Newsletter: Kyan Month 32

Dear Kyan –

Today you turned thirty-two months old. This has been a really great month. Your love for the purple dinosaur, Barney, continues to flourish. Personally I love to hate Barney. I love Barney because you do but I hate that I cannot stop singing the happy songs all day long. Barney makes macaroni and cheese seem like a fairytale. In fact, so much so I find myself singing about it on a regular basis. Ask Nana or Aunt Ali or better yet the guy at the deli counter at the grocery store.


You have started a habit of talking in question. The question often has your answer meshed right in. “You’re making dinner, yes?” “Daddy’s at home, yes?” I feel like I have been warped into Jeopardy-land. Sometimes you prefer to ask a question and then a follow up. “We are having chicken for dinner?” “Yes or no?” Usually the yes or no part of the equation is quite demanding. Your sense of urgency on the matter comes across quite clearly. It’s as if you are saying yes or no, mama, I’ve got other toddlers dying to know what’s on our menu and they are going to get hysterical any minute, yes or no mama. I was shocked when you started doing this a few days ago. Your father was laughing hysterically. Because really it’s quite funny. Apparently your father does this to you. Daddy still has a hard time understanding you so if he’s getting frustrated by your answer he’ll demand a yes or no answer. You’ve caught on and love the laughter it ignites in the entire family when you do this.
You have let it be known that you do not want to participate in art projects. This is such a shame. I love your art projects. They are these beautiful creations in which I hope to someday in the very near future hang on my naked walls. If I ever get the frames. Or have your father hang them. In the very least I will file them in a drawer. I promise. If you promise to start participating again. Please. If this stage lasts much longer I am going to have to document this period as “Exerting Independence Period – No new work” Lord knows I do not want to do that.
During this past month we had the opportunity to celebrate Mother’s Day. Hands down I had the best Mother’s day ever. Maybe it was because you told everyone we saw that day to have a happy Mother’s day. Or maybe it was because when I asked you whether or not you had a good Mother’s day your response was “Yes I spent the whole day with my mama.” You served me breakfast in bed after letting Aspen and I sleep in. While getting my favorite breakfast your father also got you your favorite breakfast which happens to be the same as mine. A bagel and cream cheese from the local coffee shop. Apparently you didn’t consume yours fast enough because while you and your father were at the dump he threw away your bagel. Did you know that you spoke of this travesty for days? You would not leave it alone. Four days later you were still reminding me that your father threw out your bagel. I’m sensing that you felt a little wronged.

This leads me to want to talk about your eating habits. I suppose they are much like any other toddlers eating habits. You prefer gummy bears, chocolate and chocolate milk to anything else. To be honest I can’t say I blame you. Your father and I have tried to keep all the good stuff a secret for so long that once you discovered it it’s all you want. This isn’t entirely true. I have been sneaking you gummy bears since before you were born. This month you have just become too busy to be bothered by food. This notion of being too busy you have conceived from your father. Your father often tells me he is too busy to think about food because apparently, according to your father, that’s all I think about. It’s not all I think about but it is true that I need to be fed on a semi regular basis to keep the demons happy. The other day, while you had your friend Tristan over to play, I asked you to sit down to eat lunch and you said you were too busy. I gasped. I could not believe my ears. Then I called your father and blamed him for all of your malnourishment because he’s too busy.
You lost your pet Cracker last month. And by lost, I mean the terrible neighbor dog took his life long before his time. You grieved. You handled this situation better than anyone else in the family. You told everyone that Cracker is sleeping at Heaven’s house. We finally felt up to finding our family a new pet. We searched high and low. And mostly you just said this is not my dog. Finally after an exhaustive search we found the one. I have never seen you more excited about anything. Except maybe chocolate. We found our new family pet, Brownie. You go to bed excited for the next day because you get to play and take care of Brownie. Hopefully this is the start of a long friendship for you and Brownie.

I am not sure I can convey any clearer to those who love us just how lucky I feel knowing you and having the opportunity to raise you. Kyan, I love you!

Love,
Mama