Tiny Dancer

Dear Lila,

You're ready for your first ballet class!

Love,
Mom

Dizzy Spell

Dear Lila,

You were singing "Let It Go" and spinning around in circles in the living room when you stopped, suddenly got this disoriented look on your face and asked me, "Why [is the room] turning?" Haha, you make me laugh, baby girl!

Love,
Mom

Brave Girl

Dear Lila,

The word "stoic" isn't often used when referring to little kids, but I can't think of a better word to describe you. You are and always have been so calm and I am constantly impressed by your maturity, composure and uncomplaining nature. Whereas most babies cry and fuss when they're left in their cribs, you were always perfectly content hanging out on your own until I came to pick you up. You still handle shots and getting blood drawn like a champ and instead of crying when you bump your head or hurt yourself somehow, you usually just chirp, "Oh, I ok!" And when we moved into our new house three weeks ago and you had to sleep in a big and relatively empty new room that first evening (your room contained your bed and a suitcase of your clothes and that was it), you didn't get scared and come running into my room in the middle of the night even once.

Because you are so brave and because you are the size of kids who are twice your age, I sometimes forget that you are only 2 years old. GuhGaw had his birthday party at an amusement park earlier this month and since you are so tall for your age, you met the height requirements for all of the rides. But just because you were ready for them physically, in hindsight, I realize that doesn't mean you were ready for them emotionally. You did not enjoy the tall froggy ride that took you way up high and bounced you back down (the operator actually stopped the ride when she saw how scared you looked) and though you were excited to go on a roller coaster with me, you clenched the handlebars and whimpered when it started to speed up. But as frightened as you were, you sucked it up and didn't cry or complain.

And you showed your courageous side again today on your first day of nursery school. It was the first time you were dropped off somewhere without me, Daddy, PoiPoi or your nanny and you were as cool and collected as I expected you to be. When it was time to line up and walk to the classroom with your teachers, you were a bit reluctant and reached for me but when I nudged you toward the line, you dutifully took your place while many of the other kids were crying and wailing. Maybe it was because GuhGaw goes to school and you want to be like him or maybe because you took a Moms and Tots class at your nursery school last year and are familiar with the building and a couple of the teachers--either way, you totally rocked your first day of school! You looked really happy when I picked you up and said you had fun learning about lions. You also wore underwear to school (it was the first time you went out in underwear instead of a pull-up) and didn't have any accidents, woo!

Happy after a good first day of school!

I'm so proud of you!

Love,

Mom

Tooth Trouble

Dear Lila,

Today was not the best day for you. At your dental checkup this morning, the dentist discovered a painful-looking abscess on your front upper gum, which was caused by an infection in your tooth. We have no idea how long you had the abscess and I'm so sorry Daddy and I didn't notice it! We brush your teeth every day but the abscess was at the very top of your gum and only visible if we pulled your lip way up toward your nose, which we obviously have no reason to do. I hope it didn't hurt you too much for too long :-(

So because of the infection (when your baby tooth first grew in, it already had some decay in it; the dentist cleaned out as much decay as he could last year but the tooth still got infected), the dentist had to extract the entire tooth. Yeah. You can imagine how much you did not enjoy that. I had to put you on my lap and hold you as tightly as I could while the dentist pulled out your tooth. You, unsurprisingly, cried, screamed and kicked like crazy and holding you down was not easy because, dude, you're really strong! I felt so bad for you that I started crying a little, too, but eventually the whole ordeal was over (the dentist asked me if I wanted to keep your tooth, the decayed, infected tooth--ew, no thanks) and when we took you out for frozen yogurt immediately afterward, you were already feeling better as you happily ate your fro yo and swayed back and forth to the music playing in the shop. Whew.

Love,

Mom

Same Rapunzel

Dear Lila,

You were playing with your princess figurines today when you suddenly pressed the Rapunzel one against the underwear you were wearing. Of course, I had to ask you, "Uhh, what are you doing?" You replied, "Same!" As in, your Rapunzel toy was the same as the Rapunzel on your Disney princesses underwear. Oh, ha!

Love,
Mom

Bah Guys

Dear Lila,

Whenever something goes missing and I ask you where it is, you tell me, "Bah guys [bad guys] took it."

Love,
Mom

Squishy Belly

Dear Lila,

I had my shirt lifted up while I was pumping breastmilk earlier today and when you saw my post-baby stomach, you touched it and said, "I love your belly. Squishy. Another baby inside?"

Ouch. Time for me to hit the gym!

Love,
Mom