Dear Scarlet -- 29 Months

Dear Scarlet,

Happy 29-month birthday! Today is a significant day in your life as well as mine.  This is the day, January 11, three years ago when you were transferred from a petri dish, or whatever medium you were in, and into my belly.  In other words, it was three years ago today I became pregnant with you.  That was truly a very special day and one I won't forget any time soon.  I watched on a screen as the scientists sucked you up into a little beaker in the lab.  They brought the little tiny pipette with you in it into my room and you were handed to the doctor.  Then, wah, lah!  I was pregnant.  Yep, something like that.

The last three years have FLOWN by.  I remember holding the picture of you in your embryonic form and dreaming of what you would look like and who you would be.  I also wondered about the other little mass of cells and would it would turn into.  That was Kingston.  You were both amazing little miracles and I'm grateful you came into our lives.

It's amazing to me what can happen in three years.  The last three were the most eventful of my life.  By far!  I got pregnant with you, gave birth, buried a baby, moved, got pregnant, gave birth.... and everything in between including multiple trips to Disneyland and Utah.  I'm sure the next three will bring lots more joy into our lives!

Love you always!  I'm so glad you're mine.

Love,

Mom

p.s.  I'm really going to miss when you start calling candy canes, candy canes instead of candy corn canes.  I'll also miss when you say cute instead of cuke.

p.p.s.  Please be nice to Elliot.  He's just a baby (how many times a day to I say this?)

Dear Scarlet -- 2 years

Dear Scarlet,

Yesterday, August 11, 2012, you turned two years old.  I watched you as you smiled and beamed from ear to ear all day long.  You radiated such beauty as you partied with your friends and then enjoyed the evening with Mom, Dad, and Elliot.  I only wish that I could have been there with you to celebrate our special day.  I know it is because of you that mom smiles.  

The day we were born was such a day, a day nobody will forget.  It was around 9:02 a.m., the moment I was born, that you and I said our final earthly goodbye.  I wanted nothing more than to stay here with you, but I knew you would represent both of us well with your sparkling personality.  I sat by your side for four weeks while you fought for your life in the hospital.  Mom knows I was there because you would smile so much at what seemed to be nothing, and then I would let her know, ever so subtly, that I was there, giving her angel kisses.  

Scarlet, you are who you are because mom and dad love and adore you so much.  It is because of you that they are who they are.  Never forget that I am always there, watching over you.  You're my other half as I am yours.  Please don't ever feel that I left you here alone.  Just because you won't always see me, I am always there.  

Scarlet, keep radiating your beauty to all those who are around you.  You have the ability to touch many lives and I know you will.  I love you so much!  

Kiss, kiss,

Kingston

p.s.  You need to be nice to Elliot.  One day he will be bigger than you.

Dear Scarlet -- 23 Months

Dear Scarlet,

Can you believe that in just one short month you are going to be two years old?  What happened to this last year?  I think we were so occupied with moving to California and then the arrival of Elliot, that life just happened very quickly this year. 

You have proven yourself to be an amazing big sister.  You have only kicked Elliot in the head once and only thrown a few things at him.  For the most part, you adore your little brother.  It was like you knew he was coming to be a part of our family and you just kept on with life like nothing ever happened. 

You have become extremely talkative lately.  Everybody loves to have conversations with you because you just ramble on forever.  You get at least one phone call a day from somebody who just wants to listen to you talk.  Some of our favorite words you say right now are:

• Cuke as in "My new shoes are so cuke!"
• Yellow.  Everything you see is yellow... and today you decided that it can also be pink.
• Soos and socks.  You even call your pants socks. 
• Pease and tane to.  When we have something delicious and you see it, it is usually followed with "Pease?"  Then we give it to you and you will say "tane to."  Also, when we spell out t-h-a-n-k-y-o-u, you will say "tane to."
• Where ee go, where ee go?  You will usually do really cute hand gestures with this one.
• Boops.  This can be referring to boobs or boots. 
• Carlie.  As in, "Scarlet, what's your name?"  "Carlie"  It comes from us calling you Scarlie all the time.  You'll even shout it out when you see a picture of yourself. 
• Me:  A is for?  You:  Apple!  Me:  B is for?  You:  Apple!  Me:  No.  You:  Ball! 
• Dammies.  Translation:  Jammies.

I'm sure there are some words that I'm forgetting right now.  We absolutely love your little voice and all the new words you are learning. 

Scarlet, you still make us smile every single day.  You also make me a very busy mom, something I always dreamed of.  You are quite a tornado right now.  You like to throw your toys everywhere and tip everything over.  I'm hoping this phase doesn't last too much longer.  I think I fold 27 blankets a day... or maybe it's just the same blanket 27 times.  I'm not sure why I keep trying. 

Keep making me smile!  I love you!

Loves,

Mom

Dear Scarlet -- 21 months

Dear Scarlet,

Well, sweet princess, this will be the last time I write to you as my only child living at home.  I want you to always know just how much I love you.  You make me smile every single day and I am beyond grateful to have you in my life. 

