Dear Alafair,
Well, I missed your 3rd birthday entirely. I mean, I was there and we had the GREATEST strawberry party, but I didn’t get anything posted for you. For reasons that had nothing to do with you, it was just a crazy year. I’m going to put together another video that covers the missed year and post it here soon. Honestly, I’m not sure where to even start with this. Obviously, your speech has dramatically improved in the last two years, as you’ll see from the list below. This 4th birthday is a hard one–you’re definitely a kid now!! I’m watching you shed the remnants of toddlerhood, both physically and emotionally, and move fully into being your own complete human. It’s bittersweet of course. You’re growing up too fast, but what a magnificent creature you’re becoming.
Thanks to covid, I got to have an entire extra year with you at home! You were so ready to go to school last fall, and I think that’s actually made it a little more difficult on you as you’ve started school this month. But I’m still so grateful for that extra time with you. Last fall we went to Wiggins again where you drove the golf cart all over and ran naked through the fields on a daily basis. In January when Alice finally started school, you got to start Bibi preschool. You have a slight lisp so when you got up at preschool graduation and sang “Poor Little Bug on the Wall” in bug language, it came out as “Bsssth bsssth bsssth bsssth bsssth bsssth bsssth,” instead of a straight up “buzz” and it was adorable.
Earlier this year we got a puppy. Roux has been with us for 7 months now, and you’re still not that impressed. I can’t really blame you. He was just a tiny little guy when he first came here, who was actually just your size, but unfortunately had super sharp shark teeth that you quickly learned to steer clear of. And then before you knew it, he grew into a massive giant who is taller than you, can knock you down just by turning the wrong way, and loves to shove his wet nose right into your face. You yell at him a lot in an attempt to exert some authority over this furry giant, but it’s generally to no avail because he’s a dog and he loves you anyway and will never quit trying to gain your approval.
I’ve also started working a lot more this last year, and it’s been a struggle for you to have me gone so much. I have a lot of meetings with clients that are pretty short, and then I am gone longer (often overnight) when I occasionally attend a birth. I think part of the problem just comes from the abstraction of the concept of time–how long is mama going to be gone? A short time? A long time? And what’s the difference? Right now, gone is gone to you, and that makes leaving you hard for me. I do it anyway though, because working is good for me, I love my job, and I know that seeing your parents happy is good for you too.
You’ve grown into such a ham in the last year. It’s nearly impossible to get a “normal” picture of you. It took two days and over 200 shots to get an acceptable passport photo! And speaking of passports, where should we go?! The thought of stuffing you on an international flight (or let's face it, even a domestic one) still makes me break out in a cold sweat. You’re getting much better at controlling your big emotions these days, but you’re still a LOT to contain. But as of this week, we’ve officially run out of excuses. We have passports, and you’re FINALLLLLY fully vaccinated for covid, an event you’ve been planning for for two years now. “When I’m vaccinated, we can do…” ….a million things. Your list is long: go to New Orleans, go to the YMCA, go to Roaring Springs, go go go. You might be in for some disappointment. Or maybe we’ll just pull Alice out of school and travel for a year. Who needs an education anyway?
Oh! And somewhere in the last two years, your eyes morphed from dark blue into an indescribably beautiful…green? Hazel? I can’t pin it down. They actually change with your mood, which is pretty cool. I think your passport actually says blue, but it’s wrong now!
The pictures above say more than I ever could about how amazing you are. I love you most of all, Sweet Pea Tiny Witch Alafair Bea. You’re my favorite Red One.
Love, Mama
Two years of Alafair-isms:
Aloh beeloh-alafair burrito
Helmoh-helmet
Honky Beep- honk honk beep beep (book title), also a car
Saucy-sausage
Choffee- coffee
Looht- look!
