It is October 10, 2020 and tomorrow you will be 16 months old.  Your Mommy got sick and had to leave us just months ago.  I have been helping to take care of you and now Daddy is back at work and we have been together 5 days a week from 7am until 5pm.  These are the most precious hours of every day for me.  I love you so much.

We are having a lot of fun together – we laugh a lot, hug a lot and there are a lot of kisses!!  Yummmm!!  We often take a car ride to parks and sometimes take a social distance walk with friends.  

This week you learned to smell – your favourite book is Pat the Bunny and you like to smell the flowers on one of the pages.   You can read this book on your own because you know it so well.  Pat the bunny, peek a boo, smell the flowers, look in the mirror and read the book.  We found a candle that I gave your Mommy on a shelf behind a picture and you loved the smell so much, you licked it.  It’s Spartaberry from Sparta Candles and I absolutely love the scent too.  At the park you were picking and smelling flowers.You love Peek-a-boo.  It’s sure to make you smile and laugh.  You have a few other favourites and these past few days you really want to read a lot.

You learned to colour this week.  I have started a craft basket for you.  You like to hold a few crayons at time after you empty out the whole the box, colour a bit  while watching me closely and then you start putting the crayons back in the box.  I think you are learning some tidying up tricks from your Bubby because you like to take things out of their storage box and then put them back.  You are learning early that Bubby doesn’t like clutter.  Your favourite things are your musical instruments, your Lego Duplo blocks, your crayons and sketch pad, books, your toy kitty that meows and walks,  and that Bunny that sings “Do Your Ears Hang Low”.  You like to help me fold the laundry and put clothes in your dresser drawers.  Yesterday you took the laundry basket and started up the stairs with it.  You are my best Helper!! 

Auntie Paula went to the Rosetta McLean park with you and I this week.  When we got home there were 2 parcels at the door and Auntie Paula asked you if you could pick them up for Bubby.  You bent down, picked them up and carried them into the house and then passed them to me. You are so clever my little bunny.  You understand everything.  When I ask if you are hungry, you head to your high chair.  Is your diaper wet? You head to your change table. Ready to go out? Off you go the door?  Want to play downstairs? You go to the basement door.  Outdoor shoes? Indoor shoes? You sit down to get them on.  Well you usually start putting them on yourself.  Want to watch cartoons? You sit in your arm chair and get comfortable.  I am so proud of you as you learn and learn and learn!!

We had our first music class this season with Josie from “Music Together”.  Thanks Josie so much for gifting us this session.  When you were a teeny baby Mommy took you to their Sticks program and this time we are in the Bongo one. Fun!!!  You love to dance and now are learning to sing too,  In the tub you line your little fish up and then get them to dance and you sing do, do, do (Baby Shark).  Unfortunately Auntie Raya says Bubby does not have the correct melody or beat down but we don’t care and Auntie is promising to buy us the CD!  Your Mommy loved to dance to all kinds of music.  Auntie Raya remembers her always dancing and singing.  Leanne remembers Mommy dancing as she got ready to go out and then when she arrived at the party.  Jasmin told Bubby “YES she loved to dance!!! Whether it was being silly and singing in the kitchen, lip syncing in the car, or dancing while laying in bed with her legs in the air! Also had so much fun getting all dressed up and dancing at night clubs (back in the day! Ha!). So many memories dancing together.” One New Year’s Eve Mommy’s wish for everyone was Health,Happiness and Dancing.  She’d be very happy to see you dancing and singing.  We will do more and more. There are so many videos of Mommy dancing for us to watch together.

You are getting a new molar this week and you weren’t feeling 100 percent yesterday.  When you woke from your nap you cried out but when I came into your room, you wanted a bit more lounging time so I sat in the big rocking lounger and we chatted. You had rosie cheeks.  You have a mouthful of teeth and a couple of molars already but there are more to come.  We had a lot of extra snuggles and cuddles and a more subdued chat with Auntie Raya.  One of your favourite things is a video chat with Auntie Raya.  It is guaranteed to bring on big smiles and lots of kisses to the screen.

Last week you peed on the potty.  Bubby was so excited that I told everyone and even made a Facebook post.  We sing “Openings” the new release by our friend Shoshanah Jedwab and “Pee Pee on the Potty” which may be a Bubby original but probably not.  Shoshana even mentioned us at her launch party on zoom. You peed on the potty again this week as well as once on the playroom floor. That’s okay -we have plenty of cloths, water and soap for cleaning it up.

You love your food – your Mommy loved good food and so does your Bubby.  Since Daddy went back to work, he has been making a big container of berries and grapes.  If you see the container, you want some.  It’s your favourite.  You love FRESH fruit and vegetables the most. We went apple picking with Auntie Raya, Uncle Ben and Oscar and you LOVE apples a lot.  If you have one – you eat it all up non stop!!  Probably sweet potatoes are your most favourite vegetable and this month you have had cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, celery, red peppers, mushrooms, and spaghetti squash.  You like peanut butter toast a lot, oatmeal with blueberries, oatmeal pancakes, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, eggs ( egg salad, hard boiled, fried, scrambled with cheese).  You love muffins – even the almond ones I overcooked and you love the cornbread muffins from Aunt Paula and the banana blueberry ones from Gramma.  When we visited Auntie Raya for Rosh Hashana you had so many delicious foods that she made for you and you loved it all. 

Daddy and I are determined to teach you what we mean when we say NO but you are pretty strong willed so we have our work cut out for us.  We don’t want you climbing up the stairs on your own or going on to the road when we are walking even though that gravel is soooooooo tempting.  You are strong willed like your Mommy.  At the same time you have her sweet, loving and kind ways.  You have her quick and beautiful smile and your eyes light up and sparkle like hers did.  You are so clever and show us you have a mind of your own.  We will all teach you that you can do anything you set your mind to.  

Harper Rose Vered – I love you soooooooooooooooo much.