So in thinking about the end of the year and resolutions and all that, I have decided to be a better mother. Not that I'm a bad mom, but I mean that in the sense that I need to make more memories that Andy can hang onto later on. (Like, I'm not the scrapbooky type-I have been filling out his baby book, but not every little thing and I realize I am missing somet hings I'd like to hang onto.) So here is my first foray into that, I'm trying my hand at writing a letter to him. (which I started Dec 30 and finished Jan 1, on his 20 mo birthday.) Dear Andy, I am writing this to you on New Year's Eve Eve, tomorrow we will be going to your Aunt Nikki and Uncle Cory's annual bash which you will probably sleep through anyway. But you will get to see Ga-ga (your cousin Gavin) and you'll probably get to eat alot of food (which is one of your favorite pasttimes.) I have so many fond memories of being your mom so far, like when you were tiny and were done nursing and you'd sigh and smile and fall asleep (that used to be the only way I could trim your nails, now that job belongs to Daddy!). Or how when we started you on solid food, you wanted nothing to do with the rice cereal, you went straight for the veggies and fruits and not long after that only wanted the things you could chew! I remember vividly the day you first said mama, you seemed much too young to be saying it on purpose, but it was on a Tuesday b/c I was off work and you wanted some of my cheerios. I gave you one and you said mama, so I gave you another and repeated this cycle over and over. It was so cute, but I started a vicsious cycle b/c for the longest time you would only say mama when you wanted something, and not for me at all. And you took your first steps on St Patricks Day 2006 (yes, you were only 10 1/2 months!) That day is vivid in Grandma's memory b/c we were at her house in Ga and she saw you take 4 steps away from me toward your toys there and then fall down. You have learned so much, especially this past month-you are now 19 months old and I remember being concerned at your 18 mo check up that you weren't saying enough. Lets see if I can recall a few of my favorites things you say now: When you fisrt learned car, you would say ca like you were from Boston, now you overemphasize and say "caRRR" Ca-Ga means Gracie our dog cookie is anything you want to eat right now, especially crackers and pretzels caa means sock (even when Daddy and you sounded it out-he said sss, you said sss, he said ock, you said ock, he said sock, you said ca!) goggie is doggie poppy is popcorn choo-choo (said in a high-pitched voice) means train You can say kitty but it sounds more like key and when we ask you what a kitty says, you say "eeyaw" You have been saying hi since June or July, but now you've started trying to say hello but it comes out ha-hoe! You have been shaking your head no to everything we ask you, although just thses past few days you have started saying no THis will probably embarrass you in later years, but when we come in to get you in the morning, if you have a dirty diaper, you will say poo to us You have a tendency to say things twice b/c its how we used to entice you to put on your coat hence "coat-coat" and haa-haa (means hat), also uh uh means up You've just started trying to tickle us so you put your thumb abd forefinger together and put it on our chest and then say "tiku tiku" You will always say bye bye to the Backyardigans when they go inside for a snack In the last few weeks, you have been saying something that sounds like "where did it go?" and so we repeat it to you and just the other night you put both your hands in the air and asked us You've just started wanting a pacifier, we have been calling it a binky but you call it a baby Some things you do that I love are when I'm putting you to bed and you will ask to be picked up to be rocked for a minute or two, you will lay your head on my shoulder and tuck both your arms down your sides under mine and sigh. Or when I drop you at daycare and I go to leave, you always say bye bye and then you'll go to blow me a kiss but you just leave your hand over your mouth instead of waving it out. But you do blow on our food if you think its too hot "HAA". (But once it cools down you eat very well by yourself and after almost every bite you say MMMMM! You also tend to like to stand up while you're eating and if I say a warning of "Andy..." you always point down and say "sit" (I guess you've heard that a few times, huh?) Or when we're changing your clothes and we say "make a so big" you raise your arms up and are trying to repeat us. I also have to include one of your Dad's favorites-we were looking at some pictures of you on our camera and you came over, gasped and then started laughing (but it came out like hehehe awww heheh awww). Overall it has been an exciting, frustrating, scary, joyful, happy experience being your mommy so far. I hope you remain the happy, laughy little dude (DUUDE! you always say to Uncle Ray) that you are now. Although you are entering a more willful phase when you lay down on the ground if you are frustrated but only for a second with your butt in the air. We are starting to use time outs with you although you still think they are a game. (like at Christmas when you tried to pull Emilee's hair and I asked you if you wanted a time out, you went over to the wall and put both your hands anf your forehead on the wall. Then laughed and laughed after a minute of silence.) May you always find humor in all kinds of situations. | 
So now that I've decided, I am soo excited and nervous (b/c you have to take a specific CPR class that is full right now, but my Dean said he'd talk to the teacher and see if he could get me in.) So if I'm in, I have a new carrer path for the next 2 years until I can become an RN. So wish me luck for the CPR class!
