Eighteen Months!

My Little Baby Bowen,

Happy half-birthday! A year and a half already, my love! Now that you're fully immersed in todderhood, life with you keeps getting more and more interesting and funny. You make me laugh and take joy in doing so, and you keep growing into this magnificent little girl. 

Your comprehension is incredible and we're both in awe of how just a blink ago you were a teeny little helpless thing and suddenly you understand absolutely everything we say. We ask you to get a book in your room and you love bringing over dozens, you go to your high chair, you go up and down stairs in the yard, you go investigate when your brother is missing. Everything we say, you understand perfectly. On the converse, everything we tell you NOT to do, you understand also! When we tell you not to put a piece of honeyed toast into your hair, or tell you not to climb onto the table, you're fully aware of what mommy and daddy have said. However, a big part of life right now seems to be to test these boundaries and rules, and you seem to be slowly but surely getting it. This month you've been trying so hard to talk and communicate with us, and I know it's really coming soon. 

Your favourite words this month are certainly "hi" and "dada." When we took you on a walk earlier this week you made a point of saying "hi" to every house we passed, and when you're walking around on your own you love when your hi's are reciprocated by everyone you greet. As usual, you've been absolutely obsessed with your dad, and ask for him from the moment you get up until the moment you go to sleep. Luckily he's been off work a lot lately, so you've been spending a lot of time in the yard with him, helping make our lovely planters. You're so fun to have outside with us while we work, and seeing you entertain yourself is amazing. You like walking up and down the path, climbing and descending the stairs, and every so often sitting in the grass. When you get a chance to walk the back lane, you run with delight picking up little rock treasures and greeting all the neighbouring houses. 

The most major milestone to happen this month, little one, is that you've started to sleep through the night! You'd been sleeping in your own bed for a while already, but getting up a few hours in to switch over to our bed. One night out of the blue, I woke up past five and couldn't believe that you weren't in bed with us! I went to check for you, and sure enough, you were sleeping soundly in your own bed. It's incredible that after almost a year and a half of sleeping in the same bed and waking up at all hours of the night, suddenly you're here going to bed and not waking up until the morning! Granted, your naps are shorter but this big stretch of sleep is making us all so much happier and more rested lately! You still curl up against me while you fall asleep, and you like to stroke my arm as you do so. You're the kindest and gentlest little thing, my baby monkey and we absolutely adore you. 

Everything changes so fast, baby Bowen. I savour every day and every moment, because all too soon they're gone. It sounds cliche, but these days I want to press a "pause" button on every moment. Every day you're growing and changing and learning new things. Today I took you on a walk, which was just that... you actually WALKING around our neighbourhood alongside your brother and I. It seems like such a little thing, but these milestones are adding up and here you are, becoming a whole little person. I'm filled with joy and pride at how you're growing and learning, but I'm also looking backwards a little bit at the teeny baby you were not so long ago. It goes to fast, my little one, and I'm not wasting a single second of it. A year and a half ago we were all together in the hospital, with you sleeping and me wide awake, high on the endorphins of giving birth and having you here to complete our family. Every day with you has been an adventure and a pleasure and I wouldn't change it for the world.

Happy 18 months, Bowen Naomi! 

I love you forever,

-Your mom

Seventeen Months!

My darling baby Bowen,

Happy seventeen months! I continue to wonder with awe where are this time is going; like always, it's passing way too quickly. This month you've continued to make us laugh and beam with pride at the amazing little girl you've become.

Your biggest milestone this month by far has been walking! Walking, little baby! At first you were quite reluctant to let go of that final finger of assistance, but once you finally did, there was no going back. Now you walk all over the place, with your face absolutely lit up with pride. You look so happy to be taking these wondrous first steps, and we're always right there with you, cheering you on. You couldn't even crawl a year ago, Bowen, and now you're toddling around all over the place! It's amazing!

