Sachs Press

Dear Great-Grandma,

Hello! I was glad to get your letter this week! I got it on Tuesday. Mommy read it to me, and I looked at the pictures and the shiny stickers, and then I tried to eat it, but Mommy wouldn’t let me. That was kind of disappointing. Don’t worry that I can’t read your letters yet, because Mommy reads them to me, and even though I can’t always understand that either, I still like listening to her read to me. And you’re right, someday soon I will be able to read them myself.

Well, I was going to tell you all about my bathtimes in this letter, but something else exciting has happened so I will have to save the bathtimes for later. I am getting TEETH! I have two teeth, the two on the bottom in the very front. The right one is a little bit ahead of the left one. Mommy noticed the first one on Monday evening, as she was getting me ready for bed. Then yesterday she thought maybe there was a second one in there too, and today she was sure. So, two teeth already, and I am only five months old.

I’m not really sure what I think about this. Now that I think about it, I haven’t been feeling really all that great for a while. I keep drooling all over everything and it gets kind of annoying because it gets my shirt and my chest all wet, not to mention most things that I come in contact with. And it has felt pretty good to bite on things with my gums. I especially like other peoples’ hands, although my own do pretty well too, as do toys, and burp rags, and the napkins Mommy and Daddy use at the table.

And this week things have kind of been worse. My gums really hurt, and I have even had a bit of a fever. I’m still sleeping pretty well, though, except for naps. It is harder to get to sleep for them. Plus, I kind of have a cold, so that doesn’t help things.

But teeth! I am getting teeth! What am I supposed to do with them, anyway? I am still not eating anything except milk. So, I don’t ever have anything in my mouth that those teeth will be able to do anything with. Well, anyway, they are not very far up yet, so I can wait a while before I have to decide what to do with them.

By the way, I am sorry I have not been sending any pictures lately. Our printer that we print the pictures on is out of ink, says Mommy. They will maybe be getting more ink for it this weekend. I hope so, because I have some good new pictures that I want to send to you.

I am really good at rolling over now, and I always roll onto my belly when I want to play. I can also go in circles on the floor–if there is a toy to the side, I will turn so I can reach it. I try really, really hard to get toys that are a little ahead of me, but I just can’t quite move, yet. Sometimes I can move just a little bit, but I always forget how I managed it, so I can’t do it again. And sometimes I move the wrong direction! Talk about frustrating!

I am also get better about sitting. I used to just try and grab at whatever was in front of me, and then somehow I would find myself face-to-face with the floor, unless Mommy was holding me up. But now I can put my arms down on the floor and hold the rest of me up, at least for a little while. I am going to need to practice this a lot more, though.

One more thing before I go to bed. Grandma and Grandpa are coming tomorrow, and they are going to stay with me overnight while Mommy and Daddy go somewhere else to celebrate their anniversary. I am a little bit scared and a little bit excited. Mommy and Daddy have left me with other people before, but not for very long, and not overnight. And I really like my Mommy and Daddy, and I think I might miss them. But I also like my grandparents, and it is so much fun to see them because I don’t see them very often and they are good to play with, so it might be okay. I will let you know last week how it went.

Oh! One more thing again. I am getting dedicated on Sunday. They tried to do that already and it snowed on us and church got cancelled. I don’t think it will snow this time, but you never know. I will tell you about that next week, too.

I love you, Great-Grandma! I will say a bedtime prayer for you and Grandpa Al. Mommy has been telling me about praying, so I think it is about time I tried it.

Love,

Isaac

Dear Great-Grandma,

My friend Ethan just left for home. His daddy brought him over this afternoon to play with me. I think maybe his daddy had someplace else that he had to be, too, so my Mommy was taking care of him. Anyway, Ethan and I had a great time playing together. Well, mostly he played and I watched him play. He is a little better at doing things than I am. He can actually turn around, and sometimes he can manage to get a little ways on the floor. I can’t do that, yet, though I am trying pretty hard. I mean, I can’t get anywhere yet, although I am starting to be able to turn around. So anyway, I watched him play with stuff and I think I learned a lot. Then we both took naps. I woke up just in time to say goodbye to him.

