When You Grow Up

Aidan,

You are almost 4 years old. I am in disbelief.

Some days it seems like you're already all grown up. Other moments feel like we have a long way to go.

I'm in no rush. As I sang to you last night (on repeat, three times, at your request), "I can hardly wait to see you come of age, but I guess we'll both just have to be patient."

We're definitely enjoying the ride and as we wrap up "being 3" it's amazing to see how far you've come.

You now dress yourself (sometimes commando, and sometimes with backwards underwear) and put on your own shoes.

You brush your own teeth (sometimes). You sing to your sister and kiss her goodnight. You know your letters and your planets. We're working on numbers.

You know who you are, and sometimes you know where you're going.

I asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up.

You might think Marine Biologist?

Or maybe Radio/Music Personality:

 

 

Perhaps an explorer:

 

 

 

 



 

A bouncer?

 



 

 

Three days ago the answer was definitively, "Monster!"

Two days ago, the answer was "I get bigger and bigger. I be a GIANT!"

And yesterday, the answer was "Spiderman!"

 

I was sure "Batman" would be another career choice, but we'll have to see if that makes the short list:

No matter what you are when you grow up, though, I will never forget what you are now and when you were younger: you're head-strong, creative, loving, sensitive, funny, smart, protective (even over strangers! "You can't yell at him!" to the mother disciplining her son at the park).

 

 

You're a leader (who maybe just doesn't have any followers yet, besides Julia, who'd follow you anywhere). You've got a great mind for details, especially when it comes to stories. You're a great story teller (they all start our "Once upon ago, far far away.") You love costumes and role playing and using your imagination.

 

This is a great adventure we're on together- the adventure toward being a Grown up Giant!- and, I know it's cheesy, but since you told me that I was your one true love (you also told mommy this too), I feel like I can tell you: I'm so excited to be on this adventure with you, for as long as you'll have me.

Amazing Julia- 15 1/2 months old

Julia,

It's very hard to keep up with you these days! It doesn't seem that long ago that we were celebrating your first steps...but granted that was in August, and you've now been walking for over 6 months! Every time you leap forward- sometimes literally- it seems like you master your new steps immediately and they seem just like another tool in your belt. You're a natural. And, naturally, you've been growing by leaps and bounds since your first birthday.

I can't even begin to enumerate all the amazing things you do, because you do so many amazing things that it's hard to keep count! It's hard to not take some of these steps for granted because you just keep piling them on.

You climb. Whenever and wherever you can.

It started innocently enough with the slide.

And then assisted with some stairs.

 
But before Thanksgiving, and before we knew it, you were climbing up to the kitchen table.

 And then the bathroom sink. 

 

And the couch, and stairs unassisted, and whatever else you could find:

You have a sense of humor!

 

 

 You talk: it started out with just Mama. But soon after you started saying "bubba" for Aidan and "gaga" for Dada. You love saying "Mimi" and "Yaya" and "Baba" and "Ba" ("pops" is a bit hard to say).

You started saying "ay-oooo" - which is hard to write, but it's very clearly- intonation wise and in usage- "thank you."

You say "Yo yo" for Joseph...and yogurt.

You say "bow wow" for dogs. But lately, you've gotten even better at saying "Do-jeee" (which is either "Toby" or "doggy." But, you also just call them "boys."

You LOVE "wah wah" (water)...love drinking it...love playing in it. Love everything about it.


You have your own distinct word for "Banana" and "watermelon." Though, I can't even begin to try type up how you say them.

You LOVE babies too. You hold dolls of all kind- some baby dolls, some spider-men, some shreks- and rock them and sing "baybee....baybee...baybee."

You also love living babies too. Every other child who's not Aidan is pretty much "baybee" to you. Asher is "baby." Brady...maybe you're saying "baydee"...but it's a close race.

And, recently, you started saying "Cheese!"

(you've been saying it for the food, but recently extrapolated it to other meanings)

 

 And recently, you masted "Aidan"...and are putting it to good use. You wake up from naps calling his name, wanting to play. And you can also tell him what to do by name as well!

You also recently mastered my name: "Dah dee." You say it so properly that it just sometimes breaks my heart. One morning I was getting ready to go to work and I heard you asking her where I was: "mama.... daddy?"

I came out of the bathroom and you saw me: "DADDY!!!!" You wanted me to hold you, so I did and we cuddled for a few minutes. When it was time for me to go, I gave you back to Mommy, which is normally 100% a-okay. But this time, you cried: "Daddy...Daddy!"

I did go to work, and missed you so much, as I always do. But, as I always do as well, I came home to hear you talk to your "daddy" even more!

You're so so active!

You run!

You wrestle!


You joke!

 

You reach, and bounce, and stack, and eat as good as any of the big kids!

 

You sing!



You are smart:

 You love animals (stuffed and real):

 

 And...you love, love, love.

 

 

 

And we all love you. You are growing so much, dear Julia, and we couldn't be more proud to be part of your life every day.

Happy Hannukannivesarygivingsmasnewyears!

Okay, okay, so a LOT has been going on. And it's already February. Which means some of these pictures were taken 3 months ago. But, nevertheless, the memories feel just like yesterday. We had a wonderful Pre-thanksgiving in Houston with all the cousins, then a great week-long Thanksgivvukah/Anniversary celebration with Mimi, Pops, Rebekka, and Ross. Then even more Thanksgiving fun with Gigi and Pa and family. And don't forget about a fabulous Christmas with Yaya and Baba, Sham and Sock and Jojo/Yoyo. And New Years too. 

So much has happened, and the two of you have grown so much.

We have a lot to be happy and thankful and merry for every day because of the two of you. 

But sometimes it's nice to have a holiday or two to really drive the point home.