The Circle of Life

Dear Eleanor,

Yesterday was a sad day.  We had to say goodbye to your great-great Aunt Connie.  She was a wonderful lady, and although you only met her once, I know she loved you and your brother bunches and bunches.  I took you with me to the funeral because we are a package-deal.  You were a very good girl, and more importantly, I think you made everyone feel a little bit better with your bright eyes and wide smiles. 

Love,

Mommy

Naughty?

Dear Eleanor,

Your brother absolutely adores you.  We've been so lucky that he hasn't had any jealousy issues since you've arrived and generally thinks you're the bees knees.  I do not, however, think he would take kindly to you ruining his Christmas, which is what is sure to happen if you do not go to bed.  Santa does not go to the homes of little boys and girls who do not go to sleep.  Do you really want your brother to have a bad Christmas simply because you refuse to close your eyes for a few consecutive hours?  I'm not sure he could forgive you if you keep Santa from coming.  Christmas ball's in your court.

Love,

Mommy

Dream Job

Dear Isaac,

You're welcome to pursue any path you choose when you grow up and look for a job.  Your naked yoga moves would probably serve you well in many careers, but you might be best to keep them in the shower.

Love,

Mommy

Grammar Master

Dear Isaac,

I can't believe how advanced your use of the English language is.  First, you know that "great" and "big" can be synonyms.  You also have a handle on oxymorons.  How do I know this?  Well, you call Great-Grandma Yo "Big Grandma" which, anyone who has met her knows, is a huge oxymoron.

Love,

Mommy

Mr. Manners

Dear Isaac,

You have great manners and say "please, thank you, excuse me, and bless you" all the time.  I'm not sure you realize this, but Eleanor does not have great manners because she can't talk.  Due to this small inconvenience, please try not to get upset when Eleanor does not say, "Thank you" after you say "Bless you" to her.  It was nice how you reminded her she should say that, she just doesn't know how yet.

Thank you.

Love,

Mommy

If You Ignore Her, She Won't Go Away

Dear Isaac,

Thanks for running into my room while I was getting ready this morning to let me know that Eleanor was crying in the living room.  I'm glad you tried to problem-solve so she would stop crying, but unfortunately, just closing the door so you can't hear her crying doesn't mean she's happy.

Love,

Mommy

Squeaky Clean

Dear Isaac,

I couldn't quite understand why you were crying in the shower.  Good thing you came out and told me when you were finished.  The shower was too wet.  Makes total sense.  We'll work on that for next time.

Love,

Mommy

I Might Have to Start Using Your Full Name...

Dear Eleanor (Jeanne),

It is 10:45PM.  You don't nap well.  You may not stay up this late.  I don't care what you want to watch on TV.  It is way past your bedtime.  GO TO SLEEP.

Love,

Mommy

Something About an Apple and a Tree?

Dear Isaac,

Most people don't realize this about me, but I can be pretty sarcastic.  I'm sure that is a huge shock to anyone who's reading this right now.  In teaching, I often have to be very careful to tone down the sarcasm because I have often been told that teenagers don't understand it.  You, apparently, are wise beyond your years.  While helping me this afternoon, you turned and looked at me, and said, "You're welcome, Mommy" in a pretty sarcastic tone, before giving me the chance to say thank you.  I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 

Love,

Mommy

Careers

Dear Isaac,

While people may have many jobs and careers during the course of their lives, most don't change them on a daily basis. So in response to your question today, "Daddy is a teacher again?", indeed he is.

Love,

Mommy

PS - But don't worry, he's not the circle time teacher.  That's all you.

Eat It

Dear Isaac,

It's pretty much understood that people eat food with their mouths.  Thanks for reminding us, by always telling us that you "eat _____________ in Isaac's mouth".

Love,

Mommy

Excuses

Dear Isaac,

At 7 o'clock every night, you get ready for bed by brushing your teeth and reading a story.  By then you have taken a shower, used your nebulizer and watched a show, so there are few excuses as to why you can't go to sleep.  You tried a new one tonight, though.  When Daddy told you it was time to get ready for bed, you replied, "I'm busy with Eleanor, Daddy."  You then told me too, for good measure.  Even your baby sister can't keep you from having to go to bed.  Nice try.

Love,

Mommy

Milestones

Dear Eleanor,

You are 4 months old today.  You have been doing a lot of neat new tricks recently like rolling and laughing, but perhaps the best trick is the one you did for the very first time tonight.  You slept through dinner.  For the first time in 4 months, I got to sit at the table for the entire meal and I didn't even have to inhale my food.  I told you four months is my first favorite baby age!

Love,

Mommy

Home Schooling

Dear Isaac,

I'm glad you love school and want to share with us what you do everyday.  Dinner time, however, is not circle time, and we're going to sit at the table and eat our food, even if you are the "circle time teacher".

Love,

Mommy

Found You!

Dear Isaac,

It's so hard to find you are when you yell, "Isaac's hiding!" from under the comforter.

Love,

Mommy

Roll-y Poly

Dear Eleanor,

You are two days shy of four months old and you rolled over (back to front) for the first time today!  Good thing I don't believe in comparing kids, because I have no idea when Isaac rolled over.  Should have started the blog earlier, I guess!  I missed it because I was at work, but Daddy sent me a picture.  It looked like you had passed out, so I was glad to hear you had rolled instead.

I'm so glad you're almost 4 months-old.  That's my first favorite baby age.  I say first, because I like each of the ones that come after it exponentially better.  Four month-olds have little (or big) personalities, and yours is smiley and chatty.

Can't wait to see your next trick. 

Love,

Mommy

Chipmunk?

Dear Isaac,

You often wander around while eating a snack and I have to wonder if I'll find food in strange places.  Whenever I ask you where your food went, you respond, "in my mouth".  After hearing this response several times this week, I'm wondering why your cheeks haven't grown exponentially.  I guess you know where it ends up eventually because you just told me that "ching (string) cheese yummy in tummy".

Don't forget to chew and swallow.

Love,

Mommy

Roommates

Dear Eleanor,

This morning, when Isaac referred to the room you will soon share with him as "Isaac's room," I corrected him and told him it was Isaac AND Eleanor's room and that you would start sleeping in your crib soon.  Isaac thanked me and told me that was "really cool, Mommy."  Please help me to remind him of this when you actually move in and take over his world.

Thanks.

Love,

Mommy

Mmm, Mmm...Gross

Dear Isaac,

That smell that you thought was good and dinner cooking last night when we walked into the basement of our building was urine.  Guess I need to work on my cooking skills if you can confuse the two.

Love,

Mommy