Dear Noah 39 months

Dear Noah,
Hmmm, I don't know if I can keep labeling your letters by month- might have to start doing years and months- like 3 years and 3 months. Lately you've been looking so very big to me. I know, I know OTHER people have always said you are big for your age... it's just lately that I'm seeing it.
You have never been very interested in talking on the phone. This month you jumped at the chance to talk to Emmie. I'm pretty sure the conversation was confusing and maybe boring for Emmie. Any time she made a noise you giggled and when you talked you weren't always that articulate. Needless to say- there was a lot of dead air time but you were not interested in ending the "conversation".

You have suddenly turn into this individual person with stubborn strong opinions that don't always jive with Mommy and Daddy's. It's a good thing- I know- but tricky as we're navigating this new development in our relationship. Thankfully this time of having opinions is also a time when your language is exploding. This is really helpful because it means you can vocalize your wants/needs with words... usually. Sometimes you get frustrated and tell us over and over again what you want- like turning the car around to go back to Grammy's on our way back home- as our explanation- Aunty Chels needs her room back, we don't live there, we need to take care of our animals at home, school is starting soon- are not enough. This has lead to other unexpected experiences also. This month you dashed for a busy Boston street that resulted in a car horn, a shaky Mommy, and a slightly confused Noah. When Daddy asked if Mommy was okay- well, I wasn't and started crying. I don't think you've ever seen me cry before. Daddy handed you back to me and I snuggled with you while you wiped away my tears and said: "stop that! Don't do that!" which we found rather funny. We explained that you scared us very very much and the car could hurt you. Now when you see a car waiting for us to cross the road you ask if it is going to "boom" us.

People have stopped asking if you sleep through the night. Usually you wake up around midnight and I think that's all. Often more than once around midnight. About the time yous settle down to fall back to sleep your sister wakes up. We're all a little tired and cranky but there's a light at the end of the tunnel for sure- at least that's what I keep telling myself.
Your talking is so funny. Some words you say in a Noah way that make us smile like the "po-puter". We don't correct you. You'll figure it out sooner than we realize and right now it's fun to just enjoy whatever it is you want to say. It's also funny to hear you talking to Del, a toy, or just to yourself. I heard you tell a baby doll: "do you want to sit with me? Do you?" in a high pitched soft voice. Cute. Cute. Cute. Lately you've been talking about fighting monsters and pretending to fight them. When I ask you where you heard about monsters you say: "it's on Uncle Josh's game". Great. Thanks. Funnily enough you love everything Uncle Josh. Oh... and Uncle Shawn is high on your list of favorite people but he doesn't really care that you're a fan.

I feel like this month was super busy once again. We did a beach visit, get to playgroup as often as we can, and we squeezed in a Vermont trip for Uncle Evan's graduation party. When we told you we were going for Uncle Evan's party you asked what animal the party was going to be. You suggested a sheep. It took us a couple minutes to figure out what you meant. You wanted him to have a sheep cake.... like you had a cow cake for your birthday party. We rationalized the no-cake party status by explaining that it wasn't a birthday party.
While there we took you and Del to Uncle Sid and Aunt Suzanne's to see their fun -animal -filled -farm. They have ducks, horses, pigeons, chickens, dwarf goats, cows, a sheep, cats... and in the end you said your favorite animal at the farm was... the cows. That's right. Cows. The animals you see e.v.e.r.y day we're at Grammy and Grampy's...

Better get going. We're making dinner- pizza... again.... at your request. Here's the thing: your favorite foods are pizza and ice cream and really... I think you have great taste. So while Daddy is away (at work) the kids (as you call every person- including Great Grammy who was surprised to be called a "kid") will play.
Love you,
Mommy