Mallory Grace

Dear Mallory,

This is a month of expanding your reach. I had just gotten comfortable with the childproofing we had done and you (literally) kicked it up a notch. There’s nothing you can’t reach. TV? Got it. Roman shades? Got ‘em. Mom’s lap top? Oh, yeah.

In addition to reaching new heights, you’re expanding your vocabulary, too. Although these aren’t exactly words, you use them appropriately:
- Ut-oh (when you drop something)
- Whoa (when you’re impressed)
- Tee-koh tee-koh (this is the sound you make when you pretend to tickle one of us)
- Awwww (you say this while putting your head on someone’s shoulder, or while holding your stuffed bunny)

As if that weren’t enough you have also invented your own dance style (high stepping) and have modified your current running posture with your head thrown back and arms behind you. We think it’s your attempt at making your body more aerodynamic. I'm so proud of your amazing progress into toddlerhood. You handle changes to your routine with ease and are a pleasure to travel with. Your dad and I look forward to a fun summer with you.

Love,
Mama

Dear Mallory,
Today you are thirteen months old. The monthly milestones seem a bit less glamorous, now that you’ve got a full year under your belt. I will continue counting in months if only to hang onto your baby-ness a little longer. With this new milestone you earned the right to life's finest treats. That's right, italian ice!!

Your birthday party was a great success and mama and dada appreciated the low-stress environment of having someone else prepare the meals and clean the dishes. You enjoyed having so many friends to celebrate with. We had a trying moment getting you to blow out your candles; turns out you wanted to be held upside-down. As soon as you heard fifty voices sing the opening line of Happy Birthday it was all smiles.

We’ve had some good opportunities the past week to hit the outdoors and play at the park and go for walks in your new red wagon. You are an outdoor kid, often thrashing about with shrieks of protest when I fireman’s carry you back into the house.

This month we have enjoyed watching you explore your world and attempt with great focus to communicate verbally. While da-da and ma-ma came quite easily, we had been waiting for some time to hear something other than your everyday happy babble. Your newest words are shoes and puppy. Recently you have begun to mimic the sound of us counting. It is really adorable.

You catch onto routines very easily. When you see me open the hall closet for coats, you begin to walk to Phoebe’s crate which is the next step before leaving the house. The crate is your most coveted sacred hiding place. How you love to crawl into that stinky den and close the door behind you. As is customary in our family I will need to retell this story anytime there are more than three people gathered in a room. Just my way of saying I love you.

Love,
Mama

Happy Birthday Big Girl!

Today you turn one and a year of ‘firsts’ is over. It’s a bit silly to look back at a life so new and want all those endearing firsts back, but I do. Over and over again I would love to have back the first time our eyes met, your first smile, the first time you grabbed onto my hand as if you knew the journey we were taking would be a long and sometimes frightening one.

Indeed it has been, but baby girl how wonderful it’s been, too. How can I even describe this metamorphosis? You really are a butterfly that has broken free from your cocoon. From our early days of swaddling you snug as a bug to the flamboyant and energetic way you have spread your wings and taken life’s challenges in stride I am in complete awe of you.

Recently you have been more aware of your surroundings, including other people. You look at me when I call your name and smile before you are about to do something bad. You prefer being bounced when carried and dig your heels into our sides to encourage us to do so. If you could speak, we know that you’d be saying “giddy up.” You are quite the mimic and enjoy tipping your bowl at meal times to show us how to finish it off. You now apply the sign “more” to being pushed on your ride-on toy, being tickled or anything else that pleases you.

You are also becoming more independent. The other night you wanted to bring your stuffed animal into the tub and bawled me out for not accommodating this simple request. I can tell when you are frustrated because you wrinkle up your nose and blow air out of your mouth in a huff.

We are continuing to take you to gym class and playgroup each week. Your official birthday party will be held in two weeks. We’ve done our best to keep you healthy this past year abiding by the doctors’ orders to avoid peanut butter, ice cream and sweets. Nothing could be more exciting for your Grandmom than the lifting of this restriction. I predict a contest between her and your pappy to see who can provide the most assistance with your cake on the day which will likely be known as the day you dove face first into a pile of icing.

I’m fighting the tears that come with a year’s worth of amazing moments. When it’s all said and done that is how we’ve survived this past year – moment by moment. We’ve had our share of less than stellar moments; you would recognize those as the ones where you were called by your first, middle and last names. Those moments are so few and far between, quickly overshadowed by the moments where my heart has swelled with so much love and pride that I often felt guilty. Please read the poem below and know that today, as always, I will be carrying your heart.