The other very significant milestone this month is that your mommy and daddy went on vacation alone for the first time since your arrival. Your dad has had many nights away from you already due to work, but for me, it was an incredibly big deal. We told you that you'd be gone for a few days and prepared everything for our absence. Your doting aunt and uncle came to stay with you, and you took immediately to them. Nothing could prepare me from being away from you, little monkey. I knew for a long time that it was coming, but the second day of being gone I just missed you with all of my heart. For your entire life, we'd never had a day apart and I was still waking up in the night to put in your soother. You, on the other hand, did great! You loved all the new and exciting people at home and seemed to truly enjoy your time with your family. You behaved very well, and continued eating and sleeping as normal. I'm so proud of you, baby Bowen! This was your first time without mom for a few days, and truly, you thrived. We were all thrilled when we finally reunited! It was lovely for your dad and I to spend some time together alone, but we also realized what a family we've become. Sometimes going somewhere all together is more difficult and complicated, but we don't want it any other way.

There were a few others milestones in this exciting month as well. Your comprehension is developing quickly. Now I ask you if you're tired, and if that is the case you lay your head down to show me that you're indeed tired. When I ask you to put your toys away you comply happily, and you make your desires clear by shaking or nodding your head in response. Also, suddenly you started using your sign language after many months of neither of us practicing! You sign "more, "all done," "milk," and your absolute favourite: "soother." You sign towards your mouth for soother, which was originally taught as "food," and you've modified it. Speaking of the soother: this month you've become absolutely obsessed with it! I've been trying to limit it only to sleeping, car, and walks, but also sometimes hesitate to take away your little comfort item quite yet. We'll start thinking about the subject once we hit the big year and a half. For now, I want you to have what makes you happy and comfortable. Last but not least, this month you've started sleeping in your own bed! It was a bit of an adjustment for us all, and you're still crawling over to our bed in the middle of the night. But you happily walk over to your own bed when it's bedtime and it's even getting easier to put you into bed. You're really growing up, little one.

Little Bowen, we truly could not love you more. I love our life with you, and wouldn't change it for the world. Keep changing and growing and laughing. You've been called "stubborn" or "determined," but it's your personality that makes you you. You know what you want, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to get it. We love your smiles, your constant giggles, and how when you see a few people around you having a laugh, you're quick to join it. You're a bright little thing, and you make our family complete.

Happy seventeen months, Bowen Naomi!

I love you forever,

-Your mom

Sixteen Months!

Dear Bowen Naomi,

Happy sixteen months! These days it's becoming more and more apparent that you are indeed a toddler and not a baby, and finally I seem to becoming accustomed to it. You amaze us every day with what you can do and understand, and truly you're a pleasure to be around.

We've had a lot of little milestones this month, my monkey. I must admit that for a very long time I've been quite worried about your lack of clapping. Clapping is an eight-month milestone, after all. I would admit it in hushed tones to those who would listen how I'm quite worried about your lack of clapping and got advice from very experienced moms about the subject. Actually, they didn't give me any advice - they just laughed at me because I was worrying about it in the first place. But just a few weeks ago, my love, you were sitting on the couch and suddenly you looked at me and clapped! It was timid at first, but with encouragement you kept going and even do it on command these days! It's important to remember: you're going to do things on your schedule and when you feel like it. And for now, baby, that's perfectly fine.

We just ended our third term of music class and will take a break though the summer and until September. This time around you didn't enjoy it nearly as much, prefering instead to be free to wander the rec centre at your leisure. You've been attending child minding for an hour a week, and there you really seem to thrive. That little hour per week is both of our special time - the only time we're really away from each other! I love walking by (so slyly, of course) and seeing how you're there doing activities all on your own. The teachers love having you there and always gush about what a lovely child you are. Last week when I went in to get you, you were sitting quitley in a chair eating a cookie. The teacher said that you'd been motioning towards the cookies, and she said to you, "If you go sit down, you can have a cookie." And off you went to sit down! You amaze me with how much you understand these days! Another big activity this month has been hiking. We got you a backpack where you ride up high on (usually) dad's shoulders. You've been loving seeing the beautiful North Shore trails and squeal with delight when we see another dog or a waterfall. Even on the days you're tired, we know that a good hike around the beauty that is our back yard is bound to make you happy.

