548 Days

Today you are 18 months old. I've been telling myself to work on this post for days now, but, of course, here I am, the morning of the day, and I am just now composing. Learn from this. I have spent a good bit of my life putting off till tomorrow what should be done today. Trust me, it's so much easier just to go ahead and get it done. I guess this is when I start my parenting style of "Do as I say, not as I do." Funny, I thought you'd be older that 18 months before that started. More like 8 or 9, and I try to get you to practice your piano, and you refuse, and I say you must, and you say that I didn't do it when Gams told me to do it, so why should you have to do it? That's more the time frame and situation I was envisioning using the "Do as I say,…" phrase. But you know what? You won't believe it for a few decades from now, but I'm right, just like Gams was right when she told me to practice. And here I am, 31, and I really wish I could play the piano.
I suppose with all the excitement of turning a year and a half old, you just couldn't contain yourself and started screaming at 4:00 this morning. Unfortunately, it didn't really sound like an out of control toddler rager, but more like the scared wailing of a child who just woke up from a nightmare. It could also have been the fact that you were running a fever pretty much all of yesterday. Whatever the reason, your father gave in and brought you in bed with us. Much as we don't want to do it, it is hard to deny a child we know is sick. OK, truth be told, much as we know we shouldn't do it because we don't want you to get used to crying and being able to get in bed with us, secretly, we both love to snuggle with you between us. In the recesses of our minds, we know it won't be like this forever, and if, once in a while, you can only be consoled by being our little snugglebug for an hour or so, we happily concede. You must have some sort of sixth sense for the timing of trains because, much to your delight and your father's and my dismay, a train came by at 5:00. You shot up like a rocket, cheering and clapping and chanting, "Hoo, hoo!" There was no containing you, so we all rushed to the toy chest by the window (your HooHoo watching post), and marvelled as it went by. And, of course, it was the LONGEST TRAIN EVER! Daddy gave in after a few minutes and headed back to bed. Once the train finally passed, you and I headed to your room, a little song, a little rocking, and two froggies, and you were back down for the count.
It's amazing to watch you everyday. You are so inquisitive and curious. You are always interested in finding out (on a toddler level) how things work. This can be good (toys, puzzles, shoes), but this can also be dangerous (electric cords and plugs, scissors). The good news is that you are definitely learning the meaning of "No" and respond appropriately most times. When we tell you something is dangerous or hot, you know not to touch it. I think this stems from the time you wanted to touch a lightbulb in your room, and despite my repeated protests that it was HOT,HOT, the only way for you to find out was to learn the hard way. I was sad that it hurt you a little, but so happy and thankful for the lesson it taught you. I suppose that is the fine line we will always walk as parents - knowing when to protect you and balancing that with allowing you to make your own mistakes so that you can learn from them.
We are in the throes of celebrating your second Christmas this year. Last year your milestone was sitting up on Christmas Eve morning. We wonder what this year will bring - perhaps a continuous string of intelligible words? You appear to be taking after Pops on the verbal front. Apparently, he did not speak until he was 6. Now, it's not that you're not speaking. You are quite verbal, never at a loss for noise. It's just that unless the word starts with a B or is ta-ta (thank you), it doesn't really come out as a word. Gams says that Mimi and your Pops had a language all their own during those early years that only they could understand. I don't know if that code speak is necessarily limited to them. I think all mothers and their children are intrinsicly programmed to understand each other's noises. Your "ba-ba-ba" is distinctively different when pointing out a boat or a bubble or a bath or a balloon. I know this. Just like you know that my "ah-ah-ah" means one thing when you are reaching for the Christmas ornaments with a destructive look in your eyes as opposed to when you when you are trying to put a puzzle piece back into the wrong spot. It's the same noise, but it has so many different meanings. Honestly, I have no doubt that you will start talking any day now, and that kind of saddens me. Not that I want to stunt your growth or development, mind you, but just knowing that once you start talking, you won't ever be able not to talk again. Just like crawling or walking or eating grown up food. With each milestone, you are turning more and more into the person you will become, while simultaneously inching further and further away from the baby you were just 18 short months ago. But trust me, if you do turn out like your grandfather, and the talking thing doesn't take off till you're 6, count yourself lucky and hope that there are many more years of taking after Pops because he is a great man, and your father and I would be very happy.
Reeves, I've said it many times before, and I know I'll be saying it for the rest of my life, please know what a blessing you are to your father and me. Some nights we try to remember what life was like before you, and we have a hard time doing it. We treasure the nights and weekends when we are home with you, with nothing on our calendars but watching you and taking you places and playing with you. It's amazing how much happiness you have brought into our lives. Thank you for all you have done for us. We will spend the rest of our lives paying you back.