Happy 18 Months

Dear Aaron and Brady,

Today you are 18 months old. Life has gotten so hectic lately that it took an email from your Memere to bring that to my attention. For that, I am very sorry. I went back to work full-time last week and the week days have been a blur as I try to re-adjust. Anyway...

In the last six months, so much has changed with you two. I've been lucky in that I was home on bed rest and then maternity leave for several of those months so I got to see most of it first hand.

Since you turned one you have started walking and then climbing.

You both have amazing balance and have, for the most part, avoided serious injury resulting from all this climbing. Brady, you sustained one black eye and Aaron, you had one trip to the ER when you fell and bit through your tongue. Please note: neither of those injuries happened on Mommy's watch. (Who loves you guys?)

You both love to high-five, clap, and run around the dining room table in circles. For a long, long time. Sometimes you chase Alaina. Sometimes we play follow the leader. Sometimes you sing while you run.

But mostly, you just run and yell happily. Often while pushing a doll stroller or a shopping cart.

You are learning how to use crayons and color on paper. Aaron, you really enjoy building with blocks. Brady, you really enjoy knocking the blocks down. And then throwing them across the room. Which then prompts Aaron to throw them.

You went out to play in the snow for the first time this winter. Aaron, you loved it right away. Brady, well, third time seemed to be the charm!

You are both exploring your physicality in other ways, as well: Brady you like to hit. Aaron you like to bite.

You both think it's hysterical. Neither of you sees time out as a punishment; you both seem to enjoy it.

So we work on redirection instead. You are making great strides.

You both babble on and on, with real inflection and emotion. Even though you don't have any discernible words in your "sentences", you get your little points across. You have invented your own sign for "I want" - a slight variation on the sign for "milk" - and you use it whenever you see something you would like to get your hands on. You use the sign for "More" in the proper context: Aaron, you use it mostly in regards to food, while Brady, you like to use it mostly for music to dance to.


You both use the word "Daddy" fairly consistently, which I suppose is appropriate since Daddy is the one taking care of you most of the time. You both also point out every "dog" you see and/or hear. You both love your "nayna" ("Alaina"), "dada" (baby"), and "det" (Brett). Brady, you've also started saying "Mama" (although you're stingy with it!), "hi", "Choo-choo", and "night-night". You also love to sing Ring Around the Rosie: the words are fuzzy but the melody is clear. Aaron, you are famous for saying a word clear as day ONE time and never saying it again. I think you do this to tease us. You sang your own version of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star for the first time last night.

You are each others best friends. You blow kisses to each other when we put you to bed at night. You talk to each other when you wake up in the morning before you tell for "Daaaaadeeeee" to come and get you from your cribs. We can hear that you have your own private jokes in the back of the car: babble, laugh, babble, laugh. When one of you cries, the other rubs his back or pats his head.

You are also extremely affectionate with your siblings. You both love Alaina and Brett, but it seems you are both drawn to a different one. Brady, you really gravitate towards Big Sister.

Sometimes you pull her hair, sometimes you want to dance with her. Whenever she is near, your eyes get wide with delight. Aaron, you cannot get enough of Little Brother.

You gently stroke his head, you kiss him non-stop. When he sneezed the other day, you picked up a tissue and wiped his nose.

You two little monkeys are an amazing gift to our family. While it is sometimes a challenge to keep up with you, it is always a joy. When Daddy and I collapse onto the couch at the end of the day - exhausted - we never fail to remind ourselves and each other how lucky we are. How good and handsome and smart and funny you are. How we cannot imagine a life without you two little boys in it.

Happy Birthday, Aaron and Brady. I can't wait to see what the next 6 months holds for you two.