restaurant booth, a bar stool… you are climbing it. And now have started hanging upside-down!
As your talking continues to quickly develop you have stopped some of my most cherished baby-isms. No longer are your final “n” consonants ending with the letter m, like “rum” for “run.” You have also stopped calling your Granny “nanny.” Now it’s just “Granny.” The other day, you tried referring to breast milk as “milk” and I promptly, corrected you. “Neh, Sage” not “Milk.”
My heart aches when I catch you leaving your baby talk behind. For this purpose I will now refer to milk as “neh” and water as “babbie” for as long as possible. Oh yes and strawberries as “bob-eh-lez.”
This month Noah turned two. After buying his birthday present, you did the most wonderful role play in the car. As I was trying to put you in your car seat you said,
“No mama. Mama sit.”
“You want me to sit in YOUR car seat?”
“Yes Mama”
“But Mama is too big. Can Mama just sit right here next to your car seat?”
“Yes Mama. Stay Mama”
I sat next to your car seat and watched you clamber over the center console and into the driver’s seat. You stood up, turned around, looked at me from around the headrest and said, “Beat belt pease!” I buckled my seatbelt, you handed me a pacifier and my water bottle, and asked for the keys. You topped it off by sticking the keys in the ignition and almost successfully putting the drivers seatbelt on. Finally you said, “mommy help beat belt”
You recognize all the places we go… When we drive by Vons you say, “Daddy Juice, Sagey pouch.” When we drive on San Juan Creek Road you say, “Home Depot!” When we are driving across the Ortega Bridge you switch between asking if we are going to Noah’s House or Gigi’s house. You have got San Juan Capistrano down kid! No one will get lost with you in the car!
Your favorite song is still “Baby Mine” you ask for me to sing it every night before bed. You also request “Rock-a-bye Baby Sage” which is my rendition of “Sweet Baby James” You have started singing more and more on your own and it’s my favorite sound to hear. I hope you keep it up. You have the sweetest little voice.
You amaze me with your desire for order. You continue to put things back where they go and remember what goes where. We were in your bedroom and there was a clean diaper on your chair. You noticed it was out of place, picked it up, and put it in the diaper drawer.
I should also mention that you still do not watch any television. I am happy encouraging your independent play and trust that you will be more imaginative and resourceful because of it. Sometimes when you get extra whiney I think it would be great to put on a show for you but then I remember that it’s those times when you need to be bored so you are pushed to be creative and solve issues of boredom on your own. We push through those difficult times and eventually you do find something interesting to entertain you. We love that you don’t watch TV and have no intention of starting. We’ll see how long this lasts.
The tug and pull between the adult you would like to be and the toddler you are is overwhelmingly cute. There is nothing better in the world than being your Mommy. Every single day when I look into your chocolate brown eyes, at your beautiful, quirky little face, my lungs fill with deep breaths of unfiltered gratitude. My love follows you wherever you go little one. You have my whole heart. Forever.
Mommy finished her first trail half marathon. You and Daddy ran half of it and cheered me on!
Giving Noah his birthday present. He was giving you a Koala he got for you in Australia.
You and Brent. You are 5 days apart!
Another one of you and Lyla
You and Lyla on our lunch date
You found this bike in REI and boy were you excited. You have been asking for a bike for your birthday, “Happy Birthday Bike Please!”
This is one of those classic moments of you insisting that you can drink out of a regular cup all on your own
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