These past few weeks your personality has continued to emerge, and you're just the absolute cutest thing ever. You love blowing kisses to people (at first I thought it was just to us at home, but even when we see goodbye to a cashier at a grocery store you blow kisses!), and also delight in singing songs. Every time we have music on, which is often, you bob along to the tune and quite often make up your own words to the tune of the song. You've been spending countless hours running around behind your wheely bug, climbing onto the couch, and trying to get a rise out of your brother. Your favourite words this month are "hi" "bye, "up," and "hug." When you're tired I ask if you want to "rest your head" and you immediately stop what you're doing and put your head to the floor.

This month we've been working a lot on walking. You're happy to cruise along, leaning against a wall, or a table, or a walking-toy. Lately you've become more comfortable holding on to just mommy or daddy's finger and leading us the entire house. Even at the mall or on the street, you much prefer walking while you're holding my hand than being held or going in your stroller. I know that you're fully able to do it, but as is your nature, you are taking your time and will do it on your own only when you've decided that YOU actually want to! And as for me, I like holding your hand as you walk, and am not keen at all to wish away this time.

You're a very "cautious" baby, my love. When you're set down into a new situation, you just take a few minutes to look around, acclimatize yourself, figure out the lay of the land, and only then dive in and proceed with partaking in the activities. In this, you remind me of me. The other day I had spilled many drops of water on the floor as I was frantically cooking dinner and you hurriedly grabbed the dish towel off the stove and proceeded to wipe it all up with a little sigh. In that you remind me of your father! In fact, even when you're finished taking a bath these days you proceed to put all your toys back into their proper buckets. It's so funny and wild to see little pieces of us shining through you.

This month you've been enjoying eating as a family. We've had two students for the past few months, and you make sure to develop a nice relationship with each one of them. You know when family dinner time is, and relish your little spot at the end of the table. Lately you've also started to enjoy sitting at the table like a big girl, and love it when the students share their breakfast with you. Your favourite food this month is turkey; no one could believe how much turkey you managed to devour. Not only that, but you were incredibly keen on the casseroles and soups that were leftovers. Altogether you're becoming a great eater, and really enjoy a wide variety of foods. Still, you manage to remain tall and lean, weighing in at under 21 pounds.

You're the light of our lives, Bowen, and we love watching you grow. You make me proud every single day, and sometimes I look at you and wonder how I got so lucky. I always remind myself to enjoy every second, for it passes way too fast, but then I realize that I so, so am.

Happy sixteen months, Bowen!

I love you forever,

-Your mom

Fifteen Months!

My little Baby Bowen,

Fifteen months already! I know I say this often, but time with you is just flying by. This month you've continued to flourish and our days with you are just getting more and more fun.

A couple of times during the past month your father has just looked at you and said, "I can't believe she's actually getting cuter..." Your personality these days is very much in full force. You're asserting your independence, and along with that comes a lot of shrieking! You really like to be left to do what you're doing uninterrupted, because anything that stands in your way gets shrieked at. And these tasks that you're so busily accomplishing? They range from climbing onto the table, to climbing onto the toilet, to climbing onto the couch, to basically, climbing onto every surface available. As usual, your absolute favourite activity is climbing! We try to make surfaces as safe as possible for you (except for the toilet; that one's absolutely off limits!) and the pride you beam with upon conquering your climbing quests is fantastic.

In terms of your cuteness, the most remarkable thing this month is your hair. In the span of a short month, you've suddenly got a full head of bouncy blonde curls. Everyone that hasn't seen you in a few weeks remarks on how long your hair has gotten! It seems like when you go to sleep, you focus a lot of energy on hair-growing! It's starting to get into your eyes a lot, but your dad insists that we should let it grow until at least the summer. You're still long and lean, but after the doctor's advice of encouraging you to eat more full fat cheeses and yogurts, you've definitely got a cute little tummy started!

We were at the grocery store last night, busily inspecting the apples while you sat patiently in the cart. A woman came up to me to say that she'd blown you a kiss and you blew one back! She interacted with you for a bit and then looked at me in the most sincere way and said, "You are so lucky." And all that was in my head and heart to reply was, "I know." I really truly know how lucky I am to have you for my daughter and there's not a day in which I take that for granted.

There are times when I look at you these days, my baby, and try really hard to take a picture of that very moment in my mind. I want time to stop, because so often I'm thinking, "This. It doesn't get better than this moment with you now." But then another moment happens and that's better yet. I'm trying so hard to not forget these amazing little moments with you, because all too soon you change and grow and it's time for another amazing moment. I still remember so clearly you being brand new and stopping to truly relish smelling your little baby-smelling head and thinking that it just doesn't get better. Well, Monkey, it does! And your head smells just as sweet.