Shoos- shoes
Aleeees- Alice
Pelloh- pillow
Pillupts- clippers
Menoh- medicine
Mayo- mail
Teet! - treat
Forf- fork
Pak Pak -backpack
SaMA- salmon
Ba-gnome- bottle
Peent- pink
Nax bohl- snack ball
Boontz- spoon
Tarpano- guitar piano
Baint- bacon
Tootpate- toothpaste
Dance- thanks
Diema- vagina
Tamat- magnet
Fahvie- favorite
Sot- socks
Nate- naked
Seedy Ba- conceited rabbit
Meety bahllll- meat ball
Tonty high- twinkle twinkle little star
Carkle- Good Dog Carl
Pahcohlcohl- popsicle
Sheckth- Chex
Effendent- elephant
Yam!- yeah
Wanoh- water
Brexy- breakfast
Umpsie din- upside-down
Seenaloo- her own word
Lily- little (lily bath, lily walk)
Bloonz- balloons
Assy sacky- Scatty Catty (book)
Munga- watermelon
Schlogit- chocolate
Pancaink- pancakes
Fingo- flamingo
Mernake- mermaid
Stuffes (pronounced stuff-is)-plural of stuff
Too muches-too much
Gonin- going
Kalwakka- kowala bear
Hostabill- hospital
Got-for: forgot
Queminnie- community
TIME IT IS!! - what time is it
Mayn't (pronounced maint): may not
Don't reprise me!!! (Surprise)
Enrique Ehglade-ious
Shitter shatter- chitter chatter
Hey! That's Alo's when me kid! (Referring to something she JUST grew out of.) 10/28/20
Me: how much does mama love Alafair?
Alafair: THREE!!!!!
10/28/20
I sweep my hairs! (Brush) 1/22/21
Mizzalizzabizabit - Miss Elizabeth (dance teacher) fall 2021
Pewp-poop. "Have I pewpened today?" Winter 21/22
"Why do some kids like me....X?" (Hit their sisters, pinch, fall down, etc) March 2022
Mama, why don't they make the sky lower so I can reach it? 4/9/22
Tape expenser (dispenser)
Alafair: it's raining!
Me: IT'S RAINING TACOS...!
Alafair: NO, mama!!!! It's raining water!!!!
4/28/22
(Alice sneezes) Alice? If you're gone be snotting in here, you need to go get a Kleenex.
5/14/22
Mama! White Ba WAS listening! (In high-pitched bunny voice): Oh oh I was listening, sorry I just forgot, I'm old. 6/7/22
Salmon tea is my favorite! 7/4/22
Oposta- supposed to
Why do dogs and cats have different ears?....did somebody just toot!? (No) 8/18/22
Well, I missed your 3rd birthday entirely. I mean, I was there and we had the GREATEST strawberry party, but I didn’t get anything posted for you. For reasons that had nothing to do with you, it was just a crazy year. I’m going to put together another video that covers the missed year and post it here soon. Honestly, I’m not sure where to even start with this. Obviously, your speech has dramatically improved in the last two years, as you’ll see from the list below. This 4th birthday is a hard one–you’re definitely a kid now!! I’m watching you shed the remnants of toddlerhood, both physically and emotionally, and move fully into being your own complete human. It’s bittersweet of course. You’re growing up too fast, but what a magnificent creature you’re becoming.
Thanks to covid, I got to have an entire extra year with you at home! You were so ready to go to school last fall, and I think that’s actually made it a little more difficult on you as you’ve started school this month. But I’m still so grateful for that extra time with you. Last fall we went to Wiggins again where you drove the golf cart all over and ran naked through the fields on a daily basis. In January when Alice finally started school, you got to start Bibi preschool. You have a slight lisp so when you got up at preschool graduation and sang “Poor Little Bug on the Wall” in bug language, it came out as “Bsssth bsssth bsssth bsssth bsssth bsssth bsssth,” instead of a straight up “buzz” and it was adorable.
Earlier this year we got a puppy. Roux has been with us for 7 months now, and you’re still not that impressed. I can’t really blame you. He was just a tiny little guy when he first came here, who was actually just your size, but unfortunately had super sharp shark teeth that you quickly learned to steer clear of. And then before you knew it, he grew into a massive giant who is taller than you, can knock you down just by turning the wrong way, and loves to shove his wet nose right into your face. You yell at him a lot in an attempt to exert some authority over this furry giant, but it’s generally to no avail because he’s a dog and he loves you anyway and will never quit trying to gain your approval.
I’ve also started working a lot more this last year, and it’s been a struggle for you to have me gone so much. I have a lot of meetings with clients that are pretty short, and then I am gone longer (often overnight) when I occasionally attend a birth. I think part of the problem just comes from the abstraction of the concept of time–how long is mama going to be gone? A short time? A long time? And what’s the difference? Right now, gone is gone to you, and that makes leaving you hard for me. I do it anyway though, because working is good for me, I love my job, and I know that seeing your parents happy is good for you too.
