Twenty-Nine Months

Dear Patrick,

This last month, your twenty-ninth, has been one of several changes. The biggest one has been in relation to your talking. You may remember when those nice ladies came over here and played with you and talked with Mommy. They were here to find out whether Mommy was crazy in thinking your speech was abnormal compared to other kids your age.
It turns out Mommy isn't crazy, at least not in that sense. I was actually a little devastated to hear exactly how far behind you are--over a year. Naturally I wonder how things would be if we'd had you checked out when we first suspected a problem, over a year ago. You'd probably even be caught up by now. So I apologize for not acting on my suspicions sooner. The good news is that you should catch up regardless, even if it may take a little longer now. I keep reminding myself that things could be much worse. And it doesn't matter because I'm not going to love you any less if you talk any more or less than you do.

Another big change--even in the language department--is this sudden language explosion. It all started with that day the ladies showed up, about two weeks ago. Since then you've started repeating more words Daddy and I say and finding applications for many of them. I'd love to say this must be a result of us using the strategies the ladies left with us, but we have been using them imperfectly, to say the least. I think you were just ready for an explosion, and interacting with the new people spurred you on.

A few of the words you've added in the last week or so (the ones I can remember right now anyway) include: open and close (in relation to doors in particular), door, pizza, cool, crash, blankie, duckie, doggie, horsie (I'm pretty sure that's what you were saying), yucky, stinky, poopy, juice, sippy, and belly.

The other huge development has to do with your baby brother. Your relationship with him has taken off in the last few weeks. I suspect much of it has to do with the fact that you two now share a room. When we put both of you boys down to bed, you are left alone with Nathan. For the first time, we are leaving you alone to forge a relationship with him, out from under our prying eyes. It looks as though you have decided you're his protector. Many times I'll sneak into your room in the middle of the night because I hear Nathan crying, and when I get there, you are also awake, talking quietly to him. "It's okay, Gaga. Sleep tight. See you in a little while. It's okay."

That bedtime relationship is starting to overflow into your daily life around me and Daddy as well. You're no longer afraid to comfort Nathan even when one of us is around to do it. And Nathan responds to you even better than he does to us. You captivate him; he adores you. All you have to do is pay attention to him, and you can coax a huge grin out of him even in his most fussy moments. I love this happy, loving relationship you two have, and I dread the knock-down, drag-out sibling rivalry fights I know are in our future. At least I know this sweetness lies underneath even the most bitter fights.

You also now show your affection for your brother by giving him hugs--"Mmm-ma. Sleep tight." Nathan doesn't seem to mind when you accidentally knock heads with him during one of these sweet hugs. I can't help but laugh when you immediately run to me to also give me a hug because it is so clearly an afterthought. You wanted to hug your brother, but you don't want me to feel left out. It's very considerate of you, I must say.

Even taking into account the endless tantrums, this has been one of my favorite months with you. You make it so easy to love you. You see, I know you'll grow out of these tantrums eventually, but you won't grow out of that sweet personality. You won't grow out of that hilarious sense of humor or that love for your baby brother and Daddy and me.

Just as no matter how much you grow or how mature you get, you can't outgrow the love Daddy and I have for you. That is one constant when everything else about you seems to be changing.

Love,

Mommy