22 Months

My Darling Tori Anne,

I swear this month went by faster than I thought possible. It's been a busy month, a good month, and you've changed a lot, and all in very good ways. Last month I thought I'd tear my hair out in frustration at your antics, but in the last couple of weeks something has broken through in that noggin of yours and you've gotten much easier to cope with. We've had some really good times lately and you seem to have settled back in to being home and doing things with us quite easily.

We still have a couple of disagreements: you still run at the pool, which is a no-no, and you don't come when we call, and you don't like holding our hands when we cross the street OR being picked up (apparently you prefer the third option, being mowed down by a car, but we'd rather skip that if that's OK). But over all, you can focus on activities more these days be in drawing, painting, or playing ball (the rare times we can play ball at home, when the dog is out).

We've discovered that while the YMCA closest to us doesn't have afternoon swim hours, one that shares membership privileges not too far away does and we have been taking full advantage. You love swimming, and you jump in fearlessly, and wade in up to your chin fearlessly, and will duck your head underwater fearlessly. Indeed, other adults say that word more about you than any other: fearless. Frankly, we could use you having just a touch MORE FEAR. But the swimming has been a great way to tire you out and get all of us some exercise, and we all enjoy it, although we haven't gone as much this week cause this is Mommy's migraine week. Hopefully when you are older you won't remember these horrible weeks of Mommy's migraines. With any luck they will be a dim, dim memory even for Mommy.

We've also been trying to encourage Spring's arrival by going out and hiking more. You always like the first part of the hike and will gamely walk along for about a mile or so, and then you prefer to stop and do things like ride the dog, or, oddly, comb your hair with a muddy stick. We haven't exactly figured out how to handle the last part of the hike where you no longer want to walk, or be carried, yet. We'll get there.

You are also so much more a kid now. I took you to story time at the library yesterday (where, oddly enough, I was treated no differently with the pink hair--still, no one talked to me) and you were much more interested in the games and activities and other kids than you were a few short months ago. You also finally have become interested in that tutu your Internet auntie made for you and have been wearing it and dancing about in it, which is just too adorable for words (and we won't tell her about putting it on the dog, OK?).

You are an amazing child. Yesterday I found at the store for a mere $20 a kid's laptop and in a desperate hope that if you had a toy laptop maybe, just maybe, you would leave our laptops alone, I bought it. It said it's for 3-5 year olds, but I decided not to care, and OH MY GOD you love it. It's your new favorite thing. You wanted to take it to bed last night. You'd rather play with it than eat. And I had no idea that you knew which was the number seven, and yes, you will sit and play with it while we work, which is HEAVEN.

Watching you grow up is such a joy, but it is going by so quickly already! I feel like it's spinning faster and faster and I'm already forgetting important little details that I will be so sad to not remember. You continue to push and challenge us, but you also continue to make my heart grow and grow. I am so filled with love for you sometimes I can barely breathe. You are my wonderful, fantastic, spectacular little girl. I love you, Tori Anne.

Love, Mommy

PS: I couldn't help but include some video clips this month. :)

Comments

[Sarah]

Wow. I can't believe how much these monthly posts make me cry! What is the deal with me? LOL!

She is so big now, my goodness. A real little girl. *SOB*!

I need to see her on a more regular basis, I've decided. :-)

[Val]

Starting her young, I see. Flaming hot Cheetos???

[Maria]

She has such gorgeous eyes! And I love the haircut too, tres chic. :)

[becky]

her hair is gorgeous.

[Auburn]

That picture with Hammer is the cutest! Someone was ranting about pitbulls on their blog recently and I couldn't help but think of him. Vicious beast he is!

She is adorable. and so grown up looking with that haircut.

[moo]

I love reading these posts. Because, although I know I shouldn't compare, I always do compare her to my son, who is a mere 2 months younger.

And you always give me hope that whatever crap I'm going through now will ease up and get better.

Come on, 22 months! Get here SOON because 20 months is kicking my butt!

[Tater's Mom]

Adorable video!!!! Great post, natch.

[Anna]

What kind of laptop is that? We have been looking for something like that for months!!!! Everything we've looked at has too much going on, but this looks like it just does letters and numbers?

