“A mother discovers with great delight that one does not love one’s children just because they are one’s children but because of the friendship formed while raising them.” — Gabriel García Márquez

A mother's love...

If you knew how great is a mother’s love, you would have no fear. — Peter Pan.

“Promise me you’ll always remember:
You’re braver than you believe,
and stronger than you seem,
and smarter than you think.”
 ― A. A. Milne

A New Year

Dear Mr. Bear,

It's January, and I haven't written in awhile.  Things have been busy with the holidays.  We traveled to Wisconsin to see Grandma and Grandpa Timmerman and Uncle Eric and Aunt Barbara and Noah and Anna for Thanksgiving.  We went to the Great Wolf Lodge and you played in the pools for an afternoon.  December was sort of a blur - we decided to move into a bigger house and had to pack up everything in order to get ready.  It was a bit of an adventure, but I think it was worth it.  We're in a nicer neighborhood and you have a little backyard where you can play when the weather is nicer.

For Christmas this year we met Grandma Marilyn, her friend Angie, Uncle Lawrence and Aunt Sarah and Elliot, and Aunt Andrea, Zach, and Sallie in Las Vegas.  We stayed in a big huge house that you loved to run around and you played with your Canadian family for the first time.  Sallie and Zach taught you how to play pool - sort of (they let you run around on the pool table and push the balls into the pockets).  You had lots of fun.  Daddy and I (and everyone else) got sick but you stayed healthy (except for throwing up on me on the flight from Baltimore to Las Vegas).  You received lots of nice presents, but were happy to be home.

Next year we're going to stay home and have a more traditional Christmas for you.  It will be easier for Santa to find you if you're at home.

Here are some recent photos of you.  You're growing and learning so quickly!  I'm so proud of you!!

Love, Mommy

Dinner Time!

Dear Mr. Bear,

This morning it occurred to me that you would very happily subsist on bananas, macaroni and cheese, and milk.  Pretty much everything else we try to serve you either ends up on the floor or in a pile in the corner of your high chair tray.   Once I tried to give you a piece of a cookie and you literally spit it right out on the floor.  

However, just this past weekend we made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for you for lunch - and you loved it.  You ate the whole thing!  I'm hopeful that someday you will also enjoy cheeseburgers and lasagna.  But for now, I'm happy that you've started to appreciate one of my favorite foods:  peanut butter!!  Ask your father, I LOVE peanut butter.  When I was pregnant with you I ate it all the time.  Even now a good spoonful of peanut butter is a great snack.

Here are two photos of you enjoying one of your first peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  You're adorable.

Love,

Mommy

Halloween

Dear Mr. Bear,
Sorry I haven't written lately.  Things have been busy and I've fallen behind.  But this is such a fun time of year that I will redouble my efforts to write to you more often.

Yesterday was Halloween, and you were adorable. Last year I dressed you up as a goldfish, but you were pretty young - so really this was your "first" Halloween.

Recently you've become attached to a stuffed tiger we bought for you in Williamsburg, VA, so your dad and I decided to dress you up as a tiger for Halloween.  The costume had a fuzzy jumper that covered your arms and legs and tummy and then little feet and a hat with ears and the tiger face.

Before the big day, you actually completely refused to let us put you in the costume.  You'd shriek and scream until we took it off, even when your dad dressed up in parts of it.  Even yesterday morning, you were immensely unhappy when I drew whiskers on your little face and tried to paint your nose black.


But peer pressure seems to have had an effect on you.  All the kids in your nursery school class had on their costumes, so I guess you were willing to let your teachers stuff you into the outfit.  The class then went to the grocery store to get treats and then came to the lobby of the office building where I work.  I gathered my coworkers who know you and we all went down to see how cute you were.  You had a bag of candy and were completely overwhelmed.  But you were adorable!

Love you,
Mommy

Teddy Gets a Haircut

Dear Mr. Bear,

This past weekend we took you to have your first haircut.  I had rather liked your little baby curls at the back of your neck and the little fluffs that stuck out over your ears, but your father thought it looked a bit messy.  You were a perfect little guy while the girl carefully cut your curls off and trimmed the front so that you could see without your hair getting in the way.  We sat you in the racecar seat and you ate raisins. 

I post on this only to mention that it’s hard sometimes for mommys to accept their little guy is growing up.  Your new cut is adorable – but you definitely look like a little boy now, rather than my baby.  I guess it’s the first step of growing up.

Love you,

Mommy