Hey kids, So this letter will be a little bit brief since I just wrote last month’s update a couple of hours ago. But a couple of things of note did happen this month.

Adela, you took swimming lessons! You’re a little Guppie now. You got in the pool all by yourself with the teachers and other kids. No Momma this time. It worked out well since I also had ‘Siah with me every day. So he got dirty under the picnic tables while you swam. You did amazingly well with a lot of the tasks, kicking across the pool and even floating. You refused to put your head under the water and don’t care much for being splashed so you avoided the group singing time. Overall, you did very well. I wish I’d heard a lot less “I don’t want too!!!” reverberating off the buildings, but then I expected it. 🙂 We’ll keep working on learning to try things we don’t know how to do. And next year, I’m signing you up for more than one session. It’s a big commitment going every day, but you seriously loved it, even with your fear of going under water. I think you would have gone every day all summer had I signed you up for it.

Josiah, I love you. You are as smiley as ever. You are a total joy, almost always in a good mood. Except these days you pack all your bad moods into highly concentrated doses and they usually happen when you’re strapped down – either in the carseat or in your highchair, and lately, even in shopping carts. You do not like be restrained. You want to go, go, go all the time. Try to slow you down and you turn into ‘SiahMonster. It’s a fitting nickname.

(Before I forget, an aside. All your current nicknames are as follows: ‘Siah, Jo, Jo Jo, ‘Siahnator, ‘Siahmonster, ‘Siahson, ‘Siansunshine, ‘Siahson, ‘Nator, Silly ‘Siah.” We also call you Nugget, Love, Love Bug, and several others I’m sure I’m forgetting. But generally you are ‘Siah. I’m curious to know if it’ll stick. I thought I’d call Adela “Addy” and she is usually ‘Dela. I thought I’d call you “Joe” and you are almost always ‘Siah. Hm. )

Anyway, you are LOUD – I mean L-O-U-D – these days, son. It can be torturous. We better have food you want to eat ready and waiting when we put you in that highchair or you will groan, growl, yell, scream, whine your little head off. And you won’t stop until you get what you want. Take you out of the chair and you’re fine. Put you in the carseat and it’s the same thing. We better have something *really* interesting for you to play with or it’s Noisefest 20oo. Puts my anxiety through the roof. And it’s especially terrible in the car. But it’s only when you’re annoyed at being strapped down. Any other time you’re whining or crying something is really wrong (sick, super hunger, or super over-tired.) In general you don’t get upset. And if I’m holding you, even if you’re tired and hungry, generally you don’t cry.

So I guess your proclivity for an unrestrained state isn’t too high a price to pay for an otherwise almost perfect baby. 😉

We took you guys to Dave’s Incredible Pizza for food and fun. ‘Dela you are too much in arcades. The expressions you make are priceless. You really enjoy them, even though you’re technically too little to play most of the games. You will give just about anything a try and you love watching Daddy win you tickets. And Daddy loves winning you tickets. It’s fun for the whole family (well, it’ll grow on ‘Siah… he doesn’t much like being confined to the stroller with all those pretty flashy lights everywhere.) We’ll definitely go again. Just maybe next time we won’t sit in the cartoon room while we eat. It smelled like bowling shoes. Ick.

In the photo where you’re holding out your hand you’re tell me you have no money and asking where Daddy is. I told you spin the big wheel and you were very concerned because you had no tokens. Daddy rescued you shortly thereafter. 🙂

Daddy and I went away for a night for the first time since you were born, Adela. It’s been a long time! We missed you guys a little bit, but we knew you were having an awesome time at Mimi and Papi’s. And I didn’t worry one bit about you.

And, big girl, you started preschool! It’s really early since you’ll be going again next year as well. But we’re starting off slow. Just two half-days a week. I knew you’d love it. And you do! You don’t seem to have any kind of social anxiety. You don’t get nervous in a crowd and have no problem walking into a new situation. But I feel like you need exposure to making friends. That’s something you haven’t had a whole lot of opportunity to do, and I’m hoping that this will be a good experience for you, being around other kids your age. Today you came home and, for the first time, told me something that you’d learned at school, something I didn’t teach you.  You said, “‘U’ has a smile, Momma.” Pretty neat. I can remember Mimi always asking me what I learned at school. I understand the excitement now. I want to know what you’re doing and what you’re learning. It’s pretty fascinating as your Mom to hear and see the things you’re learning. I’m so proud! 🙂

You love going so much that you ask every day if you can go, and every time we’ve come to pick you up so far you’ve cried. I talked to the director today to see if I could come a half hour later so that I’m not trying to pick you up as the kids are headed to the playground. Good news for you, I can. Hopefully that’ll help curb the tearful pick-ups.