February 5, 2017

Dear Baby,

Hi. You are fast asleep and I am here typing way on this, Super Bowl Sunday. We’ve just come off a fun weekend and I am actually pretty pleased to be home alone (your dad took his brisket and went to a dude party- I’m sure it smells super in that house’s basement tonight) with nothing to do but bingo watch Gilmore Girls and write you some letters.

This weekend was really nice and you had a lot of fun being out. Saturday we spent the whole day with different friends. First with friends and their kids at brunch, then with friends without kids at a dive bar, then out for dinner with friends who newly have a kid. It’s cool that you get this variety in seeing people that we know and I think/hope that it is valuable to you to both socialize with us and other little kids and then to be with us when no one is looking to really entertain you. I think bringing you around “adult” time is kind of neat- like we don’t need 4000 stickers and loud musical toys to have a good time and you get to watch us interact. Plus, there was a mirror on the wall that for sure has NEVER been cleaned  that you were super happy to spend some time licking so… who needs toys?

Because the day went kind of late and then diner went kind of late, we got to walk back tot he car in the dark. We don’t often have you out for extended times after dark because- bedtime so you don’t often get to FREAK OUT over the moon!!! It was the best. Who could possibly love the moon more than you that night?

We have since been relegated to reading books that contain pictures of the moon or just the word moon in it. You have a very keen knowledge of your library and what books fall into the “contains moon” category.

Today we had brunch with your great zaidy and spent the rest of the day hanging out together- well, I say that loosely because your dad was smoking a brisket which tends to be an all day/ all encompassing activity around here that I am sure you will come to know as you grow up.

I wanted to tell you how much I love going out with you and how happy I am to take you anywhere and everywhere. Your dad and I have really brought you along for a lot of non-traditionally baby friendly activities and you just shine. I read a lot about parenting and one thing I always wanted to do as a parent was try to incorporate aspects of contium parenting into our life. It follows that a baby/ kid should be included in an adults life- meaning  you can brig your baby into situations and places that are not geared to baby. That not everything revolves around baby and in fact, they get more from being exposed to situation that they can watch and learn from.

But the real truth is that I love being with you and so you come where I go. Period.

Whatever it may be for you Baby, don’t  be scared to defy the norm and do what you want. Does a bay belong in a dive bar? Why not? Make your own rules about what you think matters and march to your own beat. There are ways to do you with still being respectful to others- ie. having dinner at an awesome restaurant that you used to visit a lot pre-kids but doing it at 5:30 when you are not going to disturb every table there out to have a good Saturday night with a baby’s rendition of Bah Bah Black Sheep- knowwhatImean?

So, ya. Be respectful of others and do you. We always will.

xo

Mom