We’ve been spending a lot of time at the park lately. You love collecting rocks, sticks, and dandelions.
We’ve also been hanging out in our little backyard, drawing with sidewalk chalk and blowing bubbles. Summer is just around the corner!
Blow!
Ice cream is okay but you’d rather lick all the salt off a pretzel or chip, if given the option.
You must get that from your Daddy.
Rocks!
In our backyard with cousin.
You won’t grow up with a big green backyard like your parents did, but you will not be lacking for lush parks and innovative playgrounds here in NYC. There’s so much to see and do and we’ve only just started.
I turned 36 last weekend. I don’t like to do much for my birthday and the older I get the more I realize I’m not really one for fanfare. It makes me feel weird. All I wanted was to celebrate with you and Daddy and a few close friends and family. Any birthday where you get to help me blow out my candles is a perfect one in my book.
There is so much more significance to marking the passage of time now because you are with me. We are growing together.
My 36th year was also most of your second year. You won’t remember your second year but I will. I will remember it all.
You seem to have found your voice these days and it’s been a real hoot to watch you put your mouth to good use in forming word after word after word. Here’s a list of as many words as I could think of that you are saying at the moment.
Your Mama took a little trip last week to hang out with Amy while she attended a work conference. I thought I needed a break - some time away to relax and reflect. But it turned out I missed you too much and I had a hard time enjoying myself at all. I wanted you there with me. I wanted Daddy to be there, too.
You live and you learn.
Maybe Las Vegas wasn’t the place for me. That could be it.
Maybe it’s because I couldn’t share my new experiences with you.
Or it could be that I realized I love being home. Cuz home is where you are. And you are my heart.
Another week? Really? When we’re muddling through all the tedious tasks in a day (like, ahem, struggling to feed you at any and every meal and snack, the bane of my existence at the moment) time seems to drag on forever and ever and ever. But then we end up at Friday once again and I do a double take, wondering where those 5 weekdays disappeared to.
You’ve been pretty sick this week and even developed your first cough. I can count the number of times you’ve ever had a cold or been sick on my one hand so we have been lucky but still. I don’t like this cough.
You are really starting to take off language-wise these past few weeks. You have been saying some 2-syllable words AND you are saying words more clearly - I can understand you! New words: ockee (ice), fork, bock (chip), cookie, Daddy, shark and yeah, I forget the rest right now but you are putting two and two together. I can actually see the wheels and cogs clicking into place in your mind as you “get” another word.
So we’ve been stuck inside a lot. It has been amazingly boring for all parties involved. We can only color, blow bubbles, take a bath, sing songs (Ring Around the Rosy is a current fave), read books, struggle to eat meals and snacks, watch Sesame Street, rinse, and repeat for so long before wanting to tear the front door open and run wild outside (while screaming, naturally).
Needless to say I’ve had a lot of time for reflection. I’ve been trying to figure you out. They say one’s personality develops and stays pretty much constant from childhood. Based on the fact that you love belts, keys, picking up crumbs and lint, and running around shouting “Boo!” I think you may be destined to become an amazing grade school janitor. Which is fine with me! I just enjoy daydreaming about the person you’re going to become.
I love being able to watch you grow into such a unique little person. I will always nurture your every interest (even if it’s picking up crumbs). I will always encourage you to do the things that satisfy you the most (even if it’s repeatedly closing and opening every belt buckle in the universe). I will continue to provide you with daily comic relief as you absolutely “get” my every joke and sock it right back to me. You are pretty funny, you know. There’s no other toddler I’d rather spend my days with.
Hello little monster. Lately your will has grown stronger and you like to give me what for.
Well, I just thought I’d point out a few things. Because sometimes we need to check ourselves before we wreck ourselves.
In the past weeks you have:
-Bit me in the shoulder so it left a bruise.
-Bit my fingers numerous times. And hard!
-Spilled the entire sugar bowl, and it was even the Raw sugar.
-Pooped in the tub. Yep.
-Thrown some lying down tantrums in public. Always in public, because you like an audience.
-Wiped your jelly hands on the wall.
-Pooped through a diaper and you never do that.
