Dear Tuckypoo,
Tomorrow you will officially be one-and-a-half years old! You’re growing up so fast! Just last night, on the phone, I said, “say grrr” AND YOU DID! I was so excited because we’ve been working on this as often as we can – which is never enough – because our time together is too limited being that we’re in different states. (Boo!). Of course the reason for the “grr” work is to teach you to say “grr-am-ee” so you can call me by name. (Something you’d already be doing if South Carolina and Georgia would relocate!). Once you learn to say Grammie, we’ll move on to Gramps – even though he wants you to call him Papa like “pah-puh” or, something funny you make up yourself. (Which you may also do for me if I should be so lucky.)
Last weekend we were there for a visit and you were so much fun! We played with your big Lego blocks and then you and Grampy went outside to do some water sports! You wore your tiny diaper (it was hot) and held a bucket while Grampy filled it with water from the hose. As soon as your bucket got an inch of water, you’d dump it! Nobody but you and I know that’s exactly what we were doing when I bathed you the night before! You had a little cup in there, with all these other toys your mom and dad lavished on you, and a small jug. Every time I filled the jug with water and began slowly pouring it out, you’d quickly stick your tiny cup under it to catch the water and pour it out. Over and over and over! It got to where I was racing to fill the jug! You must know by now, you LOVE water! You’re even taking swimming lessons already! Daddy says you blew bubbles under water already!!!
You did something else I just can’t get over last week! Daddy sent me and Gramps a video from your school. A lady (with her back toward the camera) held up a wooden cow and asked you, “What does the cow say?” You looked up, saw the cow and said, “k-ow-ow.” Now the sounds you said were only fairly clear and the lady said something like, “Thats right. It’s a cow. What does the cow say?” And, YOU SAID, “mmmm-oo!” I’ve replayed that video so many times to hear you say “mmmm-oo with the second cutest little voice I’ve ever heard in the whole wide world!!!
Now, I need to talk to you about a few serious things about your growing up stuff. One thing is that last night I saw you pull this trick you have going with your daddy. I’m pretty sure you do it to your mommy too but, I just haven’t seen it as much. So, we’re on the phone and you’re sitting on the sofa drinking milk from your bottle then all of the sudden, you put your bottle down, stand up, turn around, reach down for your bottle, pick it up, hold it over the back of the couch and open your tiny fingers to let it drop on the floor – on purpose! (Daddy’s back there so you want him to see it clearly.) Next, you start crying!!! Again, on purpose! From some points of view, this is sort of funny but, in a weird way. It’s funny because you’re so young and small and concocting such plans with your new parents but, it’s not so funny when you get big enough to understand it from their point of view. Here’s the serious part: you’re going to have to start getting it back yourself! If you drop it, you need to pick it up! You’re smart enough and big enough to do it now. It’s just part of growing up!
The other thing is your pacifier. It’s been great but, it’s time to say “bye-bye!” Pacifiers are for babies! You’re a tiny toddler who can run, blow bubbles underwater and say mmmm-oo now! As you learn to live without your bah-bahs, remember we all had to do it and there will still be ice cream!
That’s it my beautiful growing grandson! HAPPY ONE-AND-A-HALF-YEAR-OLD BIRTHDAY TOMORROW!!!! Me and Grampie are very proud of you and will LOVE YOU FOREVER!
XOOOOOOOOOOOOX,
Grammie M
Notes From Your Dad 