Letter to my son
Dear Son,
Mommy is a little behind in writing to you, my sweet boy. A lot has happened since my last letter to you. You had a 12 month and a 15 month appointment, here are some of the measurements:
At 12 months, your length was 29 inches and at 15 months, you stood against the wall and your height was calculated to be 2 feet, 6 inches.
At 12 months, your weight was 22 pounds and at 15 months, you weighed 24 pounds.
Your head went from 18 inches to 19 inches by 15 months.
All in all, you are still on track for being 85 percentile, meaning you're a little taller than most children your age. Mommy and Daddy see this constantly when we meet children in stores or restaurants and find out that these children are your age, but much smaller than you.
From the 12 to 15 month appointments, Mommy and Daddy went through some changes and so did you!
Daddy was laid off from his work, but given a healthy severance pay and paid cobra health insurance. We were grateful for the income and the coverage. Your Daddy was quick to search for work and within 3 months, he is now working for a new company and learning more about the gas and oil industry along with his other chemical knowledge.
During the time that Daddy was unemployed, it was a blessing in a unique way. It was time that Daddy could spend with us and watch as you transformed from a baby who "sofa walked" to a toddler in full bloom. At 14 months, to the date, you walked across the room from Daddy's arms into Mommy's arms. It was a day of happy celebration and joy!
And now, at 16 months, nothing can stand in your way. You RUN. Mommy has to run now too. You are getting taller as well and your arm reach is dangerous. When you see something you want, you get on your tippy toes and stretch like nobody's business... pure determination is in your face. It's pretty awesome to witness.
Other blessings during this transition time in our family, is that our home is paid for and our families are generous with sending food and friends opened their homes for us to visit for a vacation. We have a lot to be thankful for and your Daddy is good about focusing on the positive. Then again, Daddy says that Mommy worries enough for all three of us.
I was certainly very worried (and so was Daddy) about your recent croup. In the past when I've heard a parent say that their child has "croup" I never understood fully what a parent and child goes through. I guess someone can always describe it, but until you go through it as a parent, one never really "gets" it. I hope your children don't ever get croup, because my little boy, it's scary.
Croup is a product of a virus. The virus has to run its course, like any normal virus. But in adults, when our throats hurt, it's because the throat is inflamed and closing in, but our throats are large enough to allow air to pass through even with the inflammation. For a child, from birth to three years... croup is when the throat inflammation causes a wheezing sound. A child can actual pass out if the inflammation is closing up the throat too much. Your croup was so bad that the doctor gave you three days of steroids. Mommy and Daddy alternated you between steam baths and standing in front of the refrigerator (both of these actions help to decrease the inflammation). It's scary for a parent... to hear your poor cry when you could barely speak from the croup... it broke Mommy's heart.
Right before you got sick, you were finally starting to sleep the night in your toddler bed... but after you got sick, Mommy was too worried about you and you stayed with her. Now, we are trying to slowly re-transition you back to your toddler bed at night.
I'm so proud of you, my son, for all you have learned so far. And for your ability to see the beauty in a leaf or a magnolia seed as we go on walks.. People say that I should not want you to grow up too quickly. It's not that I want you to grow up "quickly" - it's that I'm throughly enjoying every new step, new skill, new view, that you offer to our world. As you grow, I grow. So there is no way I would wish to hold you back or force you forward. Mommy and Daddy will be the rock of love that you need and the support you require to learn as you will.
Now, that said, Daddy does hope that you will say "Mommy" soon, because Daddy said, "Mommy deserves it." Awwww.... how sweet. But you know who I am. And it's so cool to see how you understand what we are saying to you.
You communicate VERY well with the "no no" shake of your head, with your tantrums of what you want, with your pointing your finger to what you like... the communication has already begun. And you watch so careful when something new happens. If a door in the house opens that wasn't opened before, your intense stare is one of fascination. As if you are trying to memorize the action so that you can repeat it on your own.
This summer has been a hot one. You learned to love water, especially running around in the splash park. Your grandparents watched you one day and Oma said, "Gregory is fearless." Another mother told me, "Your son is having more fun than anyone else here!"
You also love going to the park. You will climb steps, even if you have to do a climb crawl. You have this sense of freedom at parks, as if you know it's "a kid's place"... we have to run to keep up!
Mommy and Daddy also took you on an airplane hunt! The first time you heard and saw an airplane, you made a squishy face. So, we found a location close to the airport to watch the airplanes take off. When you see an airplane on tv or on the iPad, you smile.
Now, if we can find places to bring you that are air conditioned for when the summer storms rain out the day.
Thank you, Gregory, for being such an incredible joy in our lives.
