Harper, today is April 21st, 2021.  You are only 22 months old and Mama died one year ago.  You recognize pictures of her because Daddy has made sure you know her.  I tell you that Mama is an angel in Heaven.  She is.  Tonight you are sleeping at Bubby’s for 2 nights.  Daddy stayed home from work today to be with you.  Our hearts are sad because we miss your Mama so much.  She was sweet and kind with a big smile and you are so much like her.  Your smile lights up a room and we all marvel at your beautiful teeth and your eyes that look just like Mama’s. You are our Blessing.

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I love how you are becoming a real person with so much personality.  I love that you are showing your independence and teaching us what you like and don’t like.  I love that you feel safe and confident enough already to ask for what you want and need.  We both love the book Feminist Baby and you are certainly one.  I especially like to ask your opinion by giving you a few choices.  Do you want to wear a dress?  This one or that?  Do you want to choose your outfit?  Which pajamas do you want to wear?  Do you want an egg for lunch or a cheese sandwich?  Peanut butter toast or oatmeal for breakfast?  You are quick to choose and you are very satisfied with your choices.  

When we get dressed in the morning I put you down and suggest you look in the mirror.  The mirror loves you and you love the mirror!!  What a beauty you are.  You were particularly pleased with your pigtails this week.  You appreciate pretty things just like your Mama did.

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You are very caring with stuffed animals and your dolls.  You feed them, put them in the high chair or stroller, bath those that are waterproof, put them to bed, cover them up and carry them around.  You are so kind, so gentle and so caring, my sweet little girl.

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This was a very special month because Auntie Raya came to Toronto and took you to London for several days.  What a time you had!!!  You loved being with Uncle Ben and with Cousin Oscar too.  Auntie told me you would stand at the top of the stairs and call loudly down to your cousin who you call “Aww”.  Uncle Ben is Bee and Auntie is Raya.  Raya was one of your first very clear words.  You can say your name now and you call me Bubby (which makes me crazy happy).  Auntie took a gazillion photos and taught us all the trick to make you smile – just say CHEESE.

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This month I made sure we got out almost everyday and we walk to different parks including the playground.  We got the bird feeder up and the birds are enjoying it as are a few squirrels I think.  My eye is still healing and still has silicone in it so we aren’t driving too far.  On Passover, Uncle Peter and Aunt Paula had us for the second Passover sedar.   While we were visiting your Aunt and Uncle, you sat down at the piano and just started playing as if you had done it your whole life.  That piano was the same one your Mama and Aunt Raya played on.  It was in my home and before that it was in Great Bubby’s house.  It was wonderful to be out for dinner.  Someday that will seem normal to you but now we are over a year in a pandemic. Thankfully, people are being vaccinated and at some point it will be safe to be out again.  I dream of those days and I am making all kinds of plans to show you the world.

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This is a month of milestones!  You have gone to the potty several times and you tell us whenever your diaper is wet or you have gone poo.  You point to your diaper and say pee.  Sometimes it means you want us to put you on your potty and sometimes you want to be changed.  Either way you are in charge and lead us to where you want to go.  Your vocabulary is increasing everyday and most sentences are still 2 words but sometimes 3.  You love your books and we read every day.  You are so like your cousin Oscar in that regard. We also discovered that you have motion sickness which is a family trait going all that way back to your Great Bubby who, by the way, will be 100 years in just a few weeks.