To Vivian, 23 months

We are in Nantucket now and you seem to be very happy to be living in a house with Grandma Helaine, Grandpa Paul, Steven and Clara. You keep pretty good track of everyone so, for example, if we are hanging out by the pool and Grandma Helaine goes inside, you will ask, "Where Grandma go?"

One morning, you, me and Daddy were all lying in bed together and you started asking for your bottle which you still covet. Daddy said he would go make it and you protested saying "Mommy do it" to which Daddy replied, "What? It's not like I don't know the recipe." You started laughing so hard and repeating, "Daddy doesn't know the recipe. What recipe?" over and over.

Your unbelievable sweetness continues. You give spontaneous kisses which is pretty much the greatest thing ever. And when anyone is leaving, you will run over and give a kiss and then say, "Hug too" and then often follow up with "I love you." You were calling Uncle Steven "Ickoo demon" and he decided to teach you how to say his name so he spent a while with you going "SSSSS- TEVEN". Last night I asked you if I was saying his name right, "Ickoo demon" and you said, "No. Sssssss Ickoo Demon".

The other day we were all in my bedroom and Stella left for a minute. Her shadow was making crazy shapes on the floor and I said, "Oh look, there's a monster in the house." We were playing like this for awhile and when it was all over you told us that you were scared of the monster. Even though we explained over and over that it was just a shadow, it didn't help that much because then you kept saying that you were scared of the shadow. I tried to get you to make a shadow with your hand so you could understand what it was but you didn't want to do it. Then a few days later, we were playing in bed in the morning and your hand was making a shadow on the wall. You were pretty fascinated by it and finally determined, "Shadow not scary."

You are talking so much and I am just amazed by what an incredible communicator you are at not even two years old. One day we were in our new apartment and you dragged me all the way to the kitchen (where there is no food because we don't live there yet) and said, "I hungry!" This was after you swimming class so I bet you really were. We have been having so much fun in swimming, I am really glad I signed up for the class. It is amazing to watch you learn and improve. You are very comfortable in the water. The very first time the teacher said that we were going to dunk our kids under, I was really scared. But we did it and you were totally fine. A lot of other kids were crying but you were okay though you did look completely shocked. Now we practice all the time by saying "Under!" and then taking a big breath and closing our eyes and mouth. We also have a lot of fun in the locker room. You like to hide in the lockers and you are the perfect height to do just that.

When you want to play with something that someone else is using, you will say, "I got it first" even if you didn't. You also declare some things, "Not fair." If you ask for something (ie: mommy's phone) and are told that you can't have it, you will say, "Need Mommy's phone. Really really need it." Sometimes you will just come up to someone -- me or Daddy or Stella -- and ask, "Doin'?" which means "What are you doing?" If we are leaving our apartment and you are a little bit slow and I say, "Goodbye, Vivian" you will quickly reply, "I coming too". When you are hungry you ask for a "'nack" and your favorite foods are still "ruff ries and roly roly." It never ever gets old to hear you say "ravioli". Whenever we take a picture or a video of you, you immediately demand, "Lemme see."

Our nap and nighttime ritual includes reading a few books and then singing songs. I usually hold you for awhile after the books but then I feel you get a little restless in my arms and ask if you want to be put in your crib. You usually say yes but the minute you are in there you demand, "Ting tong!" Your favorites include ABCD, Twinkle twinkle and Frere Jacques. Eventually I will tell you "One more song and that's it" which is something you often repeat to your dolls or even to me.

You love our face painting book and even love face painting which is a totally new thing to me and Daddy. We still usually just paint a little butterfly or something on your arm or foot but once, you really wanted me to make you into a witch. I am not as good at face painting as Daddy. You especially love the tiger in the face painting book and we look at that a lot though you have not yet been a face painted tiger yourself.

You love to sing Happy Birthday which is a good thing since this is our family birthday season. You also love to sing the Hands On Music hello song. One day we were in a taxi and you were singing, "Hello hello, Mommy. Glad today. Hello hello, Daddy. Glad today. Hello hello Stella. Glad today." Then you spotted Stella's water bottle and sang, "Hello hello Stella water. Glad today."

You are a super sweet, delicious, fun little girl who adds so much joy to our family. Thanks a lot.

I love you.

Love,
Mama