Letter to Baby

Baby Owen,

You're 16 months old and just coming in with a new trick - the temper tantrum.  And molars.  And they don't mix.  Let's start with the temper tantrum…

I found out you had been working on the art of the well known temper tantrum when I picked you up from school last week.  Luke had been picked up previously by M so it was just us.  When we got upstairs to leave and were walking out of the building into the parking lot I went to hold your hold and you promptly snatched it away.  I explained, best I could to a sixteen month old, that we hold hands in parking lots and went to grab your hand again.  And you snatched away.  I gave you one more opportunity to give me your hand and when you didn't comply I picked you up to carry you to the car.  And that's when the temper tantrum began.  As I picked you up, you threw yourself backwards, stuck your hips and stiffened up.  Screaming is what normally occurs, the sound out of your mouth sounded like you alerting authorities ten miles away.  While I tried to put you in your carseat you tried to throw yourself out.  I had to push down on your belly and fight the straps while you're fighting me.  Can you say stubborn?

And those molars.  If you can shove an object back into your mouth to relieve some of the pain, you're going to do it.  Luke's toothbrush?  Check.  Mommy's eye drops?  Check.  Add that with a sore throat and a round of antibiotics and call me wiped.  I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but you are a terrible teether.

You still love your usual foods, and we tried to give you crawfish last night but you wouldn't try it.  You typically will try new foods.  You do love the noodles from sausage and peppers and black eyed peas.  And you still love to feed Baxter.  It's a wonder he even eats his dog food anymore.

We've been iced in the last couple of days and cabin fever hasn't been too terrible.  You helped me glue on some cotton balls to make Santa's beard, you've helped me measure fabric and watch videos on how to sew on bias tape.  Ok, maybe cabin fever has set in.  I suggested to your father we take you and Luke outside, but he said it was so slick outside that he didn't think it would be enjoyable.  We didn't really get any snow, just a ton of sleet, so I agreed.  No sense in an unnecessary ER trip.

You can imitate animal sounds and call Baxter 'umph umph' which is really 'woof woof' but you won't take your passy out.  You are starting to say 'dada' a lot more and you said 'my ball' the other day several times.  We're working on saying 'luke' 'passy' and 'cup', but again, that passy is stuck in that mouth of yours which makes talking a little less important.

As you know, you love balls and have started tossing them in the air over and over and over again.  It keeps you entertained for a bit.  And you've started playing with cars and making little car sounds when you play.  And you and Luke will race them around the ottoman and have a blast.  I'm glad you two are really starting to play together.  But just like any siblings, it doesn't last long.  You pull Luke's hair or he  crashes his car into yours.  Someone always ends up in tears.

We're so in love with you, don't ever forget that.
Mom and Dad