Dear Little Baby Cheeky Robot, eh, eh I mean Henry, For about three months we've seeing signs that you've been missing Daddy terribly when he is at work. It started with rejecting Daddy some and then it went to rejecting me once Daddy arrived home. You stopped wanting Mama to sit in the room with you at bed time and you begged for Daddy. You were asking to go see Daddy during the day. If one of his forks is left in the sink you suggest that we take it over to him. If you find a pencil you fear he forgot it. You tell me you want him to just come on home from work early. You bring him drinks of water and hold the straw pinched between your little fingers of one hand and the cup with the other hand so it is easier for him to take a drink. You enjoy going outside and playing catch with him or batting at the ball with him. You throw your arm around your best bud's neck as you ride on his arm rest. When he arrives home you run to him and stay by his side all night long, only allowing him to read stories or watch Kipper with you at night. You beg to "sleep in our room on a pallet." Today you insisted on napping in our bed on Daddy's side. Dinners are starting to only be successful if Daddy feeds you like a backhoe or a race car. One night you went as far as begging him to sit next to your bed as you fell asleep while keeping your feet on his chair so he couldn't leave the room! I had to come and put you up on the bed so he could go to bed too! Every evening when Daddy arrives home he brings you M&M's on his lap. You pick each one up and tell him the color then crunch it in your mouth. If any of this ritual deviates he is not happy. For so long Daddy thought you liked this routine because of the candy.
It is clear the candy is a bonus but is the time connecting with Daddy everyday you are really seeking. We've been working on ways for you to express your emotions lately. Since we've made a concerted effort you've cut down on saying, "I don't love you Mommy!" and have started saying, "I am mad because I didn't want you to move me away from the hamper, I was hiding in there from Daddy."
All this work came in handy this week when you told Daddy a story about what you wanted him to tell you a story about. As you laid down for bed and begged for a story Daddy asked if you, "What do you want a story about." You replied, "I want a story about Big Daddy Cheeky Robot and Little Baby Cheeky Robot and how Little Baby Cheeky Robot sometimes cries and is sad when Big Daddy Cheeky Robot goes to work." Daddy and I melted. Daddy asked, "Does Big Daddy Cheeky Robot come home?" You said, "Yes, but he wants him to just stay home with him." I love Daddy too, so I really understand missing him during the day. He does always come home. Love, Mama
Dear Peep, It was such a wonderful experience for you when our friends Joe, April and Willie visited from Dayton. You had an older buddy to look up to and to play with. You immediately showed him your room and you set about taking cars back to play on your road rug. You both decided you wanted to go outside and play so you allowed Willie to drive you around in your powerwheels we scored at a garage sale for 10 bucks! You followed each other around at Cascades playground and had to sit next to him at dinner. While walking to our cars after dinner it was cold out and you allowed Willie to use your blanket to get back to his car!!! That's big! At bed time you wanted him to sleep in your room and offered up your taun taun sleeping bag. The two of you went on an hour and a half or more read-a-thon! I said, "Man! You guys are wasted on books!" You couldn't get enough! A few days later you kept asking when Willie was going to come back. Yesterday morning you declared you were going to have a band with "Willie Dog." You shared so nicely and find fun and fast way to become friends. I admire that quality in both of you sweet young boys.
It was great visiting with friends and seeing you hold your own with an older kid. I hope we can all get together again soon. You've got a new bud to visit! Love, Mama
Dear Peep, I started this post two months ago. I was so consumed with love for you when writing it I couldn't finish it. I have yet to post of the things I mention below...time whittles on whether or not I get around to a post. When I miss getting up big ones I feel down as f I am failing the record. Perhaps a few sappy posts about absolutely nothing are important too. __________________________________________ I want to make posts tonightof events and experiences that you've had lately, like our Foldenauer family reunion, Ariya Rose (Jim and Nissy's baby girl! born a couple of months ago), the county and state fairs, going swimming at the reservoir with Lily and Brook, not to mention that I have yet to finish documenting our St. Louis trip nor have I completed my alphabet posts.....but alas, tonight I won't take care of any of those posts because I have other things on my mind. The couple of weeks before the summer cools down and fall colors itself in I always feel nostalgic. This year I am thinking of how the coming of September marks the halfway mark that we get to spend our days together in their entirety. Don't get me wrong, this is not a tally to freedom but a tally of the inevitable, kindergarten. Perhaps you have forgotten the YEARS (7.5) that we waited and dreamed of you being with us...I mean we practically conjured a child into fruition with our extensive imaginative stories of "when we have a little Henry he will do this and we will be all like that and then we will..." The magnitude of the trust and the choice by your birth parents for Daddy and I to be your parents is never far from my soul, coupled with the years of wait and wonder, every day is a present and a reminder that someday you will be grown up and living your own life. These sweet first years before expectations, self consciousness and life have yet to murky your view of your parents and yourself are swiftly ticking by. Tonight I was working to calm you before bedtime and we made our way to youtube to listen to some soothing lullabies.
The last month or so your sweetness and need for me have intensified. You've become gentle and more expressive about your love for Mommy and Daddy. Tonight I was overwhelmed. It started with the first video we watched. A pretty rendition of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star set to a video of an owl that flies high into the night to meet a star, as they meet they gaze at each other and reach out to touch the other's hand. In turn, you reached out to touch my hand.
Your eyes rolled back as El Condor Pasa played and your once little body has inflated and filled my lap completely now, with poking elbows and drooling mouth. Where did all that bone and muscle come from? It really is as if each new turn I loose you only to get the opportunity to know another little boy that stretches out your skin, is funnier than the last, and thoughtful. I mentioned before there are a pile of Henry's in my heart. It's true. There is baby Henry that peed all down my shirt after his first bath, strong baby that pushed the bowling pin (5 weeks)
over with his head over and over again, one year old Henry walking and talking(10 months), and 2 and a half year old Henry that talks, sings and devours books. I love them all, though one does not follow the other as time marches on. So today I will savor the simple fun we had walking to the IU student Union to play pinball and air hockey, eating popcorn samples, hiding out in the old phone booths eating frozen yogurt with rainbow sprinkles and when finished you asked me to fly you through the building as fast as I could. I am pretty sure most of that Henry will be gone by 13, but the love we are building and the spirit of fun and happiness will only grow. Love,
Mama
Dear Little Baby Cheeky Robot, eh, eh I mean Henry, 
When he arrives home you run to him and stay by his side all night long, only allowing him to read stories or watch Kipper with you at night. You beg to "sleep in our room on a pallet." Today you insisted on napping in our bed on Daddy's side. Dinners are starting to only be successful if Daddy feeds you like a backhoe or a race car. One night you went as far as begging him to sit next to your bed as you fell asleep while keeping your feet on his chair so he couldn't leave the room! I had to come and put you up on the bed so he could go to bed too! Every evening when Daddy arrives home he brings you M&M's on his lap. You pick each one up and tell him the color then crunch it in your mouth. If any of this ritual deviates he is not happy. For so long Daddy thought you liked this routine because of the candy. 
