Family Time 4 weeks: Dear Sweet M at 13 Months

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Dear Sweet Meseret--

It is quite hard to believe that we have been a family for 4 weeks already.  28 days.  Where has the time gone? Honestly, where?

When  you see the light of the camera, you ham it up.

Here is what we have discovered about you in the last 28 days:

You are so so curious.  

You explore everything.  Every.Little.and.Big.Thing.

"Hmmm, what have we here?"

You are persistent.

When you want something, you continue after it and make it quite clear what it is you want.  You often vocalize your wishes in the form of: a loud clearing of your throat, an ear-piercing scream, a fake cough, or, more recently, a cry that sounds so much like the "real cry," but is not accompanied by tears or any real need (such as food or sleep or water or a change).  And all of this stops so suddenly as soon as you get our attention.

Fake cough

You are determined.

When you fall down, or particularly when your Y-bike gets stuck, you show such determination to get back up every time, or to get your bike unstuck, turned around, or steered in the direction you are trying to go.  Just a week ago you would just cry or crawl away from it, but now you will persevere until you figure it out.

Laps and laps and laps

You fight going to sleep.

A few weeks ago it was taking you an average of two hours before you would allow yourself to go to sleep.  You would fight it with every ounce of energy you had in you.  It seemed like a sad and anxious time for you, Sweet M, that time before sleeping.  It was tugging at my heart in a big way.  We have been reading about sleep, and what sleep means to you and for you.  Mommy and Daddy have been in problem-solving mode each and every evening, trying to help you figure this out.  We have modified your bedtime routine many times. We now know-- after trial and error and trial and error-- that you do not want to go into your crib still awake.  No way, you will not have it.  Now that we know that, it now takes you less than an hour to fall asleep.  You will fall asleep in our arms and once you are deeply breathing, we will lay you down.  This makes perfect sense, really, considering what must be going through your mind.  Although, just by typing that, I am inclined to believe it might change in one direction or another. Let's hope we have found our groove.

Contact

White noise rocks!

We have learned that a looping white noise track on the iPod helps Mommy and Daddy to continue with normal daily activities once you are asleep: walking up and down our creaky stairs, sitting out by the fire pit which is just outside your window, vacuuming, having a normal conversation, having company over, having two nieces over for a sleepover (yikes), or maybe even watching something on the big screen w/ surround sound and not waking you up. We are learning.

At long last

You wake up in the middle of the night delirious but full of energy.

Daddy says sleeping in a bed with you "is like sleeping in a mosh pit."  I laughed at that at first, because I have never been in a mosh pit.  But now I think I know what it might be like.  Thankfully, we take turns each night.  With a double bed in your room, one of us can hang out in the mosh pit with you while the other one of us can continue sleeping in our room.

You like music to be playing pretty much all the time.

When there is no music, you find a way to communicate to us your wishes. That is fine by us, because we prefer music to be on, too.  When there is music on, you prefer a beat.  Your head tells all.  You nod your head to the beat, sometimes like a full throttle head-bang.  You rock your body side to side, you clap, you scream, you play drums on the table (or on the drums), you raise your hands in the air.  A regular dance party breaks out when we play old school hip hop.  We love it.

Lunch Dance Party

You and Daddy rockin' to the beat 

We have not found a food you do not like (yet ?)

You eat what we eat. This is great. Enough said.

You like Berbere!

...on scrambled eggs, in your quinoa and sweet potato, in Daddy's homemade chili, in your oatmeal, and geez, even on your toast.

You understand what certain imperatives mean (when you want to).

When we say "Meseret, nei," you know that means "Meseret, come here."

When we say "Aye," you know that means "No."

You know "Gobez!" quite well, usually accompanied by some claps and a "Yaaaaay!"

Note- Just because you know this does not mean you always do as we say.

You wake up happy in the morning.

You let us know when you are awake.  Then we get you up, we get you a fresh change of attire, and then you like to chill for awhile, giving Mommy or Daddy time to cuddle with you.  You are so playful at this time, but in a gentle, snuggly way.  I particularly love this time of day.

You are full of facial expressions and gestures  (and attitude).

Each day --each moment really-- brings something new, something funny, something adorable, something sweet.  I love learning new things about you: you dramatically blow kisses, you give full-mouth-open kisses, and this past week you have started saying "hi" with your fist, sometimes this is in the form of a double-fisted wave.  You also have this one really funny expression you do. It is full of attitude, w/ an upward nod of your head.  I think you do it just to see our reaction. You have so many sounds that go with each expression.  You are quite an orchestra, you are.

"STOP.  Like you never wore neon green underwear before.  I like them w/ my pink dress!"

Thrilled over a toy that Myah gave you
Our neighbors heard screaming and wondered if everything was ok

You love to be outside.

A calm comes over you when we go for a walk down the street, and especially when we take you around the yard so you can touch all the different leaves.  You also like the wind chimes hanging in the trees.  Oh!  And when you catch site of a bird or hear one, you become ultra-focused.  At first, you wanted nothing to do with sitting in the grass.  The weather was oppressively sticky when we first tried it with you, and you were not thrilled. Now, you do not seem to mind at all.  You crawl around and hand us each and every leaf or twig you cross in your travels.  You also like to hang out in the garden while Mommy picks blueberries and Daddy picks some beets or tends to the lettuce.  You just sit there on the wood chips, happy as can be, handing us a wood chip every once in a minute.  We cherish these moments.  Daddy has made the garden a lovely and peaceful place and we are happy you like it.

You decided grass is not so bad afterall.  

With Grampa at Orenda Springs

Chillin' in your cozy swing

You are a cruiser.

"Ready to climb"

You are 13 months old today!

One month ago today we were in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the new Horizon House, celebrating your First Birthday and participating in the joyous Coffee Ceremony.  This was a bittersweet day in so many ways:

Birthday dress from Mulat
Hair by cousin Madison

Serious

Your birthday cakes for all to enjoy.

• It was your First Birthday and we were there with you!  Wish came true.
• Your nannies surrounded you with their love, though they knew you were leaving.
• Mulat helped us find a place that made birthday cakes.  Oh boy, did we ever order one  two cakes, so that everyone at HH could enjoy some.
• Mulat gave you a special gift of a beautiful Ethiopian birthday dress.

• All your (older) friends were there to celebrate with you, and to eventually say "Ciao, Mezziiiii."
• It was the first night you spent with us as a family, and the last night for any family in the old Horizon House. (it was also the end of your entire Horizon House chapter).
• This all makes me cry tears of joy and sadness, but mostly joy.  

"It's bittersweet, more sweet than bitter..." --(Big Head Todd & the Monsters)

Happy 13 Months, Sweet M! (and 4 Weeks Family Time),

First bath at home (we were all a bit unsure)

I love being your Mama.