Adorable & Hilarious

Dear Sonia,

You are still on the airplane on your way home from Nana and Papa's house, where you just spent a week for Thanksgiving. I got to spend a lot of time with you.

I got you this amazing table that is shaped like a ladybug that someone donated to Lowell Wish but they couldn't deal with it that day so I got it for you! Your little face was so cute when you saw it! You climbed right up and demanded that your mommy draw and elephant for you to color in. Your mommy and I had quite the fun time trying to draw the animals you demanded. (My cow was declared to look like a crazy ostrich - I begged to differ, but to no avail. Your mom's cows look like pigs, but you claim they are cows, so I guess that means she wins.)

You build stuff with blocks, you ask for Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss by name, you like Make Way For Ducklings if the reader boils it down for you - too many words!n When you get up from a nap or in the morning, your mommy asks you what you dreamed about, and most of the time the answer is "puppies." When she asks you what puppy, you usually name one. This morning it was "Morton." On Thanksgiving, you said "Olive" (the Foyes' dog). Cute!

You repeat EVERYTHING. You said "awesome!" right after me a lot. You learned to answer "Texas" when someone asked where you live. You love "bread and butter" which is really a tortilla with almond butter folded inside. You use a fork and spoon like a pro. You know everyone's name and can say them "Auntie Karen" "Uncle Stephen" "Nana" "Papa" "Auntie Barbara" "Morton" "Auntie Kim" (Morton is a dog, by the way!).

You love the library. You can be asked to stand in the middle of the rug and can do it. You know how to match animals to the tracks they make. You know your colors and your shapes. You can say "Massachusetts". You behave very well. Your mommy told you to be patient, and then asked "What does patient mean?" And you said "waiting quietly." SERIOUSLY. You said that. At 19 months old. It's pretty phenomenal.

My favorite, though, is this exchange. We got you to answer "Sonia" when we asked "Who is adorable?" Then, suddenly, you began adding, after saying "Sonia" - "hilarious!" You wanted to make sure we knew that you are both adorable and hilarious. Very important to know. I'm sorry, but that is the cutest thing ever in the world to come out of the mouth of a very small child.

When someone stops talking to you or asking questions, you often say "More talking!" You even say full sentences "Mommmy making it" or "Auntie Karen do it." Also pretty phenomenal.

In short, you are a genius. :) Hee hee. We will make sure you keep hydrated so none of that brilliance shrivels up and dies - we all know what happens to the Bosses when they aren't properly hydrated!

Thank you for being such a loving little kid. You are a pleasure to be around. You kiss people good night and give "neck hugs" that are just the sweetest thing ever. You aren't even remotely annoying, which is such a treat for a curmudgeonly old auntie like me.

I get to see you again in only 24 more days! Yay. This time at your house! I told you that this morning. I said "I'm going to see you very soon again, at your house! Does that sound good?" And after thinking about what you'd heard for a moment, you nodded yes. And smiled. And kissed me and gave me a neck hug. That'll keep me going for 24 more days.

Love you!

Auntie K