My baby, you're sweet, and funny, and precious and no matter what's going on, you manage to bring a smile to our faces. I love how happy and social you are lately, and how your favourite word is now "up." Constantly you want "up;" on the couch, in my arms, just "up!" always. You're careening around the house with your walker, and with the wheely bug you have. You seem really ready to take off and walk, but you're still enjoying being supported by something or even holding my hand and walking around the house. I can't say that I'm altogether looking forward to the day when you won't need to hold my hand for walking anymore. You're doing great, Monkey!

Happy fifteen months, Baby Bowen!

I love you forever,

-Your mom

Fourteen Months!

Hi Rabbit,

I told myself that once you turned one, I'd stop writing you these monthly letters. We'd been through so much together; what with growing you in my tummy for nine months plus the whole year you'd been on the outside. For some reason I thought that in that time of writing to you I'd imparted all the lessons I had and told you all I had to say. Hardly! My little baby, you continue to not only consume my thoughts but also my days. Until that's no longer the case, I don't see any alternative but to continue writing to you monthly. Why did I think that a yearly letter world be sufficient after your 12 month birthday? You still grow and change so quickly and to neglect documenting that would be a shame. So, we'll forever have a missing Month 13, but I'll do my best to recap two months into one.

Shortly after you turned a year old, monkey, you had your first real sickness. I'd been pretty proud of keeping you ailment-free for your first year, but after a couple of days of extreme irritability, a runny nose, and eventually some throwing up, I knew something was really going on. I took you to a walk-in clinic, and after a quick look it was determined that you had a full-blown ear infection. I felt so horribly; obviously you'd been dealing with this for a few days prior and acting all tough and stoic. We went through your first round of antibiotics and you handled it all like a trooper. It was so scary to have you feeling badly, my baby. I can see, however, that when it comes to illnesses you're tough and strong, but you let me do my part in taking care of you.

In your thirteenth month you continue to be long and thin. After your 12 month vaccinations, which obviously hurt you a lot, but again you were quite tough and recovered very quickly, the doctor said that you were getting taller but not gaining much in the way of weight. You're a pretty good eater, but gravitate heavily towards fruits and veggies. Your doctor recomended that you move onto higher-fat things, so cheese and full-fat yogurts have been staples for you these days. You're becoming more adventuresome with your eating also; lately loving chili with lots of beans, stews, turkey, soups, and anything that you can hold yourself. Your pincer grip is outstanding and you're even getting curious about spoon feeding yourself!

The holiday season as a one year old was very exciting, baby Bowen! We decorated the house, and you loved being held up to inspect each shiny pretty thing on the mantle. We got our first real tree set up one night, and when you did your crawl-run out of the bedroom that next morning, the wideness with which you opened your eyes was priceless! You were absolutely riveted with the tree, and were even allowed to play with a few ornaments. Once you learned about the deliciousness of candy canes, however, it had to be fenced off. You got your picture taken with Santa not once, but three times this year! One time was with the whole family, including your brother Sandwiches, and the other two times were just for you. I have to say, you're not the biggest fan of sitting on Santa's lap! You were very keen on looking and smiling at him from afar, but once the time came to actually sit with him and be photographed, you just wouldn't have it! At least we've got some hilarious pictures to laugh at for years to come! You also got to ride on the Christmas Train in Stanley Park this year, as well as watch the Santa Parade! What a fun Christmas season, little baby! We spent Christmas eve with your grandparents and family, and you absolutely loved the feast before you. Not only that, but you finished it all off with a nanaimo bar. The next morning you woke up to your plethora of presents, and stocking. It was so wonderful to have our little family of four together. We helped you a bit with the opening, since you'd be so keen on looking at one gift and didn't want to move onto the next. We also rang the new year in together as a family, going to bed at the extremely moderate hour of eleven! When the clock stuck twelve, I woke up both you and your dad and we all shared a hug. It was the best new years because we were all together.

