Letters to Joseph-December 2007

Dear Joseph:
Christmastime is so fun with you…visiting the Reindeer at Baba Peet’s nursery, putting up the tree, shopping.
We’ve been painting with water colors and having lots of fun.
On Christmas eve, while we were waiting for Santa to come…in the middle of the night (and this is ironic since in last month’s letter I said you hardly ever through up)…you started throwing up! You’d wake up, get sick, we’d change the sheets (you still sleep in our bed at night) and you’d do it again…we changed the sheets 3 times. Christmas morning we were all so tired…but it was still magical.
A side note about our sleeping arrangements…as you know by now, I do things a little differently than some people do…I just do what works for us, and what works for us, what gets us all the most sleep and closeness, is to have you sleep in our bed. I miss you so much during the day while I’m at work, that it would be really hard to be away from you at night too. We don’t seem to keep each other up and we hold you all night long…you can nurse if you need to and I love it. I know it won’t be like this forever…you’ll eventually move to your own bed of course, so I’m appreciating it while I can.
The week after Christmas we all go really sick…we all laid around for days…but in the middle of it, Uncle Eugene called and invited us to come visit New York for Auntie Allison’s baby shower for the twin boys…so we’re planning a trip for January!
Love, Mama

Letters to Joseph-November 2007

Dear Joseph:
There are beginning to be moments, when you seem like such a little boy to me, and not so much a baby. I’ve never ‘babied’ you in my own eyes at least…some might beg to differ…but I’ve always dressed you in pants and tops (hip ones I think), not pj’s all day and such…but there’s just something different now…you ride the push car Ama gave you for your birthday, you play the guitar, you use words and are SO smart, no one can believe you are just over 1. Dr. Danielson was so impressed at your one year checkup with your animal sounds and communication…a lot of signing (thank you, please, more) and body language, along with duck, moo, cat, hi, mama…and much more!
We went up to the cabin a couple of times this month, once with Emily and Chris, whom you love and once with Gretchen and Andre. You almost never throw up, but one night in the cabin with Chris and Emily, you were eating a lot of cheese and dip, Emily said ‘Is he maybe eating a little too much cheese?” and in the next moment you threw up on the both of them. They were good sports and we all laughed about it.
Thanksgiving was fun…I baked a cake for Baba Pete’s (Grandpa Steve’s) birthday that was about as dense as a canon ball, but what else is new…I try and try to bake, and nothing ever comes out. Anyway, you and Henry really love each other and always hug.
Love, Mama

Letters to Joseph-October 2007

Dear Joseph:
Pumpkin patch visit! You…Picasso, Me Dora Marr, Dad, a painting!
Lots of fun Halloween stuff!
Chris and Camille came and visited us this month…we ate down at Lowell’s in the Market, walked around, made dinner at home and just had lots of fun.
Your such a little squishy pudge wudgey…and smart and fun and sweet!
You are getting into music big time…you LOVE the guitar and call it the ‘bomb’…for the bum bum sound it makes. Uncle Chris and Aunt Camille brought you a harmonica and you LOVE to play it. You also like to hear ring tones from my cell phone…you become very demanding if I don’t play them over and over.
I’m noticing you asserting your independence much more these days…you are getting squirmy in restaurants, and are looking to get your way as much as possible!
Love, Mama

Letters to Joseph September 2007

Dear Joseph:
We celebrated your first birthday this month! I can’t believe a year has gone by…your growing and learning has been amazing. Your party was so fun…I made you a cake that had a big purple star on the front and we had lots and lots of friends and family over to celebrate. It was a beautiful September day and we all stayed outside and played. You got so many fun presents. You cried a little, being a bit overwhelmed by the cake, etc., but I think you had fun!
We went to Sun Lakes and Bumbershoot too! All so fun! Row boating, fishing, fun. At Bumbershoot we listened to lots of music, rolled around in an all paper room, looked at paintings with Dad…took a dip in one of the fountains and saw Zap Mama!
I went back to work 30 hours a week the Monday after your party…of course this was very very hard. I knew that you would be in loving, caring, safe hands with my cousin Andrea (you will be going there 2 ½ days a week and Ama will take care of you one day…then I’ll be home with you the other day and a half during the week)…ugh, when I write it down, it seems so little. I took the water taxi to work the first day and it was raining which seemed appropriate, because I cried the whole trip…but every day got a little better and Andrea sent home the “Joseph Report”, telling us all the fun things you were doing. Andrea has been teaching you lots of manners...and sign language. Dad says she lights up when you get there in the morning and so do you…you guys have a very special relationship.
In the evenings I try to savor every minute with you…we take baths, sing, read, play…we’ll adjust, but it is hard. You seem to be your ever solid, happy self.
Love, Mama

Year + in review...

The very last post that I made in 2007 was September, the month I went back to work after being home with Joseph for a year...and the blogging stopped. Going back to work has been hard, great, and necessary...but as I read over some of the posts...the letters to Joseph, I felt sad that I don't have that detailed record for the past year and a half that I had for Joseph's first year of life. Over the next few who-knows-when, I'm going to post retro-posts...for the months I missed.

A Saltwater Sandal Day

I realize that this is a completely unceremonious reinstatement of this blog after well over a year of no posts...but here it is....we're off to frolic in our sandals!