Lesson #17: Expect the Unexpected

Dear Baby,

I'm a planner. I take great comfort in planning and scheduling. Because, for me, in a world of unknowns I like to know what I'm doing tomorrow, and next week, and next month, etc. Not sure what you'll be like yet. But this behavior of mine is something that, by the time you read this, you are not at all surprised by. Now, here's the kicker about planning. Things, no matter how much I try, don't always go according to plan. Now, this used to make me nuts. But then I "planned" to always expect things to not go according to plan. I still plan. I still hope when I plan that things will go according to that plan. But if they don't I'm okay with it. Now, I roll with it. Because I already planned to in the first place.

Last year was your first Christmas. And on the Sunday following Thanksgiving, we went to The Grove to the magical Santa House to meet Santa for the first time. I planned on us getting there right at 11am when the mall and Santa's House opened. But my plan was thwarted as people started lining up early. We waited for almost two hours to see Santa. It ended up being worth it. We (your Abuela, Abuelo, dad and I--you call them Abu-dab-a-dee, by the way) all drank coffee and told funny stories about meeting Santa when we were kids. And after we went to the yummy FARM to eat brunch. It was lovely. But I vowed that next year we would get there early.

So, true to form, this year I planned. We would pick up my folks at 10am. We would be at the mall by 10:30am. We would be ready. And that's what we did. And at 11:15am, we saw Santa (the same Santa as last year, by the way, which is cool when the mall can do that--wait, do you know about Santa yet? I mean, uh, how Santa has "helpers" that help him at Christmas. See me in person to get more details). So, yeah, 11:15 we see Santa. And at 11:30 we were seated at the FARM. All according to plan...except...this year you can walk and you got tired of waiting in line. So, by the time we got up to see Santa you were over it. You cried. You freaked. Getting that picture was a miracle. But we got it. Next year? Well, I'll plan on us looking at the cool fountain that has choreographed gysers. You dig that fountain. And then I'll have your dad call us when we are next in line. Next year I will plan better.

But last year, this year...I'll tell you one thing about them both. Despite the surprises, they were perfect because they were with you. I mean, I expected to love you baby, I did. But you surprised me by being the greatest little baby ever. And I remember sitting as a pregnant lady and looking at my big belly and I wondered who you would be. And I'm so glad that that baby I dreamed of is you. Sometimes the unexpected is better than you ever could have planned for.

Love, Mom

Lesson #16 Chin Up

Dear Baby,

I am pretty good about researching.  Not excellent but pretty good.  Before you were born I must have read or skimmed 20+ books about babies and what to expect and what to buy, etc.  I sat down with every woman I knew who had given birth and asked them numerous questions.  I was so ready for your arrival.  Your room was ready.  I had the diapers. The bottles.  The best.  And now that you are almost two years-old, there is more to learn.  More books.  More friends with children that I call upon to make sure I am ready for what comes next.

So...what comes next is potty training.  It begins at around two years-old.  So, I've started to gather my research, thinking that I have a few months to prepare.  But tonight you come to your daddy and pat your bum and point at the toilet.  We were both stunned.  Could it be?  Were you telling us that you were ready to pee on the potty?  So, off goes the diaper and there you are...all twenty-seven pounds of you...sitting on the big toilet.  And before we knew it...you were peeing.  It was beyond exciting!  So, we get you a toddler toilet.  And you have already christened it!  And before bed you proudly peed in the toilet and then stood to look at your pee, proudly.  As you were looking at your pee and your dad and I did a happy dance you took a dump on the floor.  Awesome.  We all had a good laugh.  

So, I guess the lesson tonight is this...when you do something awesome you need to hold your head up high.  Be proud!  Even if what follows is shit.

Love, Mom