Love,
Mama

Dear Mallory,

Today is your last monthly milestone. In one month you will be a year old. It is so easy to look forward to what is to come rather than savor the precious moments that are in front of me right now. I don’t want to wish away a single minute; you are perfect just as you are. The eating and sleeping will soon fall into place, but that eleven-month-old face will be changing more quickly than I’d like.

Our days are filling up fast with new adventures. This month you graduated from the “Bugs” class at the little gym and became a “Bird.” When Miss Jessica played the graduation march, I could feel a small tug at my heart. All too soon you’ll be off to school. You left behind some friends in that class, but were eager to introduce yourself to the bigger kids that awaited you in the next level. Your new teacher is Miss Jen and she couldn’t stop telling me what a smiley little girl you are. Of course no one believed that you were almost eleven months because you are so tiny.

Each week we continue to meet with cousin Carter and Vito. Azul from our gym class has joined in to even the score with the boys. I wish I could say that you are content to sit and play with the other kids, but that would be fibbing. You love nothing more than a good romp around someone else’s house, quickly pointing out which items need to be put away. A few weeks ago you made friends with Carter’s puppy, McGraw. What a patient, dog. He endured lots of pulling and not-so-gentle petting.

We’ve started a new routine at bedtime. Since you don’t like to sit on my lap and listen to stories, I’ve been reading to you from the rocking chair in your bedroom. You sit on the floor with your own book and mimic me by turning the pages. This half-hour of quiet time helps to set the mood for a peaceful night’s sleep. Sometimes.

Now that you are steady with your walking, we’ve begun to play hide and seek. You are always the seeker. I can’t believe how perceptive you are. If I hide in the den behind the door and forget to leave it open the same amount, you know exactly where I am. It warms my heart to hear you signature cackle when you find me.

With the record high temperatures we’ve taken some wonderful afternoon strolls around the neighborhood. You are content to sit and watch the world go by. Last Saturday Dad and I took you to the park and you enjoyed a ride on the swing and slides. It was unbelievable to watch you explore the park with your own two feet. Our last visit was Labor Day. My, how you’ve grown. Getting a glimpse of the amazing days that await us this spring put us all in good spirits; but for now we will continue to enjoy the amazing baby you are and see what happens day by day.

Love,
Mama

Dear Mallory,

Happy New Year!

Today you turn 10 months old. This holiday season represented one of the last in a series of firsts as we go hurdling toward the one year milestone. But, oh baby are things starting to look interesting. You took your first step on December 10th. It started innocently enough with a step here and there. Then I blinked and you were walking from one end of the room to the other. It’s really hard to think of you as a toddler and not a baby, but that’s what you are. This month you enjoyed playing with cousins Alice, Zachary and Ellie from New York and locally you kept your ongoing play date schedule with Cousin Carter and friend Vito. You've mastered the telephone and remote controls. It is still a joy to hear others praise your happy-go-lucky outlook.

This past week we have been surrounded by family. Christmas Eve day we spent at Nini’s house with Nan Seiple, Aunt Sue and the Dickson Family. We followed that up with the traditional photo shoot in front of the tree. Christmas morning we opened gifts here at home before heading out to Grandmom’s house for a visit with her and Uncle Dave. Around lunch time we swung by Pappy’s house and then finished off the day at Nan Leamon’s house. Regretfully Santa Claus didn’t listen carefully to your request. Instead of bringing your two front teeth, you only got one. And it entered our lives at 11:30 Christmas Eve.

While you couldn’t partake of the fantastic homemade cookies and you didn’t fully appreciate the painstakingly decorated tree you enjoyed your fair share of wrapping paper. Oh, the colors and textures that danced upon your tongue. Much more fun than the carefully selected items inside! And to be perfectly honest, how could you properly enjoy the tree when it was behind that colossal baby-gate?

Your arrival made this our first Christmas as a family, not just a couple. These ten months have disappeared so quickly and I know that the stuff under the tree is slim competition with the amazing gift that your dad and I received on March 1st. We love you, peanut.

Love,
Mama

Dear Mallory,

Today you are 9 months old. Do you know what this means? You’ve spent almost as much time on the outside of my belly as the inside. This month has been busy with playdates, gym class and lots of new tricks. Your father and I are about ready to cancel cable television, because there is really nothing that can compete with your antics.

For example, you’ve started to play peek-a-boo and it is amazing to watch. Not only do you laugh when we hide, but you have begun to initiate a round or two yourself. You hide behind doors, under your bath towel and beside the couch. Hmmm where did she go we wonder, as you sit cackling, snorting and blowing raspberries on the other side of the room. BAM! You hit us with an (almost) toothy grin and our hearts just melt.

