16 Months

Dear Jack B'Hat,

I'm 34.

I know that's a weird way to start a letter to you because depending on how old you are when you read this determines how much it matters. In my mind you're on the computer after having tucked in your own dear ones, and you're about to write a letter to them detailing the events of the month. You've come here, curious about any comparisons between who you were at their age and who they are now, and you miss me. By then, technology will have advanced so much that the computer you're on won't be recognized by my generation as a computer. It will be foreign and vague and will be the sort of thing that causes much frustration to me and stifled giggles to you.

Anyway, I suppose the reason I mention my age is because I just had a birthday two days ago. So, you are 16 moths old and I'm 34. Time goosesteps on. I keep whispering in your ear, "That's big enough, ok. Stay my little one!" That said, I know it's good that you're growing up. I remind myself that this time is the best time and that will be true of each moment your whole life.

Here are some things that have happened this month:

1. You've begun to climb. It's not ok. You hike your leg up onto whatever piece of furniture - especially the rocking chair in your room - you're standing next to. If that piece of furniture has anything to grab onto, you can hoist yourself up.The reason this is difficult is that after you get on whatever you're climbing, you stand up. Sitting, apparently, is anathema to your morals so,by golly, YOU WILL STAND. And then cry because you can't get down.

2. You like football. You yell, "Go Tech!" or really, your version is "Yeah Yeah!!" You wave your fist in the air and cheer, "Yay!" You do this when you see a football field on the TV.

3. Your Maha (or Yaya or YaPaw or whatever the heck she's called. I call her Mom.) has taught you to hold bath toys in the air and yell, "Cannonball!" and then drop them. You learned very quickly and play "Cannonball!" with everything - the bath toys, other toys, food, my cell phone etc. Of course you don't really say, "cannonball", it sounds like "Lalalaaaaa!" But we all get what you're doing. Thanks for that game, Maha.. ;)4. You've begun to chatter. A lot. You chatter all the time and sometimes sing. It's the sweetest thing I've ever heard. It's particularly fun when your chatter sounds like cursing. Your dad and I look at each other and giggle, and then we renew our vows to stop cursing when it dawns on us that you might really be using words that we taught you. Shit!

5. New vocabulary word of the month: Teetee. You say this during diaper changes. To recap, you know Momma, Dada, Casey, rock, ball, and teetee. As Auntie Chrif-teen says, "You know who your parents are, the pet, a toy, and your penis. Yep. Pure boy." The other day, and this is an over share, you were patting my belly, as per the instructions of your father, and then patted lower and said, "teetee". Son, we have some things to talk about. Better yet, go ask your father.

6. I saw you jump in place on Friday. It's the first time I've seen you do that, and I think it scared you a little bit. This, especially with the knowledge that you are learning to climb, is so. freaking. scary to me. Please, may jumping scare you a little while longer, at least until I learn how to handle the climbing part. Please?
Jack, you are growing up to be such a sweet, wonderful, smart boy! I love you so much, baby. I'm glad to be your momma.

-Momma