Dear Julien,
Sadly I missed out on writing to you because October was a very busy month for all of us . Mommy and Daddy were both working really really hard on big projects, we got notice that we’re getting kicked out of our house and we all came down with a slight bout of the flu at the end of the month so you and I sort of missed out on Halloween, though your Dad and big brother went out and had lots of fun!
You did a lot of growing putting on a full pound and a full inch since your last Well Baby visit. You’re up to 22lbs 1oz and 32 1/2 inches, still following in your brother’s footsteps of being tall and slender though you are built very differently and look much more solid than Vic did at the same age. You’re a cuddly little guy and you enjoy curling up in my lap at the end of a long day and nestling your head in the crook of my shoulder.
You’re still a very talkative fellow, you’ve mastered “Mama”, “Dada”, “No” and something that sounds like “Victor” but comes out more like “Deetow” this is more recognizably your big brother’s name than previous pronunciations were though. You’re working on affirmatives, be it a nod of your head or an “Ah-huh” or “Yaaaa” but no definitive “Yes” yet.
You walk very well now and have a shuffly-toddling run that moves you along at a good clip. You do funny things with your arms when you’re moving fast, it’s something that’s best captured on video though, very hard to describe. Suffice it to say, you have a very distinctive walk-run. You’re doing your best to keep up with Vic in all things now, be it walking, running, climbing or playing. It’s so much fun to sit with the two of you of an evening with a pile of paper and crayons while you both draw or scribble and make paper airplanes and other paper shapes.
You’re very tuned into everything around you and take things in with intent attention before reacting. Right now you’re also in a very grabby stage and like to get your hands onto everything and check it all out. This makes for lots of exercise for your Mama and Dada and Deetow because we’re always darting across the room to remove crayons, Legos and other objects from your mouth or to catch you from falling off chairs as you try to tackle climbing obstacles that are just a little bit beyond your ability.
Sometimes it’s hard to sit back and just let you try things out, but we try really hard to let you roam, while keeping an eye on you for safety.
You cut your 7th tooth just a few days ago (finally) and your doctor says you’re budding another one, a molar this time on the left side. I’m hoping that some of these teeth will show up sooner rather than later and give you and me both a bit of a break. Your little mouth has been bothering you a lot and making for difficult nights for both of us with lots of waking up, application of gum-soothing remedies and comforting.
The weather has turned and we’re well into autumn now with some leaves turning golden and cooler nights. You don’t like being cold much and snuggle down under the blankets or plaster yourself against someone’s side to stay warm. We’re going to be moving soon to a new apartment and I’m looking forward to having central heat again to help you sleep through the night better.
You’re growing well and strong and emerging into a wonderfully curious little boy with a lot to say about the world.
Love,
Mommy