Aunt Becky came over to babysit a few weeks ago and you were very good and let her chase you around for hours. In fact, you are an angel whenever we go out. It’s actually the sleeping that we need to talk about princess. Some people believe that you should be sleeping 10 hours over night and taking Two 2-hour naps. That’s like FOURTEEN hours per day. We aren’t even close to that. You are still waking up around 3-4am each morning for a quick feed and then back to sleep and raring to go at 6:00am. Let’s also talk about the food. It’s good and you should eat it. Not just because I say so, but because THE BOOK SAYS SO and heaven help us if we aren’t doing it by the book.

You spent your first Thanksgiving at Grandmom’s in the morning and Pappy’s in the evening. You even had real turkey and mashed potatoes. Except not really, because you had NO interest in any of that. It was easy to choose what we are most thankful for this year. Mallory, your dad and I are ever so grateful for the healthy, happy baby you’ve become. Your spirit and personality are a blessing. You lighten our days and add purpose to our lives.

Love,
Mama

Dear Mallory,

Today you are 8 months old and I stand in awe of your accomplishments. This month you’ve started crawling, waving, pulling up on furniture, cruising (slowly), and saying “da-da.” You’ve outgrown your portable car seat and now ride facing the world in a shopping cart.

This month mom and dad have become vigilant in our effort to batten down the hatches. You find everything. Each and every piece of lint, string or cookie crumb – nothing escapes the eagle eyes of Mallory Grace. Of course you would rather play with all of the above than the piles of plastic, kid-friendly, APA approved, developmentally appropriate toys in the house. Who can blame you, really? The amount of fun to be had with Tupperware is limitless.

Our morning routine (I can’t even believe we have a routine, I never thought we would) includes some snuggle time watching “Breakfast with Bear.” During this time you like to do a bit of cover-surfing. You plow through the comforter like your own personal mosh-pit. Next Dad takes over with your breakfast (cereal) and then we wave bye-bye at the door.

You’ve been a busy girl, with playdates almost every week and cheering on cousin Emily at soccer. You made a new friend at your gym class named Vito. You are very cute together and of course spend most of your time together vying for the same toy. Cousin Candace had a nice lunch for the Waiting For You babies. You liked playing with Caelib, Mason and Carter. All boys, do I see a pattern here? Halloween was all tricks and no treats this year. Next year – lots of candy. I promise.

As we gear up for the holiday season, it’s so remarkable to think over the past year and how much we truly have to be thankful for. 10 tiny fingers, 10 little toes – You’re so much more than the sum of your parts. You continue to melt our hearts with your warm, gummy smiles and amazing personality.

Love,

Mama

Dear Mallory…

Today you are seven months old and truly on the brink of greatness. Every day you are learning, growing and changing and it is a miraculous journey. September on the East Coast brought us some cooler weather and you have been voicing your discontent of the return to footie-pajamas.

You have really hit your stride with crawling, although the speed is directly proportional to the desirability of the item. It seems power cords and garbage cans are the most highly coveted objects. Last week you discovered the ability to pull yourself to a stand in your crib, making bedtime slightly more challenging.

This month you have discovered toys and understand playing. Some of your favorite things to play with are oversized legos (in the mouth they go), Wooden puzzles (Ummmm, tasty), and Peek-A-Blocks (grrrrr – why don’t these fit in my mouth, mom?). Unable to switch gears from toy to toy, you simply crawl over them creating a snow-plow effect as colored blocks and puzzle pieces become lodged in your undercarriage.

You’ve made friends in your “bugs” class at the Little Gym. Unfortunately, you seem to prefer the boys. You are the second oldest baby in the class and you like to chase after the oldest boy and head-butt him and grab his cheeks. Last week you hid one of the bells under your booty and Miss Jessica reprimanded you for trying to smuggle them out. Flashing a big gummy grin you were immediately forgiven. Speaking of making friends, Phoebe has finally accepted your place in the house. There was a time when she couldn’t stand being in the same room with you, and now she freely offers up the belly as you grab fistfuls of fur and giggle like a maniac.

This has been a month full of new food, too. Carrots, squash, green beans, sweet peas, apples, pears – you’ve tried and rejected them all. It’s not so much the vehement shaking of your head, nor is it the over exaggerated gagging and sputtering, but please please please stop looking at me with utter disappointment in those huge hazel eyes. There is only so much of that a person can take before rescuing you from the highchair and plying you with m&ms and cheetos. I am referring to your dad.

Your last big milestone this month was spending an evening away from mom and dad. You, of course, did marvelously. Sadly, your mom didn’t fare quite so well. Bolting from the theater after intermission she arrived home to find you sound asleep. It was a proud and humbling experience. I know it’s important to let you go, little bits at a time and I promise to try. If you have to shake me off your leg at school that first day, just remember I love you.

Love,

Mama

P.S. Outlet covers…priceless