Layla - One Year

Dear Layla, Layla Bean, The Bean, Beeshul,

Before you were born I knew what to expect from a newborn.  At least physically.  We had gone through it just two years before with Mason. But I had no idea what it would be like to have YOU.

First of all, you are beautiful.  From the first day everyone knew it.  Grammy overheard two people looking at you in the nursery and commenting that you must be a c-section baby because you were so beautiful.  Everyone comments on your eyelashes.  They go on forever.  You will never need mascara Bean!  (Not that I wear it anyway.)

You are daring - you did every physical activity early.  Rolling, crawling, taking your first steps.  While Mason was the most cautious of babies - you take risks every chance you have.  You love to jump into the pool, explore electrical outlets, and just tonight jumped off my lap to the floor.  I think this might be a normal characteristic of a second child because you have to try to keep up with your big brother.

From the time you were about two weeks old you went with me every afternoon to pick your brother up from school.  The kids in his class would gather round to see you, but Mason was very protective at first and didn't let any of the other kids get near you.  Now that he knows you can hold your own, when I wheel you into his classroom at the end of the day he lets the others come over to say hello to you.  No matter what the kids in his class are doing, certain ones will come to visit with you every day.  You are like a star in that classroom.

You only want to play with your brother's toys.  Your favorite right now is the Handy Manny truck with the tools.  But pretty much, anything that is his, you are happy with.  And vice versa - he loves to carry around your purses and pink dolls.

You are a blankie person - just like me and Mason.  It is amazing to watch both of your through the rearview mirror with your blankies to your faces.  

Smiles don't come too easily from you - except when tickling.  It takes a lot to earn your smiles, but that just makes them so much more special.  

You are a choker - another trait your brother and you both got from me.  It wasn't until you were about 10 months old that you could eat even Cheerios without choking.  I'm sorry - but you can really blame Papa for this.

Lookswise - you are your father.  We pull out baby pictures of him from time to time to see what he looked at when he was your age.  It is unbelievable how much you two look alike, minus the hair color - yours is a little more brown.  By the way, where did that brown hair come from?  For the first month I was waiting for it to turn blonde like Mason's did.

I think the best part about being your mommy is seeing the way your eyes light up when your brother walks in the room.  Your adoration for him is more than I could ever have hoped for.  Of course, I also love when I come to pick you up at the end of the day and you run over to me and ask to be picked up by holding your hands up to me.

Language - I think you are starting to use some words, although they might only be recognizable to me.  You say Mama, Dada, Hello (eh-do), Mason (i-ma), Chyna (yna), and I'm pretty sure that this morning you said "What's this?" when I was changing your diaper.  But language is not so important - you can always get your point across with a point and some talking in your own language.  We all know just what you want most of the time.

You spent more time in the infant seat, bouncy seat, swing and play mat than Mason had to because we had to tend to both of you at the same time.  This has made you patient (most of the time - there was that time in the car with Grammy when you wouldn't stop screaming).  I sometimes feel like we are letting you down because we always do what Mason wants to do - he's vocal about his needs and wants.  It can feel like you are just along for the ride.  I hope this is just normal for second kids and that we aren't letting you down somehow.

Layla - the last year has brought so much happiness to me and Daddy - we can't imagine a world without you in it.