There are going to be a lot of new changes happening this next month.  You might feel left out for a little while, but I'm still going to love you just as much as I do now, if not more.  Love is an amazing thing, it just keeps growing.  I know you are going to be an amazing big sister!  I'm so excited to introduce you to your new little brother. 

You have become quite the little talker.  You talk non-stop.  You have started copying a lot of what we say or what your favorite TV shows say.  You also have been working on phonics, colors, and numbers.  We try to work on it everyday.  I love watching you learn.  Your dad and I think you are quite spectacular. 

You are still wearing 12-month clothes and occasionally you will wear 18 months.  You're very petite.  We weighed you last week and you came in at a whopping 20 pounds.  You love to eat just about anything you can get your hands on.  I found you the other day with a giant bag of potato chips from the pantry.  You were trying to get a little baggy out of the drawer to put some chips in.  You looked at me and said, "crackers?"  How could I resist?  You're too adorable. 

I wish that you could stay my "baby" forever, but I know you need to grow and gain your independence.  It's so fun watching you learn and develop.  You really are such an amazing blessing in our lives.  I love you to pieces and pieces. 

Love you forever,

Mom

Dear Scarlet -- 16 months, 3 days

Dear Scarlet,

Oh my, my. Where has time gone? It's been a while since I last wrote to you. You have changed by leaps and bounds over the last few months. On 11/11/11, you started walking! It has been so fun to watch you explore and learn about the world around you now that you can wander on your own.

Your vocabulary is growing every single day. You now say: Baby, light, on, thank you, what is it?, uh oh.... and I'm sure there are more that I am missing. It's adorable to hear you talking. I can't believe you learn so quickly and seem so eager to learn new things each day. Oh, you also know that the kitty says, "meow", and the goat says, "bahhhhhh". The goat sound always comes out as a yell though. We're working on it.

I still can't believe you're going to be a big sister! What a shock that has been. We are slowly adjusting to the idea of having another little mouth to feed and baby to love. We are thrilled beyond belief for this new little sibling for you. I always felt like you got robbed a little by having your twin taken away. I wish I could have changed the situation. However, I still believe he is close to you and always will be. You two have an amazing bond, I'm sure of it!

I'm SO excited to watch you this Christmas. I can't wait for you to see what Santa brings. I know you're going to love Christmas this year. I am also excited for you to show off your new skills to all of our family back in Utah who just don't get to see you that often. We get to leave for Utah in just ONE WEEK!! Daddy and I are so excited to go home.

You also popped out two more teeth. You have been a drooly mess lately because of it. You also don't sleep so great at night because I think your little mouth hurts. Sorry sweetheart!

Well, little twinkle toes, you are such a joy! We just love you to pieces and pieces.

Loves,

Mom

Dear Scarlet -- 13 months

Dear Scarlet,

Can you believe it? You're 13 months old and living in California. I feel like since we moved, you have grown exponentially. You are everywhere and into everything. You have the desire to climb on anything elevated. If it's off the ground, you have to be on top. Maybe that's an indication of who you will be in the future? In charge and confident.

You have popped out 4 new teeth. It was only a slight struggle to get them out, but you handled it like a champ!

I'm loving watching you grow and change. You have the funnest personality! I'd say you're just like your daddy. That's a good thing.

You are "talking" like crazy. You love to say, "tickle, tickle, tickle," "Bella," and many more.

We took you to the ocean soon after we moved here. You thought it was great. You chased the water as it receded. Once it came after you though, you decided the ocean wasn't so great anymore.

Oh Scarlet, you are beautiful. Keep giving me snuggles and kissy kisses okay?

Loves,

Mommy

Dear Scarlet -- 1 year

Dear Scarlet,

Today, you are a year old! My little 3 pound 12 ounce baby girl has grown into a whopping 15 pound 4 ounce little toddler. I remember the day you were born very well. In some ways it seems like it was just yesterday. It was such a rush. You came sooner than we wanted, but thankfully you were a fighter. You were born just two minutes after your brother, and you were much bigger than he was. You were the most beautiful baby in the entire world. You made me so happy. You still do.

I didn’t get to see you the day you were born for a really long time. I kept Kingston with me for quite a few hours because I knew that was all the earthly time I would have with him. I knew you were well taken care of by all the loving nurses and doctors in the NICU. Once Kingston left, I got to go see you. My heart melted. You were mine forever.

There was not a day that went by that you did not smile. You have always been the happiest baby! You have definitely brought so much joy into our home.

As a one year old, you love to eat. I don’t think you have a particular favorite food, you just like everything. We call you the garbage disposal because you just eat and eat. You’d think with all you eat that you would be a little bigger, but you’re not. You’re still very petite.

You are still in size 2 diapers and wear 6 month clothes. Some of your clothes are still 3-6 months. Like I said, you’re still very tiny. Your weight doesn’t even register on the charts yet. You are in the 0th percentile and always have been!

You are extremely active. You scoot-crawl everywhere and stand up next to anything you can. You will then traverse all along the furniture or walls and explore your world.

You and Bella are getting along great. You're sleeping well and learning to speak.

My mind is still in shock that you are a year old. How did that time pass so quickly? You are the most amazing child I have ever laid eyes on. I can hardly wait for all of our adventures in the future.

Love you forever and ever,

Mom