La la la Lion ::

I have been having some issues with these letters.  I have made a bunch in advance of how many I have posted, such that now I want to go back and revisit some of the "older" letters.  For instance, the first few were simple little things I did in less than 5 minutes while painting with the kids.

Later versions I was trying to get more accuracy... but here's the thing: I do not like perfectly accurate drawings.  Don't get me wrong, I think they are impressive and can be quite beautiful.  But they simply do not resonate with me.

I checked a book out from the library a few months ago about drawing that helped me to hone in on this issue.  It described learning to draw as a transition from symbolic to accurate representations.  And the whole book was about increasing accuracy.  I would read through it page by page and become increasingly irritated at the snobbishness of the author.  How the whole idea was to eliminate the symbolic remnants of the drawing style.  When the whole time I am crying out inside, but I like those!

So if this is making any sense, the whole point is that I am trying to walk a line between recognizable accuracy and symbolism - so that I can make the image more fun, more lovable, more me somehow.

And I have to go back to A.  That alligator just doesn't cut it for me.  Maybe an anteater instead....

Seventeen Months

Just a moment ago, walking barefoot in the house, I stepped on something icky. Turns out it was two little raisins stuck there on my toepad. This made me smile.

Little things, miss June, are my favorite things. You have a new love of raisins. I have a love of any food you will cram into your mouth in big handfuls. You also love blueberries: frozen, fresh, or dried. And cherry tomatoes. Each of these items you call "buoys." I could listen to you say that all day. It started with the blueberries. Which you called boo-buoys. Now it has morphed and all little sweet round things are buoys.

Your language use is out of this world. I can't keep track of individual words anymore, there are too many. But I like your little "isms" and I'll try to record them here. The biggest marvel is that this month you started using sentences. More accurately, you started asking questions. "What is that?"
"Who is that?"
We were stunned at first. Could you really be asking questions? And you are persistent. For example, looking at the side of the Huggies box you were speaking and I wasn't listening closely. I said, "yes, that's a baby." And you insisted. "What IS THAT?" And lo and behold there is a tiny little mickey mouse there on the box. So I told you what it was. This is what I mean about persistence.

You also do a lot of word pairing. "Mommy - shoe - on." Things like that.

And the concept "bye-bye" has reached a new level. You've said it for a long time. But now it is a point of comprehension, where we can say, "time to go bye-bye" or "say bye-bye to the kitty" and then you won't cry when we leave. You seem to get it now, whereas before, it was just a reason to get mad when we pulled you away from something. I really like this development.

Sleep: we've had some ups and downs this month. You are getting your first cuspid and it has been a major PAIN. Which means poor sleep. But you seem better the last few days.

You still love toothbrushes. And coloring. And books. You know the names of many of your books. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" is "pillar." "Moo Baa Lalala" you sing out when you see the cover. And you'll carry "Hop on Pop" to me twenty times a day. You learned to say cactus from that book, which I think is very useful here in Tucson. We go for walks now and you see them and say "cactus. no-no." Thank goodness.

As for me, I still ache for you when we are apart. Sometimes it is strong, just like in the very beginning when you were new. It is hard to be apart from your bright smile and your hugs. Your sense of humor. And you are like part of my own body, I go semi-paralyzed when we're apart. Or perhaps it is like a ghost limb, calling me. Whatever it is, it is real and I love you baby.

One of my favorite things is to watch you dance. You love reggae. You stand up, you sway your hips. You smile. I want to cherish these times where you lack self-consciousness about things like this. Please let that be for a long time. I never let on my own inhibitions and find myself dancing with you in public places, hoping not to squelch your expression, your happiness.

You love to make us laugh. Two things you do: strain your arms and neck like a body builder, grinning. This busts us up. You also started this new game I don't want to encourage, where you lightly slap your own face and say "Ow!" So silly.

You've learned to say "bluck" when you look at a tissue after you get your nose wiped.

In the car, we turn up songs like this one by Kanye, and we dance with our arms and smile. And my heart can't take so much joy.

Darling, life would be very empty without you. Happy 17 months my big girl!

Love,
Mom

PS If anyone likes to eat green curry, here is how I make mine. Jen saw my dinner photo on flickr so I posted how I make it.

Sixteen Months Old

Dearest June, Where does the time go?

You have been growing so much lately. Getting taller, eating tons of food. Last night we tried grapes and you could actually chew them, finally.

You and I went on a trip to Oregon last weekend. (Mommy was hoping to get a job, but alas, was not selected.) We had a fun time anyway, visiting family. On the airplane you really wanted to sit in your own seat, without Mommy holding you in place.

This morning you ate crackers for breakfast. You ask for crackers all the time, and you agree that even dehydrated fruit or peas can be crackers. I like this. And you ate your breakfast astride your riding lion.

Today, your Daddy is listening to Desmond Tutu speak in Minneapolis. This is very cool and perhaps someday you will appreciate it. He will be attending a workshop as well that Desmond Tutu is running and everyone works in small groups. I can't wait to hear all about it.

But this post is about YOU my love. I would like to share some of your recent words:

bear
toy
yummy ("ummy")
yucky ("ucky")
cold
hot
down
off (you've been saying this awhile now)
out (you've been saying this awhile now too)
Shorty ("orty" - our dog)
button

You can say the words for and identify every single part of your face (except eyebrows which we haven't taught you yet.) My favorite is "tongue" because each time we play that game we stick our tongues out at each other.

You have a song you sing: diddle diddle diddle doo! diddle diddle diddle doo! And the doo! is a high pitched sound like you are mimicking a robot or something.

You are a sweet and snuggly girl. We still nurse every day, though mostly at night to sleep and during sleep. You still sleep with Mommy and Daddy, though we have a toddler bed for you. Now all we use your big girl bed for is reading to you at night. You love climbing into it and I think that soon it will be where you sleep.

We haven't yet had your 15 month doctor's appointment! The doctor rescheduled on us, then we rescheduled. I'll have to post later all the details about just how big you are.

Sometimes you string words together like: "no, cold." Or, "Hi Debbie."

I hope you can see how much you loved the swings in Lithia Park, in Ashland. This was your first time in the swings and I appreciated the way that big jacket stuffed you into the swing like a sausage. I'm always worried about you getting hurt.

You've been mostly healthy this month, though have had a stuffy/runny nose for the last week or so.

We miss Daddy, but he'll be home soon.

Love,
Mom

P.S. Mommy looks a lot like her Mommy, Nana Becky, in this photo.