You’ve grown into such a ham in the last year. It’s nearly impossible to get a “normal” picture of you. It took two days and over 200 shots to get an acceptable passport photo! And speaking of passports, where should we go?! The thought of stuffing you on an international flight (or let's face it, even a domestic one) still makes me break out in a cold sweat. You’re getting much better at controlling your big emotions these days, but you’re still a LOT to contain. But as of this week, we’ve officially run out of excuses. We have passports, and you’re FINALLLLLY fully vaccinated for covid, an event you’ve been planning for for two years now. “When I’m vaccinated, we can do…” ….a million things. Your list is long: go to New Orleans, go to the YMCA, go to Roaring Springs, go go go. You might be in for some disappointment. Or maybe we’ll just pull Alice out of school and travel for a year. Who needs an education anyway?
Oh! And somewhere in the last two years, your eyes morphed from dark blue into an indescribably beautiful…green? Hazel? I can’t pin it down. They actually change with your mood, which is pretty cool. I think your passport actually says blue, but it’s wrong now!
The pictures above say more than I ever could about how amazing you are. I love you most of all, Sweet Pea Tiny Witch Alafair Bea. You’re my favorite Red One.
Love, Mama
Two years of Alafair-isms:
Aloh beeloh-alafair burrito
Helmoh-helmet
Honky Beep- honk honk beep beep (book title), also a car
Saucy-sausage
Choffee- coffee
Looht- look!
Shoos- shoes
Aleeees- Alice
Pelloh- pillow
Pillupts- clippers
Menoh- medicine
Mayo- mail
Teet! - treat
Forf- fork
Pak Pak -backpack
SaMA- salmon
Ba-gnome- bottle
Peent- pink
Nax bohl- snack ball
Boontz- spoon
Tarpano- guitar piano
Baint- bacon
Tootpate- toothpaste
Dance- thanks
Diema- vagina
Tamat- magnet
Fahvie- favorite
Sot- socks
Nate- naked
Seedy Ba- conceited rabbit
Meety bahllll- meat ball
Tonty high- twinkle twinkle little star
Carkle- Good Dog Carl
Pahcohlcohl- popsicle
Sheckth- Chex
Effendent- elephant
Yam!- yeah
Wanoh- water
Brexy- breakfast
Umpsie din- upside-down
Seenaloo- her own word
Lily- little (lily bath, lily walk)
Bloonz- balloons
Assy sacky- Scatty Catty (book)
Munga- watermelon
Schlogit- chocolate
Pancaink- pancakes
Fingo- flamingo
Mernake- mermaid
Stuffes (pronounced stuff-is)-plural of stuff
Too muches-too much
Gonin- going
Kalwakka- kowala bear
Hostabill- hospital
Got-for: forgot
Queminnie- community
TIME IT IS!! - what time is it
Mayn't (pronounced maint): may not
Don't reprise me!!! (Surprise)
Enrique Ehglade-ious
Shitter shatter- chitter chatter
Hey! That's Alo's when me kid! (Referring to something she JUST grew out of.) 10/28/20
Me: how much does mama love Alafair?
Alafair: THREE!!!!!
10/28/20
I sweep my hairs! (Brush) 1/22/21
Mizzalizzabizabit - Miss Elizabeth (dance teacher) fall 2021
Pewp-poop. "Have I pewpened today?" Winter 21/22
"Why do some kids like me....X?" (Hit their sisters, pinch, fall down, etc) March 2022
Mama, why don't they make the sky lower so I can reach it? 4/9/22
Tape expenser (dispenser)
Alafair: it's raining!
Me: IT'S RAINING TACOS...!
Alafair: NO, mama!!!! It's raining water!!!!
4/28/22
(Alice sneezes) Alice? If you're gone be snotting in here, you need to go get a Kleenex.
5/14/22
Mama! White Ba WAS listening! (In high-pitched bunny voice): Oh oh I was listening, sorry I just forgot, I'm old. 6/7/22
Salmon tea is my favorite! 7/4/22
Oposta- supposed to
Why do dogs and cats have different ears?....did somebody just toot!? (No) 8/18/22
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