Love Always,
Mommy
Mommy is a little behind in writing to you, my sweet boy. A lot has happened since my last letter to you. You had a 12 month and a 15 month appointment, here are some of the measurements:
At 12 months, your length was 29 inches and at 15 months, you stood against the wall and your height was calculated to be 2 feet, 6 inches.
At 12 months, your weight was 22 pounds and at 15 months, you weighed 24 pounds.
Your head went from 18 inches to 19 inches by 15 months.
All in all, you are still on track for being 85 percentile, meaning you're a little taller than most children your age. Mommy and Daddy see this constantly when we meet children in stores or restaurants and find out that these children are your age, but much smaller than you.
From the 12 to 15 month appointments, Mommy and Daddy went through some changes and so did you!
(in his toddler bed, no more cribs)
Daddy was laid off from his work, but given a healthy severance pay and paid cobra health insurance. We were grateful for the income and the coverage. Your Daddy was quick to search for work and within 3 months, he is now working for a new company and learning more about the gas and oil industry along with his other chemical knowledge.
During the time that Daddy was unemployed, it was a blessing in a unique way. It was time that Daddy could spend with us and watch as you transformed from a baby who "sofa walked" to a toddler in full bloom. At 14 months, to the date, you walked across the room from Daddy's arms into Mommy's arms. It was a day of happy celebration and joy!
And now, at 16 months, nothing can stand in your way. You RUN. Mommy has to run now too. You are getting taller as well and your arm reach is dangerous. When you see something you want, you get on your tippy toes and stretch like nobody's business... pure determination is in your face. It's pretty awesome to witness.
Other blessings during this transition time in our family, is that our home is paid for and our families are generous with sending food and friends opened their homes for us to visit for a vacation. We have a lot to be thankful for and your Daddy is good about focusing on the positive. Then again, Daddy says that Mommy worries enough for all three of us.
I was certainly very worried (and so was Daddy) about your recent croup. In the past when I've heard a parent say that their child has "croup" I never understood fully what a parent and child goes through. I guess someone can always describe it, but until you go through it as a parent, one never really "gets" it. I hope your children don't ever get croup, because my little boy, it's scary.
Croup is a product of a virus. The virus has to run its course, like any normal virus. But in adults, when our throats hurt, it's because the throat is inflamed and closing in, but our throats are large enough to allow air to pass through even with the inflammation. For a child, from birth to three years... croup is when the throat inflammation causes a wheezing sound. A child can actual pass out if the inflammation is closing up the throat too much. Your croup was so bad that the doctor gave you three days of steroids. Mommy and Daddy alternated you between steam baths and standing in front of the refrigerator (both of these actions help to decrease the inflammation). It's scary for a parent... to hear your poor cry when you could barely speak from the croup... it broke Mommy's heart.
Right before you got sick, you were finally starting to sleep the night in your toddler bed... but after you got sick, Mommy was too worried about you and you stayed with her. Now, we are trying to slowly re-transition you back to your toddler bed at night.
I'm so proud of you, my son, for all you have learned so far. And for your ability to see the beauty in a leaf or a magnolia seed as we go on walks.. People say that I should not want you to grow up too quickly. It's not that I want you to grow up "quickly" - it's that I'm throughly enjoying every new step, new skill, new view, that you offer to our world. As you grow, I grow. So there is no way I would wish to hold you back or force you forward. Mommy and Daddy will be the rock of love that you need and the support you require to learn as you will.
Now, that said, Daddy does hope that you will say "Mommy" soon, because Daddy said, "Mommy deserves it." Awwww.... how sweet. But you know who I am. And it's so cool to see how you understand what we are saying to you.
You communicate VERY well with the "no no" shake of your head, with your tantrums of what you want, with your pointing your finger to what you like... the communication has already begun. And you watch so careful when something new happens. If a door in the house opens that wasn't opened before, your intense stare is one of fascination. As if you are trying to memorize the action so that you can repeat it on your own.
This summer has been a hot one. You learned to love water, especially running around in the splash park. Your grandparents watched you one day and Oma said, "Gregory is fearless." Another mother told me, "Your son is having more fun than anyone else here!"
You also love going to the park. You will climb steps, even if you have to do a climb crawl. You have this sense of freedom at parks, as if you know it's "a kid's place"... we have to run to keep up!
Mommy and Daddy also took you on an airplane hunt! The first time you heard and saw an airplane, you made a squishy face. So, we found a location close to the airport to watch the airplanes take off. When you see an airplane on tv or on the iPad, you smile.
Now, if we can find places to bring you that are air conditioned for when the summer storms rain out the day.
Thank you, Gregory, for being such an incredible joy in our lives.
Love Always,
Mommy
Comments