Dear Robby,

You are 16 months old today. I realized this week that I couldn’t really remember day to day life before you came into it. I think the novelty of having a new baby in the house wore off sometime last month. Don’t take that to mean you are getting old hat by any means! You are now an actual walking, talking, screaming, laughing person with a genuine personality and presence. I think until recently, I was still adjusting on how to take care of you and still clean, work, poop and sleep. I had to schedule life around you. You have your own routine now.  It’s like you have always been here.

You had your second Halloween this month and we dressed you up as a skunk in this adorable costume. When you get older you can tell all your friends how your mother dressed you up funny like Ralphie in that movie A Christmas Story.

The night before Halloween, after you had gone to bed, Papa and I gutted the pumpkin and carved it. I figured this would be the last year we could avoid having you get stringy pumpkin seeds all over the rug and fight us for the carving knife. We also made popcorn balls for the neighbor kids. It was a great evening. Papa and I really had a fun time doing these things together. We don’t get to spend that much time together laughing and having fun lately. When you get older and have your first child, listen to people who tell you that it is important for you and your wife to still manage to spend fun times together alone. It is.

You have increased your vocabulary to include words like; Up! Off! Cup! Wawa! (water) Yucky! Bye-bye! and Pa-paaaaawww! You got another molar, taking the tooth count to 16. Your favorite toy this month has been a large purple ball. You love kicking it and laying on it and rolling off. Your giggle can stop anyone dead in their tracks and make them smile. It is still my most favorite sound.

Dancing is something you are going to be great at. You have got your groove on most days and enjoy children’s songs like Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes as well as a Bruce Springsteen song.

Sometimes, you look at people with no expression on your face whatsoever. They will coo and try and get you to smile but you just stare blankly at them. I can’t figure out if you are studying them or if you really just don’t want to interact with them. Then, there was the produce lady at the grocery store. You smiled, waved, flirted, laughed, babbled and seduced her right into giving you a grape. I hope you will use this power you have over people for good and not evil.

You had your first school pictures taken last week. I changed your outfit three times only to have your teacher ask me if that was what you were wearing. I really don’t think you cared what you wore. You just like getting your picture taken. You are still a little ham.

I will turn 40 in two days. Yes, your mother is old. This is an important day for most women. I think it’s sort of like a mid life mental crisis. My life looks a lot different today than I thought it would 20 years ago. I’m glad it’s different. I’d hate to be some business mogul either trying to remember what country I was in, what my kids were doing or divorcing the hot math tutor/sandwich maker from college. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on my accomplishments and failures. If I did not have you in my life, 40 would be a much harder birthday to face with a sense of accomplishment and optimism. I feel like celebrating my past and looking forward to the years ahead.

I am Robby’s Mama. Hear me roar.

Love,

Mama