Table for Three

Dear Mackenzie,

Daddy and I had extreme cabin fever so after your older siblings went to school this morning, we put you in the car and we drove all the way to Yonkers for pizza (Daddy had watched a show recommending this old-school pizza place there and figured we could try it. Final verdict: The pizza was definitely not worth the drive to Yonkers but at least we had a change of scenery.) You hadn't ridden in the car for exactly one month and I think you forgot what it felt like because when we got onto the highway and started going faster, you started whimpering and cried out, "Oh no, Mama! Oh, no!" I had to twist around in my seat and hold your hand to calm you down.

So today was your first car ride in a month and your first time eating in a restaurant ever! After you were born, we took you to a couple restaurants where you napped mostly and then the pandemic hit and sitting in a restaurant and having a meal became a big no-no. I wonder what it was like for you today, going to the pizzeria, sitting in a booth, watching the waitress bring food and drinks for us. I have eaten in a restaurant a few times post-pandemic with my friends but this was my first time going out with you and it was strangely foreign yet refreshing having to once again find ways to entertain a little kid while we waited for our food. Your favorite game was when we balled up the straw wrappers and blew them across the table at each other; you laughed so much! You definitely liked the game more than the pizza, of which you only ate the crust!

After lunch, I went into Bed, Bath & Beyond to pick up a few things while you waited in the car with Daddy. Later, when I asked you what you did in the car, you said, "Shhh! Daddy wait Mama." (Translation: Daddy told me to be quiet and that we had to wait for Mama." You love seeing school buses so I asked you how many school buses you saw and you held up two fingers and said, "Two." Good job!

Other Mackenzie cuteness from today:

-I told you to play in your room while I showered Second GuhGaw. After I finished, I peeked into your room and saw you sitting by the gate, making your stuffed Elmo eat the figurine of King Roland.

-When I told you to clean up your toys, you obediently put them back in the bag and even sang the "Clean Up" song while you did it.

-I was nibbling on your torso to tickle you and you were giggling so much! And every time I stopped, you said, "More! More!"

Love,

Mom

Speaking Up

Dear Mackenzie,

I love the way you are surprising me every day with new words that you suddenly know how to say (i.e. meatball, doorbell, school bus) and stringing together longer and longer sentences to communicate what you are thinking. The other night, Daddy told you to put your toy back in your room and when you ran into your room to do so, the baby gate shut on you and locked you in the dark room. A few days afterward, you recounted what had happened by saying, "Me gate dark now light Daddy!" And when you saw an episode of Paw Patrol where a bird took Mayor Goodway's phone out of her hand, you said, "Phone hand bird bird Mama!" (You call all grown women "Mama" and all grown men "Daddy.")

I also love the fact that you want to wear your Elsa dress every day and that when Daddy says, "Elsa, make snow," you smile, look up and throw both hands into the air. So cute!

Love,

Mom

Happy Day

Dear Mackenzie,

You were in Daddy's office with him and when he carried you out, I was in the hallway. When you saw me, your face lit up and you shouted, "Mama! Happy!" As in, "It's Mama, I'm so happy!" When Daddy put you down, you ran into my arms and gave me the sweetest hug. *melt!*

In other news, you have graduated from saying "Dada" to  saying "Daddy." You also sometimes call me "Mommy" instead of "Mama." It sounds so cute!

Love,

Mom

Hush Hush

Dear Mackenzie,

You were watching "Peppa Pig" last night and when I started talking to Daddy, you actually put your fingers to your lips and shushed me! You! Sushed me! How rude! I mean, I guess I was talking over your favorite show, so I guess I was the rude one. Sorry!

Love,

Mom

Chocoholic

Dear Mackenzie,

Some recent developments:

-You probably say, "Mama up-eee!" more than anything else. You always want me to carry you!

-When you see Paw Patrol, you exclaim, "Ba-doo! Ba-doo!"

-You constantly identify what things belong to who. When clothes are on my drying racks, you point to them and say "Lila," "Mama," "Ngaw Ngaw" or whoever the clothing belongs to. In the bathroom, you point at the row of toothbrushes hanging over the sink and said, "GuhGaw, Lila, Me, Mama!"

-I ate some spicy food and my nose started running. When you saw me, you asked, "Mama, sue?" And then you ran and got a tissue for me!

-On Christmas morning, Daddy told you that Santa had come. You jumped up and down on the bed, pumped your fists in the air and shouted, "Yay!" I'm not sure you understand who Santa is but I think you were feeding off of your siblings' enthusiasm.

-When the candle on JieJie's birthday cake tipped over, you said, "Oh no happy bir-day!"

-You can sing along to the "Happy Birthday" song and even do the "Are you one? Are you two?" thing at the end by saying, "One! Two! Teee!"

-When something really upsets you (like seeing that your toy Olaf's arm had broken off), you put both hands on your cheeks and shake your head back and forth while lamenting, "Oh no! Oh no!"

-When you accidentally hit my head, you asked, "Mama, tay?" Then you hugged me with a sad, sympathetic look on your face.

-You saw your Elmo towel hanging in the bathroom and said, "Towel mine Elmo."

-I asked you where your necklace was and you replied, "Dada," followed by a few seconds where you moved your mouth silently but determinedly before you managed to slowly emit the word "awwfff"--as in office! 

-I love how you can not only sing along to "Let It Go" but also imitate all of Elsa's dramatic hand gestures.

-By the way, you can finally say "Elsa" now!

-When you want me to show you something, you shout, "I see! I see!" You also really love seeing our neighbors' Christmas lights and often pull me to the window and say, "See light! See more light!" Att this point, some of our neighbors have taken their lights down and when you noticed this, you said, "Oh no! Light go?"

-Other phrases you have learned to say: Dada bite me, hold me, help me, Dada eat nunu mine (Daddy is eating my noodles), Mama egg me (Mama, give me an egg).

-After Daddy said you couldn't eat anymore grapes (which you call "blue" because you think they are blueberries), you told me, "Dada no more blue," while solemnly wagging your finger and shaking your head.

-You love the Sandra Boynton book, Blue Hat, Green Hat, and can point out where the turkey has incorrectly put the article of clothing on each page and tell me where that article of clothing is supposed to go.

-When JieJie or someone else is hugging me, you often run over and throw your arms around both of our legs to form a group hug. This afternoon, you were sitting next to me on the couch when you put your arm around my neck and smiled so lovingly at me. I love how affectionate you are!

-I was giving you butterfly kisses on your cheeks and you were giggling so much! You kept covering your cheeks so I couldn't get to them but then you'd remove your hands and say, "More!"

-You are really good at puzzles! You can easily match the pieces on the transportation puzzles and like doing them over and over again. When you put all the pieces in, you say, "More!" And then you take the pieces out and start over.

-You can stack nine shape blocks on top of each other and make a tall tower without it falling over. Nice motor skills!

-When you do a countdown, you go, "Too-tee fofo nine!" And then you run or throw a toy up in the air.

-I packed a bag of chocolates for PoiPoi and didn't realize you had snuck one from the box until I had put the box back in the fridge and then turned to see you running into the kitchen with a big smile on your face--you gleefully pointed at your mouth, which was covered in chocolate! Then you proudly showed me the empty chocolate wrapper that you had taken off the chocolate all by yourself. I asked you, "Where did you get that chocolate?" You replied, "Mouf." (mouth). Then when I asked, "You took a chocolate?!?" you smiled such a happy, naughty smile! You love your chocolate!

Love,

Mom