My darling baby girl, I haven’t written a letter to you for a long time. Your 2nd birthday passed without an update but you and I both know that never a day passes without taking photos and videos and sharing them with Daddy, Grandma, Auntie Raya and usually Auntie Linda and Great Bubby. I want you to have lots of memories of our time together and also to share our fun times with everyone.
This summer you had a few cottage holidays. We went to a beautiful cottage with Auntie Raya, Uncle Ben and Cousin Oscar. We swam for hours in the pool everyday and had so much fun!!! You also went to Grandma and Paw’s cottage with them and Daddy and some friends. You love it there just like your Mommy did.
Shuffleboard at a restaurant near our rental cottage
What are we doing these days? Well most weeks Auntie Paula and Uncle Peter spend a morning with us and we’ve had a few big outings with them. We went apple picking, strawberry picking and pony riding. The pony ride was a gift from your mommy’s good friend Andrea and her son Benjamin. You had a lot of fun feeding the goats there, patting the kitties and riding the pony.
Two weeks ago we started gymnastics classes, my little monkey. You love running and jumping on the jumpoline as you call the trampoline. You are learning to somersault and to do handstands. I think that the trampoline is the next thing for your big backyard. We also started swimming every week in the big pool. With your water wings you are so independent in the water. Swimming and jumping, putting your face in the water and blowing bubbles. Harper, your Mommy would have loved to see you so active and doing the things she loved.
Last winter your Daddy bought you a big Barbie house and you sure love to play with it. “Come to Harper’s room. Play Barbies, Bubby! Please?” Actually you ask everyone – Uncle Peter, Daddy, Grandma – anyone and everyone who comes to visit. You love to read books and you often get into you little armchair and read to yourself or to your little teddy bear. These days little teddy goes everywhere.
You’re very curious these days about Mommy. You kiss her picture good night and you like to hear stories about her too. Lately every game has a Mommy in it – Little teddy/big teddy, little duck/big duck, little piece of a cookie and a big piece cookie. Hi Mommy! It’s ok. You see there are a lot of mommies around and one time at the playground you ran after a woman with a long black pony tail shouting Mommy! You tell us that you were in Mommy’s tummy. You are wondering about the whole concept. You are so loved, my baby girl. You adore your Daddy. Every morning the first thing you say is, “Where Daddy?” You love your big family – Daddy, Grandma and Paw, Auntie Raya and Uncle Ben and Oscar (Oshcar), Uncle Peter and Aunt Paula (Petah and Pawhah), Bubby – you will go to any of us without looking back – running and laughing and big hugs. There are still others that you are comfortable and happy to be around – Great Bubby and Nana, and Uncle Connor. I am probably leaving out someone because you are one very loved little girl.
Hitching a ride with Great Bubby
You are getting to know your neighbours – we call them your friends because Bubby forgets all the names. We love the kids and we LOVE the dogs. We pat them all. You are so gentle and caring around them. You want to hold the leashes, pat their bellies, feed them treats. You adore Murphy at Grandma and Paw’s house.
This summer we spent a lot of time every day outside – we went to beaches around us at Bluffer’s Park and in the Beaches by Bubby’s home. We went to a lot of playgrounds and swinging was your favourite. “Higher Bubby, higher!!”
Your vocabulary is extensive. You can tell what you want and you can tell us stories. You are full of imagination which is evident when we are playing. You love writing on your white board, playing with play doh, playing in your kitchen and making us pretend meals. Our friend Tamar visited us and you two had so much fun making music. You had your recorder and she played on your percussion instruments – you have rhythm and love music and dancing. It’s fun to watch you and Daddy doing the Elmo slide!!
What are you eating these days? The question is what aren’t you eating? You have such a good and healthy appetite. You love fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s been great fun to pick from our little backyard garden (thanks Auntie Raya and Uncle Ben) You love the tomatoes. You love the bagels and the cookies we make together and you love cheese, plain yogurt and cottage cheese. You love animal crackers. You’ve had ice cream a few times. We went to Dairy Queen together last week. On the way home you said, “I tell Daddy I like ice cream” (you called it eye cweem).
These days you are establishing your independence. You like to both dress and undress yourself. You have started going on the potty and you are so proud of yourself as we all are. You know the sensation that you need to go. We took a potty to the park last week and you had to go – we sat it in the public washroom and you peed. I am so proud of you, sweetheart. You are very good at brushing your teeth. We had our first trip to the dentist. You were such a good girl. Sat by yourself and let the hygienist look in your mouth. Then you sat on Bubby and the dentist did her check up. Your teeth are almost all there – just 2 more molars to come in soon. Everyday we have to floss and use the 2 minute timer for brushing. Mommy loved her teeth and took very good care of them. She knew the dentist was very important and now you do too!!
Looking after you is the best!! I wake up every morning feeling excited to get to you and have our adventures. I love your hugs and kisses. I love when you pat me on the head or put your arm around me and say “you’re my best friend”. You say it to others but my heart melts everytime. I love our morning snuggles. I just love you so much. You’re my best friend.
Sixty in the City 