Dear Mack - Month 20

Dear Mack-a-nudo,

Last week you were 20 months old. I am late with this update, but given our current daily schedule and how jam-packed each and every day is from the moment we wake up until the moment our heads hit their respective pillows...I am happy I managed to get this done at all! I can hardly believe you are 20 months, but every day I see the toddler developing into a little boy right before my eyes and know that it is true.

It is worth noting that this month you have also gone through some sort of crazy ramped up growth spurt because you have been a bottomless pit for food. You will eat your food, demand more, eat off anyone else's plates, say that you are all done, and then three minutes later be back to asking for an apple, cucumber or some other edible item.

And speaking of food, right now, you also insist on having a plate for all your food. I think it's because all the rest of us eat off plates, and you're very into doing what we do, but if I try to put your food directly on a table tray like you were some kind of baby, you refuse to touch it. You also want nothing to do with plastic beginner forks. You want a real silver fork, preferably sharp enough to poke your eye out. And apparently the little baby cutlery is just not getting the job done anymore in your eyes.

You can really run fast now and are now up to owning 5 pairs of shoes that are in very heavy rotation daily. This makes for some fun chases around the house in the evening.

It seems over the last few weeks you have also gotten a good bit taller as suddenly there are new shelves and surfaces you can reach. You are becoming such a big kid. At least, you think you are. And in your opinion, as such, you should have, at minimum, a cell phone as cool as your mommas. Little do you know that in a few short days, on our airline trip to Texas you will be the proud owner of the fully app-ed out, video loaded itouch. I am not sure how many under two own their own itouch, but I certainly dont want you breaking my iphone, and the itouch is smaller/lighter than a DVD player and I dont have to carry the videos and all in all, it seems like a more than adequate item to keep you occupied for most of the trip (fingers crossed). Although I have decided that you cant be the only toddler playing with an itouch, as there are literally hundreds of games and apps geared toward the toddler set. I think I just may be one of the only ones willing to admit that I would spend that kind of money to keep you occupied in an enclosed space for more than 3 hours. And if it works...it will so be worth it.

Also this month you have taken an interest in tending house. You are becoming quite handy at tidy-ing up around here which is a good thing given that you are responsible for most of the messes. Dustbuster, sweeping, trash duty. To you, housekeeping, apparently, is important business. It is a shame that this fascination is not likely going to last into your teen years, when you could actually be helpful in this area.

You also have developed an interest in TV. Now, I admit that I tried to keep you mostly away from the TV up until Radley was born and I needed it to keep you occupied while I tended to your brothers newborn needs, but also I like TV. We are a TV house, and eventually I just let it go. I do try to keep you to an hour or 2 a day though and on that I have been very successful. Lately, you have taken to bringing me the remotes and demanding that I get on the Backyardigans or Dora.

Despit your newfound enjoyment of TV, you are becoming my role model for energy and enthusiasm. You can go and go and go endlessly it seems.

The best thing about you this month is how much you anticipate the end of my workday. It is the absolute highlight of your day and mine, for that matter. As soon as you hear my office door open, you start running so fast so that you can come to me and squeal in delight. You actually have fallen flat out a few times you are running so hard as if you cant get to me fast enough. I must admit that I love getting such a rock star reception. I just melt when you jump up in my arms and let me hug and kiss you. It's awesome. However within minutes and sometimes seconds, you then immediately start demanding milk and crackers and fruit and all the other things you apparently think I carry around in my pockets at all times. But it is still a sweet moment in every day. Thanks for that.

I love you,
Mommy