Daddy's Baby

It's nearly unanimous, everyone thinks you look like your Poppa. Sure, every once in a while someone tries really hard to come up with a similarity between you and me; the comparison usually seems strained. It's odd, people seem to think that it bothers me that you look totally and completely like your Poppa; it really doesn't. He's got great dimples, beautiful blue eyes, a perfect nose and a light-up-the-room smile. You'd do great to look like him (it turns out, there is already a female version of your Poppa--Aunt Christa-- and she's quite a looker).

What's been even more fun, these last few months, is watching the less physical similarities between you and your Poppa emerge. The other day we went to the nature preserve with Peanut to throw rocks in the stream (SPLASH!) one of your favorite pastimes. The nature preserve has wide, well maintained trails that I love walking along. You seemed to like the trails too, stopping every once in a while to pick up rocks and inspect them for their potential to make big splashes. At one point, however, I looked behind me just in time to watch you depart the trail and head straight up a steep bank into thick azalea bushes. You were not daunted by the grade or the hundreds of azalea branch tentacles determined to ensnare my intrepid little explorer. I asked several times whether you were stuck or needed help and each time I heard a defiant little "NO" from somewhere inside the thick brush. Finally, when I'd completely lost sight of you I headed up the hill and lured you out with a promise of a snack.

For as long as I've known your Poppa we've had this issue about "staying on the trail." He seems physically incapable of staying on a trail--no matter how I try to reason with him regarding erosion or safety. As often as not I watch him disappear into the trees as I plod along on the path most-traveled. When he reappears with a plant specimen to identify or some story of exotic wilderness glimpsed I'm always just a little sorry I didn't follow behind. It looks like he'll have an eager companion and I'll follow you anywhere. So here's to getting off the beaten path...I'm glad you're like your Poppa.

La-La, Haurpeur and Char-Char

It's a real winter wonderland outside today and your reaction was mixed; from a distance the snow was just magical, when the wet snowy glops hit your face and hands, the magic faded. But given a few minutes, you acclimated well and thought snow balls were just hilarious. Since you were wearing your fantastic rain boots we headed to Boyd's yard (he's got the best puddles on the street). You were wading in a river and loving every minute of it until you went SPLAT. I heard you before I saw you and my first vision was you laying spread eagle, spitting muddy water out of your mouth. We beat a quick retreat inside where a warm towel and a few hugs seemed to set the world right again.

Since I've been so derelict about writing in the past few months I've decided to work on a few themes to bring you up to speed. Today's theme: friendship. Perhaps one of the most intriguing developments in the past six months is your growing attachments to several kids in your own age group. London is a little boy who you see about twice a week as his mom and I have worked out an arrangement to baby swap so we each get three free hours a week. He's a sweet guy who loves to clean but is a very picky eater. And he's exceptionally patient with your need to mother him; you love to kiss and hug him and wipe his face with a wet wipe. And distance only makes your heart grow fonder. When he's gone you constantly inquire about his whereabouts and offer several suggestions about what "La-La" might be doing at any point in time.

Sarah Harper, or "Haurpeur," lives at the top of the street next to ours. Anytime we go on a walk in that direction you wonder whether we're visiting her. We have one of her Tupperware containers and whenever you see it in the cabinet, you remind me that we should be getting it back to her.

The friend-of-the-month, however, is your beloved Char-Char. Charlie is your older second cousin and you were thrilled to see him this past weekend in Mississippi for Mardi Gras. The minute we got in the car, headed toward Nona and Grandaddy's house you started talking about Char-Char. You're lucky that he is so very patient with you and willing to bend to the whims of a 20 month old. One afternoon during our visit I went down for a nap (bliss!) and when I woke up I found my jeans and t-shirt girl dressed to the nines. Aunt Christa staged a photo shoot with you and Char-Char. The love is evident. I'm a little worried that these pictures don't bode well for junior high...

I love that you have such deep affection for your friends and that you continue to wonder about them and what they're doing when you can't physically see them. I also find your sweet names for them amusing. I know we will get into turf battles and sharing may become more difficult down the road, but right now watching you interact and connect is such a pleasure.