Another not-so-happy thing that happened in your 13th month was an overnight stay in the hospital. Since you've been getting so mobile and curious, I've really had to step up my enforcement of the "no standing on the change table!" rule. However, one morning you slid past me and had a bit of a fall from the change table onto the floor. I somewhat broke your fall, and after a lot of crying you seemed to be okay. We went about our day, but later on that evening you started vomiting everything you ate. I knew that there was something very wrong, so off we went to the emergency room. You continued throwing up as we were being admitted, and after some observation the doctors concluded that it probably wasn't a head injury, but rather just a common stomach flu. They did, however, want to keep us overnight to make sure everything was okay. We went up to a room on the floor where we were born, and I have to say that your mom was more frightened and upset than ever. Seeing you throwing up time and time again in a hospital bed was an awful sight that I soon won't forget. Not long after we settled in our room, I started throwing up too! This was a happy occurrence, as it confirmed that you didn't have an injury related to the fall, but instead merely a flu. We spent 24 hours together in that hospital bed and as horrible as it all was, we survived! It's scary when you're sick, monkey, and the return of your happy, normal self a few days later was so welcomed.

It's been quite an eventful couple of months, my baby! Lately your absolute favourite activity is climbing things. You're obsessed with climbing onto the kitchen table, no matter how many obstacles I put in your way. You also like pointing things out to me, like bananas or your dog, Wichies. This semester you're returning to Music Together, where you've become quite independent. You actually love to sit on the other side of the circle as me and groove along to the music! We're also enrolled in a tumbling class, which with your keenness on climbing is right up your alley! Today, on your fourteen month birthday we went on an interview for the daycare at the West Vancouver Community Centre. Usually it takes a few visits for toddlers to warm up to being left in a new environment, but you just jumped right in. You got right down to business, checking out all the other kids and the plethora of toys for you to explore. I actually left for half an hour, which is sort of unheard of for the first visit, and you were absolutely fine! The teacher said you were a very self-confident and secure young lady. Amazing, baby! It was bittersweet how you absolutely fine without mommy, but on the other hand I'm so incredibly proud of you. You're an amazing baby and turning into an even more incredible toddler.

Your favourite activities this month are: dancing along to music, climbing everything you possibly can, hugging Sandwiches, screeching, cruising along furniture, and doing a hilarious fast-crawl thing, which gets you around the house in an incredibly quick stompy way. You've grown another four teeth, brining your grand total up to ten. You love baths and throwing all your toys out of the tub. You smile and laugh often, and you're truly an amazing little thing. You continue to be the joy of my days, little baby, and I'm so lucky to get to spend my time with you.

Happy fourteen months, Bowen Naomi!

I love you forever,

-Your mom

ONE YEAR.

My little baby Bowen,

I cannot believe this day has come. One year ago a little piece of my heart left my body and changed our lives in every way imaginable. In this past year you've made me see how days can be so, so long, yet time itself is short. Just a year ago I gave birth to you; your dad and I leaned into each other and cried with joy as you entered this world. Today, you're here. A whole, beautiful, amazing little toddling being - climbing up stairs, saying "app-le!" and smiling at me every time I make eye contact with you. Sometimes after a hard day I just open my arms to you and you squeal and jump into them. You've made my life, little baby. You're the joy in every day, and for that I'm thankful.

I've been writing you monthly notes, little baby, and this month it was all just too much to capture. You've been called a "prodigy" at your music class; you went to a pumpkin patch for the first time; you love looking at books and climbing stairs; you capture the eyes and heart of everyone you see. Your hair is growing curly and blonde, and you continue to be "tall and thin" - unlike either of your parents. When I last measured you, you were at 21.5 pounds, and while I haven't taken your height measurement, you seem to tower above other girls your age but are right at the same hight as the boys. You scream with delight when you see living creatures - sometimes dogs, sometimes birds, sometimes salmon - and they hold your captive attention. This month you hate (HATE!) having me change your diaper; every single time screaming and rolling ensues.

For some reason writing this makes me cry uncontrollably. Our mommy friends joke that for Halloween you should have been dressed as a baby (rather than as a monkey), just because I'm having such a hard time letting go. Such a short time ago you were struggling to hold your head up, and now here you are, with your own little personality, saying things, doing things, and being a real-live person. For some reason it brings me to tears - all at once I'm so proud and so humbled by what you're becoming. I'm so proud of you, my little baby.

