Dear Autumn,
We're moving! We did it. We sold our house and have selected a new one for you to grow up in. I still get emotional about leaving this house. I wish I could explain the situation to you, or be sure that you understand that when we go to the other house we will not be coming back to this one. It is hard having you be only 18 months at this point. You have just enough understanding and words to communicate a LOT of things, but this whole process has been impossible to explain to you. Your concept of "home" is me telling you, "We're almost home!" and you saying, "Phoebe! Luke!". I hope that since home is where the cats are, you will not be too confused. You adapt so well to new situations and places it makes me wonder what is going on in your head. If you will ever think, "Okay, well, these stairs are really cool, and I like this backyard, and Phoebe and Luke are here, but what about that other place where Momma and I used to sit by the side of the house and wait for Daddy to come home, or the closet in Momma and Daddy's room where I like to lay on the floor with Momma, or the place where I know all the rules of where I can go and what I can touch, or what I can try to press my limits on and see what Momma says this time?" We all are just going to have to take this process day by day. The cats know something is up, but Luke is the only one that has made a move with us previously. The house is a mess, which is in stark contrast to those few weeks where we had to have everything shine. We're packing things up slowly, trying to think everything through and make this easier on everyone involved.
Those two upper teeth of yours are slowly coming through. One side has poked through and is taking it's sweet time, the other is just barely through. Your appetite changed about 2 weeks before you turned 18 months and that is when the teeth seemed to make their appearance. I'm still waiting on your appetite to get better...
Still struggling with getting you to eat a variety of foods. For awhile we were concerned with getting your weight up almost anyway we could. You're no longer on the "critical list" but we are still keeping our eye on you. You weighed 23 pounds at your 18 month appt, which put you in the 26th percentile. That means you are on your way up instead of down, just barely, but it is a good sign. You are 31 1/2 inches tall, which continues to put you in the 50th percentile. You've grown 1/2 an inch in three months. Since you are no longer on the "fatten her up" diet plan, I have been trying to get you to eat more unprocessed foods, things I expected you to eat easily before you developed your picky tendencies (about 6 months earlier than the doctor said is normal, by the way!).
Naps are still going well. You start to get tired around 12:15 and if we aren't already eating lunch I have to convince you that it is lunchtime and not nap time. It is especially hard when we have been out and are coming home to eat, those droopy eyes in my rear view mirror inspire some loud singing and laughing and tickling on my part. Sometimes I don't know why I bother keeping you awake for lunch because the tiny amount you consume could not possibly make a difference. But everyday I marvel at how easy it is to put you down for a nap. I must still have your infancy ingrained in my brain, because this is a cakewalk! Most of the time you point to your room, make snoring noises (honk, suuu, honk, suuuu), and when I set you down on the floor after getting you out of your high chair you run in there and point to the crib. I usually have to pick you up and take you out to change your diaper, the whole time you're making the sleeping noises and pointing in the general direction of your room. After we say "good nap" to the cats, Sully, and anything else on our way into your room, I put you in your crib, with your two pacifiers (one in your mouth and one in your hands), I tell you, "Good nap, Autumn, good nap!", touch your forehead and cheek and leave. It is odd to hear another peep from you until you wake up 2-3 hours later. It is awesome to have such a great napper!
Your attitude had improved over what it was at the end of June and early July. Of course, I tend to notice a correlation between my attitude and stress level and your outwardly behavior. Those weeks were a very stressful time for me with having the house on the market and having to be out in the heat. It was all very hard for Momma, and I really saw how that affected you. Of course, throw in some teething, being 18 months old and wanting to do everything yourself and you can see what you brought to the table during that time period. We spend so much time together that we really feed off each other. It is going to be a big transition for both of us when you start Mother's Day Out in the beginning of September. Even though I can tell myself it is just 4 hours two days a week I know it means more than that.
Here are some things that you did over the past month:
You have started to mimic our words when counting as noises. You will point to things and make noises that sound like numbers.
You've started making noises that sound like the letters in your name. I'll say, "A-U-T-U-M-N" and you'll say, "It's Autumn!"
When asked a question you'll say, "Uh-huh!" instead of "yes".
Carrying Momma's teddy bear from when she was a kid, Smokey
Wearing Daddy's belt as a fashion statement
Retrospective Perspective:
July 23, 2006
A window in the family room
July 22, 2007
#3 - Sissy
#4 - Rudy
The Clan
July 22, 2008
Fun with G.G.
Looking forward to our new house together!
Love,
Momma and Daddy
Retrospective Perspective:
