KDUNK

Dear Lili,

The following was overheard this morning between you and Dad as he got you dressed this morning:

Dad: Good morning Lili. What did you dream about last night?

D: Mommy?

L: (giggle)

D: Milky?

L: (giggle)

D: Chicken nuggets?

L: (giggle)

D: IKEA?

L: (giggle)

D: Families First?  (your pre-pre-school play space)

L: (giggle)

D: Christmas?

L: (giggle)

D: Pots and Pans?

L: (giggle)

(and then this is where Mom wondered if this might be what DAD dreamed about)

D: Soup dumplings?

L: (blank stare)

D: Stella?

L: (look of confusion)

D: Football?

L: (silence)

Dear Lils,

I better write all this down before you turn ONE which is a mere 15 days away!

SOUNDS: You are not talking but you have started your own language of babble that all the baby books say will happen. It’s cute and funny and sometimes goes on in long sentences. You look very casual and conversational and look at us when doing so as if we understand you. It’s sort of how Dad nods along in agreement to things I say at times when really he is thinking: so glad I’m not a chick.

WORDS: There are words you hands down recognize. I know because when I say them you point to the object. The latest word is FISH – you attempt to say it yourself too – FA FA FA – and point to the fish mobile we hung in your room above your changing table. You know DUCK – in fact I was feeding you the other morning and you said clear as day DUCK – but my back was to the TV and you were pointing to the TV. When I turned around there on the screen were Bert & Ernie and a rubber duck. You know BUBBLES – When I say, “Want to blow bubbles? – you point to the shelf where they live and then you do the cutest thing which is go PFFFT PFFFT (pretend blowing sound), bend your head back so your neck is sticking forward like I do when I am blowing the wand and then you say WOW in a low whisper as I do when the bubbles are blown and I say WOW in amazement. A friend told me this would be funny to see one day – your kid literally mirroring your actions – and I have to say it is pretty wild.

MAYOR OF BROOKLYN: You are still running for office in Brooklyn. Everywhere we go you are still smiling at everyone, now you are saying HI and waving your hand, you wave goodbye to people and you love to STARE STARE STARE. You are a super friendly and happy kid. Dad and I do feel really lucky.

WALKING-ISH: You like to walk around the park and the apartment while we hold your hands. You are getting stronger every day. I give you about a month before you truly walk on your own. You now move yourself around the room by clutching to various pieces of furniture. Last night we killed some time before Dad came home by climbing up the carpeted steps of our front hall over and over again. You did it with such ease I was super impressed.

FOOD: Still…ok-ish on the old food. Bottom line – if you are not in the mood you are so not in the mood. I give you much credit though in the recent month for being able to pick up little cubes of things like cheese, watermelon, Cheerios, etc. You like hummus. You are now willing to try pretty much anything which I appreciate even if trying means 3 bites – I’ll take it. You also can hold your own sippy cup and drink from it which is good although we should be moving you to a cup soon. Trying to tune out the ‘we should be’stages that I read or hear about and focus on you – my kid – who has her own pace with dealing with all this. Going with the flow here!

SLEEPING: SUCKS. My fault. Guilty as charged. I can’t let you scream it out. It’s not in my soul. Not to sound lame but I can’t. I wish I was stronger than that but I’m not. I do let you cry for 15-20mins at a time and then I go in blah blah blah. I know this needs to end and I am bummed I let this go so long without dealing but hey. I need some flaws. Like bags under my eyes constantly. And extreme fatigue. And crankiness. And… You much like your buddies this age are now down to one nap a day.

TUBS: You like ‘big girl’tubs in the big tub and no longer in the sink. Dad still loves giving you tubs in the sink though because it reminds him of when you were his tiny little baby. I went in recently and saw you being bathed in the sink – your legs literally hanging out the end on to your towel next to the running water and gave Dad that ‘busted’look. You love tub toys and have just started to relax enough to do a dead man’s float on your back chillin’with your legs pointed out straight. You love the water and always have.

TOYS: You are really into puzzles lately which is nice. I bought you one with big chunky knobs on the pieces and you like exploring them and putting them back (not in the right places quite yet but still). You are showing small signs of reading your own books to yourself – babbling away and often holding the book up-side-down which is cute. Mostly you love touching and reaching for everything that is NOT A TOY including wires, baskets full of things, dirty diaper pail, etc. The other night we heard a strange sound coming from your room and Dad walked in to find you reaching your little arms through the holes of your crib opening the filing drawers of the filing cabinet we keep in your room. Sigh. Look – if you are going to file for us – you are going to have to do it on our time. Ok kid?

We love you. Yes we do.

xo

Oh Lili.

So much has changed since our last post. So much about you, our country and our lives in general. Perhaps that has been the cause of delay in my posting here as of late. Where to begin?

In short: BARACK OBAMA IS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

I can’t even tell you how elated your father and I were as well as most of everyone we know the night this all happened. When you are older and people ask ‘where were you’I at least wanted to blog for you the correct information. Earlier in the night from around 6:30PM to 9ISH we attended an election party at a good family friend’s house. You were such a good sport and seemed elated picking up on all the nervous energy around you. Then it got to be that point where you were getting tired so Dad and I quickly strolled you home at record speed so as not to miss any of the important results. Once you were in bed and almost immediately asleep Dad headed out for a beer at a local bar to watch with others and I was curled up on the couch. A few moments later I snoozed for like…3 minutes and within that time Barack won Ohio and I awoke to screaming and yelling and cheering in the streets and horns honking and my phone ringing off the hook and the TV going nuts as if it was the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve. Your grandmother Jane called my crying with joy. Your Dad called me and left several messages saying he was dashing home to watch Obama’s acceptance speech with me. It literally felt like a new world Lili. If I weren’t so tired I would be able to explain it better. I promise at some point I will.

Dear Lili,

Today is one of the most important days of your life – only you don’t know it yet. Dad and I have cast our votes in the 2008 election and are hoping and praying things move towards a better future for you and our nation.

When I was a kid my mother took us to the polling place with her. I remember going into the booth and being there when she cast her various votes over the years. I can’t say I recall the actual election themselves or any of the real politics surrounding them but I learned from an early age that is a privilege to be able to vote. I look forward to taking you some day.

However, I was glad you were with the babysitter this morning when we were a the polling place. No offense. I admired the Moms and Dads with kids there today – especially the one tired looking Mom doing her best to entertain her toddler whom she let chew on a toothbrush.

Dad and I stood on line together and then we got in a fight about something random. I can’t even remember what. Oh yeah – I was pumping my fist when I saw our downstairs neighbor who I knew was also an Obama supporter and Dad said this was against the polling place rules – which – he is right about. At least I didn’t burn my bra.

Regardless, I am not sure where we will be tonight when we hear the election results. Despite not being a huge fan of a large crowded room full of people talking during such stressful events yet also not wanting to be sitting at home alone – who knows. We’ll figure something out. I only hope it involves a lot of screaming of joy, waking you from a deep sleep and hugging you in your pajamas because we’ve found hope again.

xo