-There’s probably more but I blocked it out.
So it’s been fun. It has.
You did learn to stack blocks and use your radio control firetruck so that’s a plus. You also like to say “Wow” a lot which is most entertaining.
Yes, your adorableness trumps your craziness much of the time. I just keep reminding myself you’re discovering that you are a human being separate from me. You want to do the things you want to do and that’s that. I’m here to make sure all your limbs stay attached and you don’t get into any brawls. So far so good.
Staying in can be fun.. especially when there are tons of construction trucks working next door, all day, every day.
But I think the best days we have are the days we go out in the morning and play play play.
Then we come home, have lunch, and if I’m lucky you will take a nice long nap.
I love you but.. those naps help keep me a sane and good Mama. I need them as much as you do.
When I set out writing this blog, I didn’t really intend on very many people finding it. It was a personal thing- albeit out here on the world WIDE web- but I never thought that too many folks would stumble upon it, let alone relate to or find comfort in it.
Well, they have! And it just so happens that the few I’ve gotten to know are quite lovely. If we didn’t live so far apart I’m sure we’d be attached at the hip.
I will share with you some of their words and pictures. I’m so glad that we were able to touch their lives in any way, big or small. The universe is immeasurable but the internet makes 3000 miles feel like it’s right next door. I am so thankful for these connections.
First is Christine and her little man, Henry. Henry and Daniel are about the same age. C&H and H’s papa all live in sunny California. They are the sweetest little family.
Here is Christine’s first email to me, from back in November of 2009:
Dear Lisa,
I have been enjoying Dear Ziggy for several months now, and I am
finally peeking my head out to say “hello.” Hi! I love your site. As a
fellow first-time mama to a little boy, I have found some comfort &
joy reading your words.
My son Henry is 2 1/2 months old, and just a week or so ago I finally
stopped logging everything religiously too. I am learning to go with
the flow and follow his cues. It’s amazing how well he can communicate
without words (although, I wouldn’t mind him telling me he’s upset
instead of his occasional wailing!).
Anyway, thanks for sharing your stories. I look forward to continuing
to follow your adventures together.
Take good care.
xo Christine
I am still in touch with Christine and Henry, watching them both grow via flickr. What a joy it has been!
Recently, Sharon from Malta (of all places!) contacted us to let us know how much she loves our blog. I was honored, and then I had to google Malta to figure out where exactly it was! She has a son, Giuseppe, 10 months old.
Hi Lisa
It is only a few minutes ago that I noticed that you had replied to my comment:-)) Thank you so much. I’m sending you a few pictures of my son, Giuseppe, 10 and a half months old (almost), and our only son. My husband’s family has Italian roots, hence the son’s name and our surname. I used to have a much more common surname before we got married:-))
I am 32 years old and enjoying ever moment of being a mum, especially the pride I feel in my heart when other people remark about his smile or something (you know how we ‘meme’ s are:-)) I cannot say that I don’t have difficult moments as he’s with me 24/24, 7/7, but generally I think we’re doing ok, or maybe very good as he always seems so happy. I don’t know. It’s all so new for me! To tell you the truth, I have a mountain of books about all types of parenting, each with it’s own piece of advice, which I refer to from time to time, but which many times I feel like burning (should I do you think?)
I won’t go on and on about us. Give you some time to look at the photos. Tomorrow Giuseppe and I will be going shopping for some shoes and a cap (while daddy is at work). He’s outgrown all the caps he owned, and it’s beginning to get sunnier already here.
Take care Lisa
I really admire your commitment in keeping ‘Dear Ziggy’.
It’s not like I need to be reminded, but it does warm my heart and make things a little easier knowing that millions of women all over the world are raising up their babies, doing the best they can, always hoping they’re doing the right thing. We are not the first mamas. We are not the last mamas. It’s so wonderful that technology has brought us together so that we may find comfort and solace in our common experiences. I feel so lucky to be alive during this age.
I hope you get to meet Giuseppe and Henry someday, Daniel. Your mama had a Japanese pen-pal when she was 13 years old. She never got to meet Harue Komatsu from Hyogo-ken, Japan. She really wishes she had.
