Say What Now?

Dear Mackenzie,

Ahhhh, toddler-ese. It's so cute and also so hard to understand sometimes. I feel so accomplished when I can decipher what you're saying but when I can't, I feel like such a failure, especially when I keep guessing but you just shake your head and frown!

Here are a few recent phrases I *was* able to figure out after I made you repeat them several times!

do oatley = [get down on all fours and] do horsey

wodder ohding = the water is boiling

I pay yeyyo! = I'm playing Lego!

If only you came with a Google Translate function!

Love,

Mom

Caring Creature

Dear Mackenzie,

Last night, you were in my room when Second GuhGaw woke up from a nightmare and came into my room crying. He sat down on my bed and you scooted next to him, put your arm around him and said, "GuhGaw, it okay! Mama here. Mama here." When you cry, I always comfort you by saying, "Mama's here. Mama's here" and it was so sweet watching you do the same for your big brother!

Love,

Mom

Super Slider

Dear Mackenzie,

Due to the pandemic, I didn't take you to a playground for the first couple years of your life. Now, we are going to them more often and you LOVE them! You seem to get more excited about going to the playground than your siblings did at your age, I guess since it is more novel to you. This morning, I woke you up and you were so groggy until I said we were going to the playground. Then, you immediately sat up and shouted, "I go payground!" You practically leaped out of your crib and when I set you down on the floor, you ran toward the hallway. I said you had to get dressed and eat breakfast first and you said, "No! I go payground!" Haha!

At the playground, there was a set of really tall slides and they were beckoning to you the entire time. You kept walking to the top of them but then going back to the safety of the shorter slides. Eventually, you went down the big slide and the look on your face was clearly one of fear. But then when you got to the bottom, you stood up and said, "More!" When you went down a second time, you still looked terrified but you still wanted to go down again! So fearless!

Love,

Mom

Miss Manners

Dear Mackenzie,

As the littlest one in a family of six people, you probably feel as if you have to be louder and more forceful than your siblings in order to be heard. I am proud of the way you speak up for yourself but you can be a bit aggressive, so I have been teaching you how to be kinder. For example, when someone is in your way, you say, "Move!" but I tell you to say, "Excuse me."

Last night, Second GuhGaw and I were reading together on his bed and you wanted to squeeze in between us. You pushed him and yelled at him, "Move! Move! Move!" I told you to be nice so you switched gears: You pushed him and yelled, "CUE ME! CUE ME!"

Umm, that's not quite how we do it . . .

Love,

Mom

Say My Name, Say My Name

Dear Mackenzie,

Cute things you did while we were out today:

-When I asked you what your name is, you chirped, "Ma-KENSEE!" It was the first time I heard you say your own name!

-We bought some treats from a chocolate shop and when you saw the bag, you said, "Let me hold it!"

-I was carrying you back to the car, but you insisted, "Let me walk!"

-At the end of the day, I asked you what we did. You happily answered, "I pay payground!"

-At said playground, I watched as you slowly became more confident and eventually went down the slide by yourself without asking me to hold you.

You are so brave and independent!

Love,

Mom