Dear Sophia-

This is my letter to you on your one year birthday - just a bit late. I just put you down for your afternoon nap later than usual and you were tired so you didn't dry too long, but upon realization that it was THAT TIME you did your current usual protest - declaring in no uncertain terms that this is not what you want by speaking phrases like "Why do I have to have a nap? I don't want to take a nap, it's not fair that I have to take a nap!" but only using the syllable bruh. The inflection and tone make the meaning perfectly clear, and it's terribly endearing. I really want to record the sound or video before the moment is gone and you start actually speaking words. I imagine soon it will just be "no no no no no no no no."
Before your nap we were hanging out in the backyard on blankets with Grandma. You were hard at work at clearing the land so we could plant our crops (pulling the grass out by the roots) and letting us know when every seaplane or jet was coming (pointing in the air and saying Uh! which we returned with "Airplane!") and having a great time. 95% of the time you are so happy and it is so much fun to be with you. On days like today when I have only had 4 hours of sleep (plus nap, thank you Mom for watching Sophia) because I worked the night before and then got up at 5:20 with you, the 5% cranky times are hard to take. I have to admit that I just don't like to be smacked in the face when I am trying to catnap at 7:30 in the morning on the cold living room floor - I guess I have to learn to deal.
I want so much to write down all the amazing things that you do so we will never forget them, and there are so many! Even now my brain is seizing up trying to sort them all out... maybe I need to focus on the ones that make me have those intense feelings of abdominal, I mean abominable snowman squeezing and patting...
well first of all I love the way you eat. I know that sounds completely silly, but it's true. Not only do you make this loud close-mouthed yumyumyum noise while you are eating something enjoyable, you also have the cutest little smacks and your lips are beautifully rosy and pouty. I sound like the most annoying mom who thinks her child is perfect. oh dear. Watching you eat strawberries is great because you ram them into your mouth like a log going into a chipper, with the yumyumyum noise and the pushing of the berry further and further in as the initial parts are decimated (quickly) - it's hilarious, and so much fun to watch you getting so much enjoyment.
Right now you are very keen on walking around the house carrying at least three if not four items in your arms. It had been one and then two, but you have graduated to three and its onward to four. Of course this often means extended rests while you are bent over trying to pick up one item that was dropped and then dropping another and another as you pick up the lost one. It's an art - gathering the items up so that they all fit and don't cause another to be loosened from the grip. Often the walking part is accompanied by the yah yah yah song.
And the pulling and pushing toys are big right now.
I think I am going to have to do a letter part two so that i don't overrun your naptime.
Just a reminder that this obsessive detailing of your life is part of how we show our love for you.
-Mom