Holy Hannah!  You cracked me up the first time I heard you say it!  I realize I say it more than I was aware.  You are an adorable parrot which reminds all of us to watch our tongues.  It is December 2021 and you are officially 2 ½ years old.  You are determined, kind and compassionate, clever, talkative, fun and soooooooo full of love. For months I have gone in your room and said Good morning, Bunny Rabbit or Good morning kitten.  The other day I said hey Chickadee and you told me, “I not Chickadee, I Harper!”  That got me calling you all kinds of names just to hear you say it again. 

Last month Daddy told us that you are going to have a baby brother.  The baby is due in March just a few months before you will be 3. You are looking forward to it and love to tell everyone (even the mailman).  Your innocence helps us all with this complicated situation.  Your Mommy was born just before Auntie Raya turned 3.  They were the best of friends. I know you will be an extraordinary big sister. 

You are doing really well in gymnastics.  You are a big fan of Coach Lisa and love to get her attention.  Your somersaults are really good now, you do your handstand, stand on one foot, swing on the bars and do a great monkey crawl.  You are getting to like the balance beams especially if Coach Lisa gives you a hand.  We go swimming almost every week and you asked for swimming goggles that Uncle Peter and Aunt Paula got you for Chanukah – we will try them out next week. It’s harder to find good and safe activities as this pandemic continues but we’ve also been to the library, a toy store and a couple of shops (you are so good with your mask and sanitizing or washing your hands.

Whenever I bend down to help with your boots, shoes, socks or pants you pat my head and usually tell me you love me. You fill me up with love.  We are quite a team. Truth is you prefer to dress yourself and you are very good at it.  You choose what I can help with – changing shoes if they are on the wrong foot, pulling up your pants at the back, pulling up socks but on your terms.  I do it myself!!

We are still working on potty training.  We will get there sooner than later and you are so proud when you have a success. Funniest thing that I am not sure it got started, is that you put your arms out to the side while sitting on the potty and it often leads to peeing. You are finished with your bottles and our last hurdle will be your soother (dodo, wiggy). You are easy with changes.

You love carrying a toy – car, truck, stuffy, Barbie – anything as long as you have something in hand.  If we forget something at one house, you are quick to chose a replacement.  Of course, you are blessed to have an abundance of toys.

Like the Ruch’s you love your food.  Currently your favourite fruits are apples, pears, grapes, clementines and pomegranates. You love cheese and your favourites are Laughing Cow, Havarti, Cheddar, and Cottage.  You love Greek yogurt and had some fruit bottom lately and it was a big hit especially in an individual container.  You like avocados, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, red peppers, and cabbage.  Rice, breads, bagels, noodles, tuna, chicken are staples that you enjoy.  Your favourite food is cookies so I try to make healthy ones for you and with you.  I love feeding you.  I love introducing something new and watching how much you enjoy it.  You are so curious and you watch my every move.  I slurp my coffee when it is very hot and I captured a video of you imitating me.  Hilarious and precious.

You are still napping most days and you sleep soundly for 2 hours and probably longer but I wake you up after that.  You don’t really appreciate that but I let you take your time getting out of your big girl bed. You’ve been out of your crib for several weeks and you adapted to that quickly.  You can open doors and have already gone into Daddy’s room to wake him up.  You can turn on lights by holding up a doll or toy to reach the switch. 

You really show more compassion than I would expect from a toddler.  You are even tempered and gentle like your Mommy was.  She was a peacemaker and always looking for the middle ground.  I was on the phone the other day and I was getting frustrated by some appalling customer service.  When I hung up, you said, “ what you talking like that, Bubby?”  You have really good fine motor skills.  When you eat your cereal, you scoop up the cereal and milk on your spoon with your right hand and hold your left hand up to catch the drips. I am continually amazed at your eye for details.  You seem to notice everything.

 When we are together at my house, I really love lighting candles with you at Shabbat and at the holidays.  You watch me closely and try to repeat the Hebrew Blessings.  You bring the light towards you 3 times and then cover your eyes. For Chanukah we lit our candles every day and we went to visit Auntie Raya, Uncle Ben and Cousin Oscar for 4 days.

We went by train and you were so good and really easy to travel with. 

You are crazy for your cousin Oscar.  You love to play with him, watch shows with him and just be wherever he is.  I see some great adventures in our future, Chickadee!! (lol)  The week before Chanukah we spent a few days at Uncle Peter and Aunt Paula’s.  They took us to a farm on a very cold day!!  You loved every minute of it. We also visited Great Bubby and she took you for another ride on her walker!

Harper, you are always squirreling things away. You like to fill little pockets, move stuff from one container to another, hide things under the cupboards – our new wagon has a few pockets and when we got to the playground, I saw you had filled them with dreidles and stones from my collection.  You love my collection of stones and head to them as soon as you are in the door.  You always find a stone you like when we are out.  I call you a baby witch and remind you that I am a good witch.  

Yup, I really love you, Chickadee!!