Tori's (new) new haircut is adorable. And it looks like she's a lefty!

[sheilah]

She is just too too adorable.

So she came out of the closet? Well, it doesn't matter. So long as she is happy, right?

hehehe...

[Mental P Mama]

That baby is gorgeous.

[maggie]

Ok, spill it - where did you get a 20 dollar laptop for her - I need to get this for my daughter so she leaves mine ALONE!! She is a cutie!

[amyinbc]

Great idea with the laptop for her :) And keep those clips coming, too cute.

[Melissa in TN]

The picture where Tori is riding Hammer is my favorite picture of her EVER! That is too much cuteness! I absolutely love it.

I'm sorry no one talks to you at the library. That's just rude! I'd talk to you and Tori if you were at my library.

I want a $20 laptop for my little sweet pea. Where did you find it? The little mouse makes it just perfect.

I really hope the migraines get better.

[melissa]

Like the others, I'd love to know the brand of that laptop...I'll stalk eBay till I find one too. She's such a sweetie, and Hammer is amazing!

A left handed babe?

Tori is looking very cute I have to say!

And what's with the mommies at the library? Are they either intimidated by you, or are they totally insecure? (the second is my guess!)

[Coral]

Sorry that was me - Coral!!

I didn't know that could happen!!!!!

[Nikki]

What a gorgeous, grown up, lucky kid. She seems awesome.

[Whitney]

Oh I hope you have that picture of her and Hammer enlarged and framed. That is gorgeous!

I wish I could run into you at my library. I'd be more inclined to talk to you BECAUSE of the pink hair :)

[G-mom]

I've been so busy I had to play cath-up on your posts. So glad I didn't miss this one! Tori, dog & ball in mouth is the BEST picture. I'm thinking PARENTS' magazine photo contest good.
This child has such a well rounded life. Your good mommy and daddy.

[jenn]

Man, she is growing up so fast. That conversation in the car absolutely slayed me...too adorable for words.

[Chickenpig]

Tori is just a remarkable little girl, and fearless is great...she'll never be anyone's patsy on the playground, that's for sure!

I have to say I LOVE her clothes. Where do you get this stuff? The red sweater is beautiful, Tori looks like a girl without being...girly. If you know what I mean. The whole girly, girly, princess all in pink thing is what has me most worried about having a girl. Show me the way, master :)

[Leta]

That Hammer is one good looking dog.

Our dog, Nellie, is half retriever and half AmStaff (which, to the world at large makes her a pit bull- but I guess the world at large thinks any/every muscular dog is a pit bull).

Anyway, our 25 month old daughter loves to ride Nellie, and poke her in the eyes, and pry toys out of her mouth, and once, to my utter shame, our daughter took a pair of scissors out of the desk and clipped Nellie's ear. It was a tiny cut, but completely horrible just the same. I try to constructively discipline my kid, but after the ear incident, I totally lost my temper, yelled at her for five minutes, ("YOU CANNOT CUT THE DOG! LOOK HOW BIG HER TEETH ARE! SHE'S A GOOD DOG, SHE DESERVES TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT! SOMEDAY, YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS TO A DOG WHO ISN'T AS GOOD AS NELLIE, AND YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE YOUR FACE CHEWED OFF!!")and then stuck her in bed until I cooled off.

ANYWAY, Nellie just takes whatever the kid dishes out. She has the patience of Job, it is unbelievable. Moreover, Nellie LOVES the kid, and is super protective of her. It blows my mind. I never had dogs growing up, so there's a lot of canine behavior that I find baffling, and this is right up there.

So even though I don't really know much about dogs, and even less about dog breeds, I have a theory about how and why pit bulls are so good with kids: they were bred to be persistent, and have a high pain tolerance, and this translates into patience and calmness when manhandled by young children.

Whew, this was long. Sorry.

Oh, and by the way? Your kid may be the only one in the universe who's as cute as mine.

[Essie]

Precious! I love her at the laptop, too cute!

[grace413]

Tori is just too cute for words. Enjoy!

[BookMama]

Always love to see good car seat usage. :) Good job!