Month Seventeen

Dear Aeralyn,

Almost every month I start your letter out with something along the lines of “I can’t believe this month is already over.”  This time, I can’t say that.  Your seventeeth month seemed to drag on and on.  Even though there were alot of disappointments in other areas of our lives this month, you still continued to grow and blossom in so many ways.   Without you, I don’t think I could have made it through.

 You have achieved so many important milestones this month.  One of the most important (to me) is one that I have personally been waiting for since the day you were born.  You, my dearest little punkin’, finally sleep through the night.  You started 2 weeks ago and you haven’t stopped yet.  Coincidentally, I seem to have forgotten how to sleep all night without waking up.  I guess that’s just the way it goes.  Along with sleeping all night, you are also taking better naps.  I dare say that we are almost following a routine now, something I could have never imagined a few short months ago.

Something else I couldn’t imagine was you not breastfeeding.  Your daddy kept making jokes that I would have to follow you to college so you could still nurse.  And I didn’t disaggree because I was a little scared of that myself.  It is hard to believe that less than two months ago you were still nursing 3-5 times during the day and night.  But now?  You are fully and completely weaned.  As in all day and all night.  And your precious nursing pillow that you were so incredibly attached to has been hiding in a closet for a little over a month.  It’s a bittersweet transition for me.  You are becoming much less a baby and more and more a toddler every day.

Another huge milestone is that you have said a couple of three word sentences this month.  Your first sentece was ”Where’s the ball?” when you were looking for the balls for your ball popper.  Another one was to Emma (the baby that I keep 3 days a week).  She was crying because you pushed her down, and you said “I’m sorry baby.”  You followed shortly with “Shhh baby.”  I’m always amazed with you.  I remember before I had you and I used to hear women talk about how their baby said their first sentence, or some other seemingly silly milestone.  I would think “What’s the big deal?”  But, oh my, how big of a deal it is.  I could just explode with pride sometimes.  I have become that mom.  And I’m loving every minute of it.

You have 7 teeth now, and I hate to say that you have used them to bite a little more frequently than I would like.  You have quite a temper, and all I can do is shake my head because I know that you get it honestly.  You got a double dose of spitfire from your daddy and me, but I’m confident that you will learn that it won’t get you very far.  I can’t imagine what age 2 is going to bring. 

You have been such a ray of sunshine lately in all of our lives.  Even in the darkest of moments, you give everyone a reason to smile, and I am so grateful for that.  You have a hold on my heart, and I can’t even remember what I ever did without you.  I love you more than I will ever be able to express.

Love,
Mama

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Okay y’all.  Sorry to disappoint, but the BIG news was not that Aeralyn will be a big sister soon.  Thank goodness.  The big news, if you haven’t already figured it out, is that she is WEANED and SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT! Holy cow!  I still can’t believe it, and I’m probably totally jinxing myself by putting it in…well, not writing, but type I guess.  Also, kudos to Alicia for guessing that she is speaking in sentences.  That is also another part of the big news.  So, YAY!  Sorry if it’s not what you wanted to hear, but thank GOD it’s not what you people wanted to hear.  Sheesh.