Welcome to 2011, Lia!

Dear lilla,

Oh my. The word of the month is teeth. You got your first tooth! Let's just say you're not too pleased about it. You used to love clenching your teeth, breathing through your cheeks like the Godfather. Now you're not sure what to do with one nuisance in your mouth and another on the way.





Teething certainly has brought out your aggressive side. At one point you grabbed a stuffy and started growling and attacking it like you just might tear off its head if you could. Your nursing has become a bit panicky, and I can only suppose teeth are the reason. Again, not a new fan of the new intruders, methinks.





You enjoy standing up most of all, but aren't a huge fan of the falling part. Your balance was getting great until you learned you could lean forward and I'd catch you. Now it's your favorite game and you refuse to stand anymore. You have an unbelievable grip that you use to pry off my nose and grab at my neck and hair. On the other hand, when Bella tries to grab your hands, they flail about so much that it's impossible to hold on! And boy, what a mean karate chop you have (accompanied, of course by the appropriate sound effects).





You're working on your babbling in all your spare time and got stuck on mama for a whole week- what's not to love about that? Still, my favorite thing this month is your sleepy wake ups. After a nap you're all heavy and squishy and just relax your weight right into my shoulder. Normally you flail all over while I carry you and this soft weight is so cozy.



What can I say? That's the stuff of motherhood. Days and days of upset tummies, long nights, biting and screaming all melts away with one little head snuggle. You make it easy to love you (and I do).



Love, mama

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bounce

every night bella asks me to set lia's potty in the doorway so bella can jump on the bed and make lia laugh. who could resist?

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Lunchtime

I took a delicious nap today. While I was sleeping Bella held down the fort and made sure everyone was well fed.

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The tooth

And nothing but the tooth.

Aw, I love how it looks like a self portrait. Just a few days later and it's already grown in more!

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Year end

Dear Bella,

I have been very negligent about writing to you girls this season. Since Daddy works seven days a a week now with no days off, it's all I can do to keep up with you and my business and personal thoughts. I have yet to recover from the Great Editing Crash of 2010. It took me months to edit all those photos since Lillia was born, and I don't have the heart to start over.

You and Lia are starting to play together a bit more. Sometimes you will laugh hysterically for a half an hour just because Lillia loves it so much. You are very doting and will pile toys on Lia's lap up to her chest, just to be sure she is content. Of course, that is not to say that we haven't had a few mishaps, such as when Lia fell over because your boot hit Lia's head... while it was on your foot. Hm. However could that happen? Good thing you told me about it. What a mean boot.

We're about to get into trouble with door locks, too. So far I have been able to appeal to your independent side with, Open this door or mommy will do it. Alas, I tried one day and realized the doors will not unlock. Time to get new knobs, I think, before you get wiser. (May I just say, a month later in hind-sight, you wizened up that same day. We had to remove all the knobs from the doors until Grandpa made us a key...)

Bella, what can I say about you. It has been a really rough month for sleep. I'm sure I will never understand what is so defeating to you about falling asleep. I'm sure the trip to Oregon (and the ensuing cold) did not help, but we had so much fun. We sing lullabies at bedtime, and you now request your favorite verses. You like the twinklesky song, the achyricefishisnice song, and the appsybetsy spider. You also astounded us by running through the entire ABCs one day.

You have had so many miniature grown up moments this month. You say whatever and sigh and roll your eyes at me. No clue where you might have gotten that from. The one I hope to never forget was the train incident when (in a Voodoo Doughnut sugar high frenzy) you spilled my entire water bottle on our table and then stood up on your seat in the quiet car and shouted with delight, "Oh shit! It's raining!"

There are so many little things I wish I recorded that escape me when I sit down to write. It has been an immense change to have you every single day without a break, and I will confess I have had a short temper lately. I find that my attitude ripples and the shorter I am, the more unmanageable you become. When I get in over my head, you come to me with kisses and ask, That better? Mommy's happy now. After that, I always am.

I'm trying to be the bigger person, I promise. I have never been a peaceful person and to start learning as a parent is a challenge. You are my favorite crash course in personal growth and I'd never want it any other way. :O)

Love, mama

P.S. 6 gazillion pictures and not one of us together because you refuse to admit you like me, especially in front of the camera. (Except in those sweet moments when you tiptoe quietly up to me and say, Mama, I love you somuch. You know all the right words.)

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