Yesterday I met somebody new. His name is Colin. His daddy also had someplace to be, so Mommy agreed to take care of him for a while. He is two months younger than me and I can do so much more than him! I can remember when I was that age. I like being me, now. I’m glad I’m growing up. But I enjoyed watching him, too. I like having friends over. Mommy is nice, but it is also nice to meet other people. Do you like when friends visit you? I know I liked visiting.

It is so hot down here! Mommy and I go down in our basement where it is a bit cooler. She also lets me not wear any clothes sometimes. I like that too, because it’s easier to get my toes. I can get them in my mouth now! They taste pretty good. So I am proud of that. I hope it is not too hot where you are. I get grumpy when I am too hot.

Something else I discovered I like is playing on my belly. That used to make me really grumpy, but now it’s fun. When Mommy puts me down on my back I usually roll over so I can play on my belly. I push up on my arms and kick my legs and try really hard to get the toys that are just out of reach. Man, that’s hard work! But it’s a lot of fun, at least for a while. Eventually I get tired and then I get grumpy and frustrated.

I also like standing at the sofa. If Mommy leans my chest against it and puts my hands on top, I can stand there for a while and play with my toys on top of it. That’s pretty neat, because I’m standing without her holding me! Of course, she stays right behind me in case I lose my balance, but I’m still doing it by myself.

Great-Grandma, the world is so interesting. I was playing with something new at lunchtime today. See if you can figure out what it was. Mommy told me afterward. It was hard, and kind of cold, and bigger at the bottom and smaller at the top. It was about as tall as one of my legs. It didn’t weigh nearly as much as me, but it was still kind of heavy for me and I couldn’t really hold it. It was mostly white, but it had some other colors on it in spots. Daddy took the top off at one point and held it over his salad and some stuff came out. I liked to knock it off the table onto the floor and then have Mommy or Daddy pick it up for me. Did you guess what it was yet? I still don’t really understand it, but they said it was called “salad dressing.” Why do salads need to get dressed? Do they wear onsies and socks like me?

Well, it is time for me to go eat some supper now. I am getting pretty hungry. I want some milk!

Love,

Isaac

Dear Great-Grandma,

Well, how are you enjoying the weather this week? It is getting a little warm down here. Not exactly too hot yet but getting closer. I have a bag that I wear to bed–it is like pajamas only no legs, just a bag–and Mommy doesn’t know whether to put it on me at night because it is too warm to start with, but once the night cools off I might need it. So she just leaves it off and figures I will wake up and call her if I get too cold, which is correct. I never hesitate to let Mommy know if I need her.

But there have been several nights recently where I haven’t needed her. I used to get so hungry in the middle of the night! But now, for some reason, I don’t much. So for instance last night I went to bed at 7:00 and I didn’t need Mommy until 5:00. I think she appreciated being able to sleep more. I like when I can sleep more, too. But I also think it is fun to get up really early and hear the birds singing and watch the sun rise. Do you ever watch the sun rise?

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit me this week! I was glad to see them again. I showed them what I have been learning lately. I can do push-ups! It takes a lot of effort, but I can straighten my arms and get my chest off the ground. I can also pull my knees up under me and stick my bottom up in the air. But the problem is, I can’t do both of those things at once. So I am still stuck in one spot. Boy, it is sure frustrating to have a bright pretty toy just out of reach, and I can’t get it in my mouth! So I work really hard to try and get it, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t quite reach. But I won’t give up! Every day, I think, I get just a bit closer to being able to get around!

I don’t think I told you in my last letter that Mommy has been trying to put this weird stuff in my mouth lately. I am not sure what she is trying to do this for. It tastes really funny and I tell her so by making faces at her, but she is kind of persistent. Actually, I am starting to think it might taste kind of good, but even so, I can’t keep it in my mouth. It just goes right back out and down my shirt.  Mommy has tried this a couple of times but not for a few days now. I think maybe in another week or so I might not mind if she tried it again. Come to think of it, it would be kind of neat if I could taste that stuff on a regular basis. I like the milk, but it gets kind of same-old same-old after a while, you know? I just asked Mommy what it is that she is trying to feed me. She says it is called “rice cereal.”

Besides the rice cereal, I put all kinds of things in my mouth. I especially like trying to eat Mommy and Daddy’s napkins at supper. They are bright colors and they feel very interesting in my mouth. Plus, they are easy to hold on to. I put all of my toys in my mouth, too. My octopus, and my zebra, and my keys, and my bead game–that one is kind of heavy and hard to lift–and my bunny rabbit, and any blankets that happen to be lying around. Everything goes into my mouth, if I can get it there! Sometimes I get ahold of something and Mommy or Daddy takes it away. Paper, for instance–they won’t let me put paper in my mouth. That is starting to get kind of frustrating and so I tell them about how upset I am that they won’t let me put those things in my mouth, but they don’t listen. I suppose I will have to trust that they know what is best for me, but that is very hard for me still.

Hmm, let’s see. What else have I been learning lately? Well, I guess just the usual stuff, like how things work around here in this bright world. I still really like my toes. They are cool to play with. But I haven’t been able to get them in my mouth yet, although I would really like to. Wait, that’s not true! Grandpa helped me get my toes in my mouth one time. I appreciated that. He was very kind.

Mommy shows me around the yard most every day, and we get to watch the plants grow. Today we saw something sad. She had planted little sunflowers, and they were just peeking out of the ground yesterday. Today, they were all nibbled off. Mommy says a bunny got a good snack, but she wishes that he hadn’t. She does still have the bigger sunflowers that she started inside, and they are big enough that the bunny doesn’t want them anymore, but she was hoping to have more than four of them. Poor little baby sunflowers!

Speaking of baby things, besides me, we are going to have something else. Mommy says we are going to be getting a “baby grand piano.” I am not sure what she means by this. I can’t understand her explanation. I will tell you more about it next week after we get it, I guess.

I love you, Great-Grandma! Give Great-Grandpa Al a kiss from me! And say hello from me to the next person who visits you, too! Also, Mommy sends her love.

Love,

Isaac

Dear Great-Grandmother,

It was so nice to see you this weekend! I hope you enjoyed the visit as much as I did. Everything was so interesting. Home is nice, but it can get a little boring being in the house all the time. But it wasn’t boring seeing you! I’m still sad that I missed dessert at the restaurant, though.

I was so tired on Saturday night that I fell asleep on the way home in the car, and didn’t wake up till after midnight. Then I went right back to sleep and didn’t wake up till after six o’clock. It was good to sleep that much! I don’t know why I don’t do it more often. Maybe I will.

Sunday was Mother’s Day, so I decided to be really nice to Mommy. I was very good all day–well, mostly good, as good as I could be–and I took two good long naps, one during church (I was in the nursery) and one after lunch. Mommy took a nap while I napped, too, and Daddy did the dishes. It was a nice Sunday. Did you do anything else for Mother’s Day? I am glad you got to see all your daughters.

For the past two days Mommy and I have taken a walk in the morning together. It is such nice weather, and we both wake up so early, and it is a good thing to do before my first nap. There is so much to see outside! Trees and flowers and houses and the beautiful sky and people and big noisy things that go past us in the street and startle me–I don’t like them so much–Mommy says those are cars, like the one we ride in sometimes. But I do like going for walks. Only this morning I got tired by the end and fell asleep, so I don’t remember the last bit.

Our neighborhood is built on a big hill, so the streets behind our house all go up and up and up. It is funny to listen to Mommy complain as she carries me up and up. I guess I am a little heavier than I used to be. I don’t mind going up. You can see more up there.

Today Mommy and I went to the store together. We do this sometimes. I ride in the carrier on her chest looking out, and I point out what we should buy. Mommy doesn’t always listen, though. I also try to help her by grabbing things off of the shelves, but she usually makes me put them back. I guess I have a lot to teach her, don’t I? So today we went to a big store and we bought a few things, and the ladies at the checkout smiled at me and made me laugh. Then we went outside and it was wet! Drops of water were coming out of the sky and landing on my face and hair and hands. Mommy walked very fast and soon we were back at the car and I wasn’t getting wet anymore. It was a very interesting experience. I will have to see if she will take me outside some more when those water drops are falling. On the way back from the store I fell asleep. Why do I always do this? I am always falling asleep and missing things. It’s kind of frustrating and sometimes I try very hard not to fall asleep, but when I do that somebody always comes and makes me go to sleep anyway. But I do always feel better when I wake up, so I guess it’s all right.

Well, Daddy is away tonight helping somebody with their computers, and Mommy is washing dishes, so I am in here in my crib typing by myself and if Mommy finds me she might make me put the computer away, so I should probably send this to you and go to sleep. I love you!

Your great-grandson,

Isaac

Dear Great-Grandma,

This letter is going to be a bit shorter because I have to go grocery shopping with Mommy in a bit. I am sorry I have not written in a little while! I enjoyed getting your letter last week. I wish the doctor could make you all better, but it sounds like you are very patient. I don’t know what it is like to hurt a lot but I do know that when something on me hurts it is very unpleasant. Or when I am hungry–I get so upset, until Mommy feeds me, and then I can hardly remember what it was like before. I will tell you a little about what I have been up to and maybe that will help you forget for a little while.

Well, let’s see. Right now I am helping Mommy type but she says actually I am not being helpful. I like sitting on her lap and watching what she does. But even better I like standing on her lap. Or on the floor, or anywhere, really. I have just discovered how to stand this week, and it’s great! You can see so much from up here! But I can’t stand by myself. Somebody has to hold me.

My new favorite toy is a hammer that Grandma found for me at a yard sale. I am sending you a picture if me playing with it. Mommy says I might not quite have the right idea yet. I will also send a picture of me standing with Mommy’s help.

I had some play time with my friend Ethan last week. He is a month older than me and sometimes he makes loud noises that scare me. But he is also very interesting to watch.

I have been helping Mommy in the yard some more. She and Daddy planted some raspberry bushes. So maybe in a year or so we will have some raspberries to eat! I don’t mind waiting that long because I can’t eat raspberries right now anyway, just milk.

I do have a doctor’s appointment on Friday, and he might tell me that I can start eating rice cereal. I’m not sure what I think about that.

On Saturday I get to come see you! I am not sure which will get there first, this letter or me. Maybe we will arrive at the same time! That would be funny.

I think all kinds of things are funny these days. Daddy is very funny when he smiles at me. It’s funny when Mommy tickles me. It’s really funny when she jumps up and down and makes funny faces at me! I will try and show you how I like to laugh when I see you.

It is time to go grocery shopping, so I will send this off! I’ll write again soon!

Love,

Isaac

Dear Great-Grandma,

Thank you very much for your letters to me! I got two of them this week, and I enjoyed having Mommy read them to me. I like the puppy you sent me very much, and the ribbon looks like a lot of fun. I also really liked looking at all the stickers you sent me! The paper tasted pretty yummy, too.

I had a very exciting week! We did so much stuff I am not sure I can even remember it all. I think the very most exciting thing was the yard sale I went to on Saturday. We got up very early (well, actually, I guess we usually get up that early) and went to church, where they had lots and lots of tables set up outside with all kinds of stuff on them. It was very interesting! I loved looking at all the the things and all the people walking around. There was also a pig, and a goat, and a tall furry animal that Mommy said was called a llama, and five soft sleepy puppies. I didn’t get to pet the puppies, but I looked at them.

So we spent a lot of time at the yard sale because Mommy was on the committee and she was helping out. She kept telling people that they could have things for cheaper than they were labeled. Wasn’t that nice of her? I think they made a lot of money, though, and it all got donated to a place called the Free Clinic, which is a nice place downtown where people who don’t have much money can go see the doctor. I think that’s a good idea, because as much as it hurts when the doctor gives me shots, Mommy says it’s for my own good, and I believe her. So everybody should be able to go see a doctor like I can.

After the yard sale, I got to go to a birthday party! It wasn’t for me, it was for my friend Eleanor. She was a whole year old. I think that is very old. I can’t imagine being a year old. Anyway, she got lots of presents, and she got to eat cake, and the cake kind of got all over her face and hands. I didn’t get any cake, but it didn’t look all that good to me. I’d rather have milk.

Another thing that happened at Eleanor’s house was that I saw her puppy dog. It is a little hot dog–I mean, a dachshund. I thought it was so funny! I just giggled and giggled when I saw it. I think Mommy and Daddy should get a dog, don’t you? But then the dog barked, and that was a little scary. I don’t like loud noises. Maybe we shouldn’t have a dog after all.

On Sunday we went to church and I got to go to the nursery for the first time. I really needed a nap but the church service was just too exciting for me to sleep, so I got to go to the nursery and ride in the swing. I don’t remember what happened next, but the next thing I do remember is Mommy and Daddy coming to pick me up. So I didn’t get to do much in the nursery.

Today I helped Mommy water the garden. Well, I guess I kind of watched while she did it, but I helped her by not being fussy. She had planted the garden during my nap. I hope it grows! Someday maybe I will get to eat some of the yummy things that are going to grow in it. 

Oh, guess what Mommy and Daddy bought me! It is the most fun thing in the world. I am going to really like it. It is a Johnny-Jump-Up. It hangs in the doorway and I sit in it and when I kick my feet–I go up and down! It is the greatest thing! I am still getting the hang of it but every time they let me try it, I can jump more and more.

One reason that I like the jumper is because I get so frustrated these days when I can’t wiggle the way I want to. I can get my knees up under me, but I still can’t go anywhere. And I still can’t really roll over, although I did manage it once today. But I keep practicing every day, at least until I get too frustrated. I will probably be able to do what I want to pretty soon. But anyway, the jumper is nice because I can move a lot and see the world from the right angle without Mommy or Daddy holding me.

Guess what! I have discovered something new. There are these things down on the ends of my legs. Mommy says they are called feet. They have wiggly things on them that are called toes. The feet move around an awful lot, but today I managed to grab one of them. I tried to put it in my mouth to see what it tasted like but I couldn’t quite manage it. I will have to work on that one. See, there are all these things I have to work on. So much to do!

But everything is so interesting. When I sit on Mommy or Daddy’s lap at the table, I can see what they do up there. There are these white sheets scattered on it sometimes, and once in a while I can grab one of them and try to pick it up. But then it usually disappears, and I don’t know where it goes. Sometimes there are big heavy round things. I haven’t been able to get one of them yet. Every time I reach for one it moves farther away. Oh, I also like to grab Mommy’s hair! When she leans over me I can just reach up and get it, but she doesn’t seem to like it very much when I do that. So maybe I shouldn’t.

Well, I have a lot to learn, Great-Grandma, and it all tires me out so much. So I had better go to bed and get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be another busy day. It is Mommy’s birthday! I plan to be very good for her, but sometimes I just can’t help myself. You know how it is, don’t you?

Give my love to Great-Grandpa Al and the people who come visit you! I am sending one of my wet sloppy Isaac kisses just for you.

Love,

Isaac

Dear Great-Grandma Faye,

Happy Easter to you! I never knew there were such wonderful things in the world. We celebrated Easter this week, and it was amazing! I don’t understand it very well at all yet, but at church we sang lots of beautiful songs and there were flowers everywhere. I could tell it was something special.

My Grandma and Grandpa Gonzol came to visit for Easter. They brought an Easter basket for all of us to share. It had two chocolate bunnies, a bottle of horseradish sauce, a little toy rattle with cars on it, and best of all, a very soft lamb that plays “Jesus Loves Me” when you wind it up. I like that lamb a lot, especially when someone winds it for me! I love listening to it play. Sometimes Mommy sings along, and that is nice too.

The picture I am sending you this week is Daddy and me all dressed up in our Easter clothes. I think we both look very handsome, don’t you?

Something else that happened while Grandma and Grandpa were here is that I got a bath in the kitchen. Something is happening to our bathroom, and I am not allowed in there right now. (Note from April: We are painting the bathroom walls, so of course we don’t want Isaac in there till the fumes go away.) So I got my bath in the kitchen instead. I have a big yellow duck tub that they filled up with water and I bathed in it. It was kind of fun! Grandma said it was kind of like when you were a little girl and took baths in the kitchen, by the stove. Except my bath was nearer to the dishwasher than the stove. Did you have a dishwasher when you were little?

I still talk to the boy in the mirror, but he never talks back. He sure does get excited when he sees me, though! He smiles and waves his arms all around and sometimes he reaches out for me.

I am also getting better at holding onto toys. It takes so much practice! But Mommy and Daddy are very patient with me and hold them in front of me while I try to grab them. The rattle that Grandma and Grandpa gave me is nice to practice with. It fits well in my hands.

Last night we all went to someone’s house and there were lots of people there, maybe about ten or so. A nice man who wasn’t Daddy held me for a while and I fell asleep in his arms. Then I woke back up later and smiled at everybody and they all thought I was very cute. Then I got tired so we went home. (Note from April: This is Isaac’s version of our Bible study group!)

Today I went with Mommy to the bakery she used to work at, and we visited the people there. They were happy to see me, and Mommy bought some good bread. At least she says it is good. I didn’t try it.

It has been cold this week. It snowed last Friday night! There was snow on the ground for Easter. And the rest of the week has been cold and sort of rainy. So we have not done very much outside lately.

I can’t think of anything else that happened this week. I don’t have a very good memory yet, although it’s getting better. But I hope you had a good week. I think I did.

Lots of love and kisses,

Isaac

Dear Great-Grandma,

Hello! I hope you are doing well this week. I have been enjoying the nice weather. Mommy keeps taking me on walks outside, and sometimes I sit in my chair while she hangs laundry on the line or digs in the garden. Did I tell you Grandma came to visit me this week? Let me see, that was on Tuesday. Maybe Mommy told you already. She and Grandma dug in the flower beds and did some other things together. I think Mommy was tired that day because I kept waking up in the night. But I couldn’t help it!

Mommy and Daddy are planting a garden. They have told me all about it. They are going to plant onions (I don’t think I like the sound of that) and lettuce and lima beans (that doesn’t sound too good either) and zucchini and tomatoes and some herbs. I think that’s all. It won’t be too big because they don’t have a lot of practice yet. So they are going to start small and see how it goes.

I have been practicing doing something new lately. I like sitting up to see the world, so Mommy or Daddy will hold onto my arms while I try to sit. I am not very good at it yet so they do most of the balancing for me but I am slowly getting better, and I do enjoy it. I am sending you a picture of me practicing with Daddy.

I also am getting to play with toys some more. You know what, Great-Grandma? I have hands! They are really neat! I have been looking at them a lot lately, trying to figure out what all they can do. It is still really hard to make them do what I want, though. A lot of times it is easiest if I catch one hand with the other one and then bring them both up to my mouth. That way they both stay put a little better. It is so frustrating when they just go flying around and don’t do what I want! But I am learning to make them cooperate, and it is really exciting when it works.

I have also realized that Mommy and Daddy are funny! They do such funny things and they are starting to make me laugh. I used to just smile at them because I loved them but now I am laughing too. They make me so happy. I do have such very nice parents, although they don’t always do exactly what I want, any more than my hands do. How long will it be till I can make my parents do exactly what I want them to?

Something else I have discovered lately is this shiny bright thing that Mommy calls a “mirror.” You know what? There is another Mommy in that thing, and also somebody else who looks like they are about my size. They both smile at me, so I smile back at them, but I am kind of confused about who they are and why there is somebody who looks just like Mommy but isn’t. I know she can’t be because while I am looking at the Mommy in the mirror my real Mommy, who is holding me, talks to me and points at the Mommy in the mirror, who points back. Are you confused yet? I am! What is this mirror thing? I don’t get it.

Anyway, I am learning a lot and growing a lot. I think it is a good thing to be alive and to have people who love me and talk to me and take care of me. Someday I might have to take care of them, and I hope I can do as good a job as they are doing for me.

Love,

Isaac

Dear Grandma,

Isaac asked me if I would write to you for him this evening, since he was tired and needed to go to bed. So I agreed. He really enjoys writing letters to you, but I’m sure you’ll appreciate a mother’s perspective for a change.

We’ve had an interesting week. We did a few fun special things together, like a walk with a friend on Friday, and my mother came to visit on Tuesday and enjoyed playing with Isaac. (He enjoyed it, too.) We’ve also spent some time outside this week, as the weather has been lovely and warm. Our daffodils are blooming beautifully, and I brought a vase of them in to grace our table. The pansies I planted last fall (I bought them at the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale) are blooming nicely, too. Mom helped me clean up a couple of the flower beds when she was here. Perhaps I should say, I helped her–she did most of the work! I was also able to hang my cloth diapers out on the line several times this week, which has the added bonus of bleaching them nice and white.

Tonight it’s raining hard, which means Greg will need to mow the lawn soon. He spent all last Saturday with a chipper-shredder, getting rid of the piles of branches in our garden. We’ll also need to till the garden so we can plant it! I bought seeds the last time I was at the grocery store, and I plan to start them in flats inside, because it’s time, and the garden isn’t ready yet. I am excited to have a garden again. I’m especially looking forward to fresh tomatoes and zucchini.

What I’ve been focusing on this week with Isaac is his sleeping. He’s never liked to take naps, except for his first two weeks which were pretty much all sleeping. And sometimes he does very well at night, only waking up once, and other times he is up two or three times. Now, I realize that even three times is better than four or five, but I’d prefer just one wake up at night! So I bought a book about sleeping that someone recommended to me, and I am keeping track of how he sleeps this week. A pattern is starting to form, so it will be interesting to see how that develops as time goes by and as I try some of the suggestions in the book. I still keep him wrapped when he is sleeping, because then he doesn’t wake himself up as much. Greg can wrap him much better than I can–he is so good at wriggling out!

He is up to almost 12 pounds now, and we have gotten out his three-month-old outfits. He will be three months in just a few days! It’s kind of hard to believe that he is not a newborn anymore. And I still remember so clearly being pregnant with him–and the first few times I felt him moving… what an amazing, joyful experience! I remember lying in bed during the summer, almost holding my breath, waiting to feel a little poke before I fell asleep. And when I did, oh! I could hardly contain my happiness.

Now I can hardly contain my happiness when I watch him sleep, or when he smiles at me, or coos or gurgles in his own funny way. I feel so blessed to have such a child! There are some rough times, to be sure, but although they are frustrating, I know that they are just another part of this parenting business, and it would be mighty strange if nothing ever went wrong. I can’t very well express how this all makes me feel, but you are a mother, and I am sure you know. It isn’t something you can explain very well, is it?

So I am gradually starting to get more things done during the day, doing little projects that can be finished while Isaac naps, keeping the kitchen clean–the rest of the house suffers, but my kitchen is clean! And if my kitchen is clean, I can live with the rest of it!–and starting to make better suppers again. (We were eating frozen meals out of the freezer for a long time!) It helps now that Isaac goes to bed pretty early–a little after seven, these days. That might even become earlier, as he seems to be tired even before seven. But anyway, we have been eating after he goes to bed, so supper doesn’t get interrupted any more.

Well, I have a couple of things to do, and then I must go to bed, too. I never know exactly when Isaac will wake me up! I heard that Mom and Dad came to visit you this week, and read Isaac’s letters. I was glad to hear you had an enjoyable visit with them.

With much love, hugs and kisses, and a smile from Isaac,

April

Dear Great-Grandma Faye,

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! I heard that was this week. I don’t know much about it, though, except there were lots of people wearing green when we went out. Oh, I’m getting ahead of myself, aren’t I?

