Snuggle Bunny

Dear Sawyer,

You are the total package: smart, sweet, funny and sooooo cute! You have started to take an interest in JieJie's baby dolls and often hug them and cradle them in your arms. When I ask you where your nose is, you point to your mouth (we'll work on that). When we go for walks, you point out every buh buh (bird) and che che (car). When I ask you to show me your muscles, you scrunch up your face and flex your arms. You like to push me down on your play mat just to help me sit back up again. You love to do somersaults and flips. You've learned to put your finger on your lips and say "shhhhh." You also learned how to say "GuhGaw." When you see me putting lotion on, you hold your hands out for some, too, and rub it in yourself. When it's time for you to nap or go to bed at night and we lie down together, you like to clasp both of my hands in yours and cuddle up against me--and snuggling with you like that is one of the best parts of my day.

Love,
Mom

Photo Fail

Dear Sawyer,

I have never taken any of my kids to the mall to have their photo taken with Santa. I will wait in lines for rides at a carnival or a table at a good restaurant, but I will not wait in a line next to Cinnabon with tons of tired/angry/stressed families to plop my babies down on a strange man's lap, watch them play with his probably super germy beard and pay $20+ for a single picture. Nope, that is one photo you guys will not have in your photo albums.

But then we went to your hair salon today for your haircuts and there was a real live Santa in the store, waiting for kids to take their picture with him. And so you did. Well, GuhGaw and JieJie did. You were so terrified of the tall man in the big red suit (as well as his even taller snowman companion) that when I tried to place you near him, you burst into tears and ran away toward the doors. And JieJie was so shy that she refused to smile or even look at the camera. So my kids' first (and possibly last) photo with Santa was not so picture-perfect:

Hahaha! Merry almost-Christmas!

Love,
Mom

Full Belly

Dear Sawyer,

Man, have you been cute these past few days! On Thursday morning, you were sleeping next to me in my bed (as you are every morning, sigh) and when you woke up, you kissed me lightly on the mouth. Yesterday, we went out to dinner after your checkup (stats: 32.5 in., 22 lbs. 5 oz.) and when the waitress knelt down and asked you how your dinner was, you instantly looked down and stared at your feet because you are so shy.

Tonight, we went over to my friend's house for a hot pot dinner and you didn't. Stop. Eating! The other kids ate for maybe 10 minutes and then ran off to play together but you stayed at the dinner table for almost 2 hours eating noodles and fish balls and beef and pork and more fish balls and veggies and more fish balls (you reeeeeally liked the fish balls) and then strawberries and pineapple and cookies. You seemed to want more even after dessert but Daddy and I had to cut you off for fear of your stomach exploding. Aunt Yuan put it best when she said, "Yikes, I wouldn't want to be the one who changes Sawyer's diaper tomorrow." Yikes, indeed.

Love,
Mom

Love Hurts

Dear Sawyer,

Today, you purposely dropped a toy car on my foot just so you could hug and console me. Um, thanks, but no thanks?

Love,
Mom

18-Month Update

Dear Sawyer,

Happy year-and-a-half birthday! The months are flying by and you are doing so many new things every time I turn around.

Words you now say: buh-buh (bird), whooooa

Sounds you now make: growls a la Cookie Monster

Commands you now give me: you tap your high chair tray when you see me with food and want me to put it on the tray

Vain moments you have had: you were crying one night after I took you out of your bath (you hate getting out) but stopped when you became captivated by the reflection of yourself in your hooded bath towel in the bathroom mirror (I'll admit, though, you do look pretty darn cute in your hooded towel!)

Other things you do now:

-run over really fast and give me a hug when I come into the room (I love it every time!)
-bite me playfully (playful or not, though, sometimes it hurts!)
-lay on your belly and flip through books for long stretches
-sit on your toy drum and look at books
-push your drum to the window and stand on it to look outside
-tap your crotch and butt when you poop
-scribble with markers and crayons
-behave so well during long, 9-hour car trips (we went to Pittsburgh for Thanksgiving) because you are so transfixed by cars and trucks, you entertain yourself by just watching all of the vehicles on the road
-insist on putting your books and toys back on your toy shelf before we leave the house, even if I tell you it's okay to leave them!
-automatically expect food when we visit JieJie's preschool classroom; at her class's apple party last month, you immediately walked over to the table, sat down and patiently waited for the food to be passed out as soon as the presentation was over--before any of the other kids even did it!

Happy 18-month birthday, sweetie!

Love,
Mom