Lets just take a little inventory here, baby monkey: you make your grand entrance into this world... tried to breast-feed, slept, opened your eyes, looked around, held up your head, smiled, focused your eyes, met Santa, cuddled, lay on your tummy, grew, clenched your little fists in a ball, began wearing clothes, did some tummy time, kicked your little legs, bounced on your jolly lumper, sat up, rolled over, ate food, moved into your forever home, grew teeth, grew hair, sang songs, read books, kept growing, learned to crawl, learned to say "Mama, Dada, Apple, Dog..." grew a personality, grew a preference to cucumbers and fruit, learned to laugh, started standing up and balancing on your legs, learned rhythm and tone, started scooting along on furniture, pulling out plugs, opening drawers...

Baby, you've really grown up. I look at the pictures of you recently emerged from the comfy little cradle of my womb and I look at you now, nearly three feet tall, and my head spins with just how amazing you are. I can't believe we've done all this in a year, Bowen.

Today, as we celebrate your very first birthday with our friends and family, your dad and I look at you with joy and pride. You're the most amazing things in our lives, baby Bowen, and there's not a day that passes in which we forget that.

Happy one year birthday, Bowen!

I love you forever, and ever and ever,

-Your mom

Eleven Months!

My little Baby Bowen,

Eleven months today! Happy birthday! It's really hard to believe that so much time has gone by already. These days I'm really stopping to cherish every fleeting moment of your remaining baby-dom because all too soon it'll be gone.

We're having a great fall so far, with all of our activities resuming. We're back to the library, stroller fit, and still meeting with our friends on fridays. We also started our second semester of "Music Together," and you seem to be getting so much more out of it! The first class you were singing along a bit and afterwards Katie, your new teacher, told us that you're "tuning in" perfectly and are right on key with the music! WOW, my little baby! Your tone and rhythm-deaf mother's heart just about exploded with pride! It's fantastic to see you enjoying our experiences and being more and more into music.

This month your charming personality has continued to emerge and blossom. There's been lots of giggling and laughing; you and the dog seem to share hillarious jokes that the rest of us just don't get! It's a lot easier to get laughs and smiles out of you these days and you seem just as keen to make others laugh as well. A new skill this month is your rapid head shaking to indicate "no." This little trick came on suddenly, and while you vigourously shake your head for "no," often, you seem to mean just "NO!" right at that very moment. A mere seconds later you're happily eating what you were so against before. You've been zooming around the house at a frantic pace, crawling around to see everything around you. You're excellent at pulling yourself up, inching along while holding onto furniture, and easing yourself down carefully and slowly. You love pulling things off surfaces and emptying the kitchen cupboards. Now that your little room is all set up, you've been spending some time alone in there, talking to your toys and pulling all your books off the shelves. Your newest trick is stair-climbing, which you now do very quickly and proficiently! When I miss you, I know I can just hold out my arms and you crawl-run right into them for a cuddle.

Another fun part of our month is that you spent more and more time with your family! You were lucky to have two grandmas and one grandpa and an aunt in town all at once! With everyone all spread out it's not often that you get to have so many people around, but when we do get it, I love seeing you play and interact with our loved ones. You stayed home and also went out a few times alone with your grandma Patty, and seeing you go off into the world and just be your own person independently of me is amazing. It makes me really proud to hear about you meeting new people and being the wonderful and pleasant person you are.

Well, my little baby monkey, I know these letters are all about you, but here's something about your mom this month: watching you grow and change so quickly is very bittersweet. I've been preparing for your one year birthday by making your photo album, scheduling us for a picture session, planning your first birthday party and it all makes me a little teary. One month from today you'll be one; no longer a baby but a toddler. I know this is a very exciting time but I'm still astounded at just how quickly the time has gone by. I've truly been relishing every single moment with you as you are now, because in the blink of an eye you're different. I love you so much as you are now and I want to hold onto that forever. But on the other hand, I'm thrilled and excited about the person you're becoming. Let's have a great last "baby" month together, my little Bowen!

Happy eleven months, sweetie baby!

I love you forever,

-Your mom