Let’s see, I wrote to you on Wednesday last week, so I should start on Thursday. I don’t think I did anything very special on Thursday, but Daddy went to his jazz rehearsal in the evening and they gave him a nice present that Mommy and Daddy used to buy something on Saturday. Oh, I do remember now, Aunt Sarah was here again for a little while and played with me while Mommy made supper. On Friday she stopped in around lunchtime to say goodbye before heading home to Mississippi. And it also snowed! It was really pretty and Mommy and Daddy were so surprised. But I knew it was coming–my left big toe told me. No, I’m just kidding, I didn’t really expect it but I wasn’t particularly surprised either. Anyway, it was pretty warm and the snow was melting as it was coming down, but it was snowing so hard that the snow got ahead of the melting and it climbed up to about two inches. I didn’t get to go play in it.

On Saturday Daddy was home. I always like it when he is home. Mommy does too, I think. And guess what! We all got to go shopping. I missed part of it because I fell asleep. Why does that always happen to me? We do the most interesting things and I just fall asleep. Rats.

Anyway, they bought something really fun for me with the present from the jazz people: a jogging stroller! Daddy and I have been out twice now with it, and we both enjoy it a lot. Daddy says it makes him feel really good, and I just like bouncing along and looking at the world. And spending time with Daddy.

They also bought me some bigger onesies because I am growing out of my little ones. I’m so proud! I am getting bigger every day, and I just can’t wait till I’m big enough to wrestle with Daddy. It seems like it is taking forever, though.

On Sunday we went to church, but I missed part of the sermon because I just got really hungry and I needed a snack. And then we went to Sunday School, but I was still hungry so I missed a bunch of that too. But then we went to a potluck afterwards, and there were a whole bunch of babies there, and people gave all of us babies each a present, these magnetic letters that spell our names and stick to a board that we can hang in our rooms or on our doors. Mine says “I S A A C” and then a basketball. I guess they had to fill up the extra space because there’s no basketball in my name.

And then after the potluck we went home for a while, and then we went to somebody’s house and I helped Daddy play cards. I sat on his lap and pointed out which ones he should play. I think we won. And then we went home again and then we went to somebody else’s house again! I was getting really tired by that point so actually I don’t really remember any more, but Mommy says I just slept on the sofa the whole time and didn’t even wake up when it was time to go home. I guess they played more games but boy, I was all played out.

On Monday morning I woke Mommy and Daddy up at 6:00 and Daddy took me out for a stroller ride. Mommy slept in. Then in the evening they took me out to pick out a couple of toys at the store. I got a dragonfly rattle and a sea horse rattle. I like the sea horse one better right now because it is easier to hold on to. I am getting better at holding onto things but sometimes I let go and then it’s nice if it sort of stays in my hand so I can grab it again, and that’s what the sea horse rattle does. I think it’s pretty neat, and sometimes I can even get it in my mouth to see what it tastes like.

Also on Monday I got to start wearing a different kind of diaper. I think I like them better. They are softer and more comfortable. Mommy says they are “cloth” and that they will be a lot more work but less expensive and better for the environment. I don’t know what the environment is but I’m glad it’s better. Anyway, I like them. I am also glad that Mommy and Daddy are not using pins on the diapers. I wouldn’t like to have pins always so near me. I think that would be a little scary. Instead I wear a plastic cover with a little pocket for the diaper, and the cover velcros shut. No pins!

And today not too much happened. I slept in till 8:00 so I didn’t get a stroller ride, but maybe I’ll wake them up early tomorrow. Oh, Daddy did get to take care of me for a while this evening while Mommy was away. She had to go be on a committee. I’m not sure what that is. Something about a church yard sale. Why would the church sell their yard? Don’t they want it?

I am sending you a picture Mommy took of me today. See how strong I am getting! You can also sort of see my dragonfly in the background, and also a silly little zebra that Grandma bought for me. It’s the one I brought when I came to visit you. The nice quilt I am laying on was a gift from a lady at church.

It’s past my bedtime again! Mommy is very nice to let me stay up and write these letters. I am so glad she helps me write to you. It’s nice to tell you all about what I am doing.

Love,

Isaac