Rylie, RyBug, Ry, Rylie Cakes, Booboo Bear,
Baby, you'll be 16 months old in a little less than an hour. I have so many things I want to say to you. Starting this week, I'm going to start a journal to each you and Tucker to give to you when you're older. I've been writing down little stories here and there and have written a few random letters to each of you (which won't be shared here..), but I need/want to be more consistent. I have pages and pages of funny things your brother has said, many directed to/about you, that I write down religiously. I want to remember these days forever and I want you to, too.
There's nothing greater than being a mother to you and Tucker. You two are absolutely amazing.
But in every way that Tucker has been a'n "easy" child for the most part (whew hitting the threes was ROUGH STUFF for all of us at times!!), you have been the exact opposite. You're hot and cold in a split second. And I couldn't imagine it another way. To me, you're perfect as you are.
You're incredibly passionate about the things you want to be. And you make it clear that NOTHING else will ever please you, unless you want it to. That's not an easy way to be in this world, but it works for you. Being your mommy is...hard sometimes, but I always love it. I've never been around a child as passionate about everything as you are (aka that cries at the drop of a hat over EVERYthing) or one that can turn a perfect strangers bad day upside down with your utter delight and smile that touches every corner of your face.
I can look back at you in your little mirror and see you in tears over absolutely nothing one second..
And the next second, in blissful joy.
The bond you and Tucker share is unbreakable. You each think the other hung the moon. It's amazing. Sure, occasionally one of you screams at the other (and no matter who did the screaming, it leaves you in tears) and sometimes (rarely, but it does happen!!) one of you hits/bites/kicks/spits at/pinches the other (ok, ok, usually it is YOU that does anything physical, but not always!) but all in all, the bond you two have still leaves me speechless even 16 months later. He is by far the best brother ever, better than I ever dreamed of. Patient with you through all the good times, and the bad. When you are having a terrible day, he will take you and try to lead you gently to your room to have some alone time and a talk. If you pitch a fit along the way, he throws his hands up in frustration and sighs, "Just sit there and cry awhile then." And he is always, faithfully, waiting nearby until your fit is over and he can continue to try to soothe you. If you misbehave, he rarely wants you to be punished, or he will say "Rylie needs a time out." I gotta admit girl, you and the time out bench, you are well acquainted.
You are a mess! Not in a bad way though! As my friend Katy says, "strong willed"...aka, STUBBORN. You are just full of life and opinion. You're a wild child. Your content to play on your own when you want to, but when you want mama, YOU WANT MAMA!! But the biggest thing that gets you into trouble, but you absolutely refuse to give up...you're a climber. You want to climb everything. Always. Tables, chairs, onto the counter, your dresser, Tucker's bed, my bed, the bathroom counter, porch railings. Everything. You've already given me way more than my fair share of heart attacks doing this.
I never wanted you to learn the hard way not to climb anymore, especially if it meant you getting hurt. But even when that did happen, it didn't change a single thing.
(ignore the colors and such, this was from before we painted and remodeled)
I hesitated when thinking about buying this house with this big brick hearth (that will soon hold a fireplace!), knowing that nearly all children bare the scars of at least one fireplace scar.
Up until late Friday night when we got home, there was a coffee table located under that window to the right of the fireplace. I can't tell you how many times I told you to stop climbing up on that table, how many times I got you off that table, how many times I would take you to your room to distract you from climbing, how many times you got put into time out for not listening when I said no, etc. Yet, the second I turned my back to make dinner, you climbed right back up on that table!! The next second, I turned around and was about to tell you, again, to get down, I saw you slip. You were so pitiful when I scooped you up and you definitely succeeded in scaring both Tucker and I badly. You fell and hit your tiny little head on the corner of the bricks, and just lay there, not making a sound and not moving. It only took me 1.7 seconds to get to you, but I will admit, I panicked those 1.7 seconds.
Thank goodness Bapa only lives a few houses down and could rush over the second I called.
This little booboo may not look bad, but that bad boy was DEEP. I mean, it didn't even bleed for the first few minutes!! Then my goodness, it was a gusher!
You barely made it to 15 months before you were in the ER. And as much as I wish it weren't true in ways like this, no one was surprised, Miss Wild Thing!!
You'll never believe me, but in this picture (taken just seconds after they glued the cut closed and gauzed you up), you weren't crying from pain. You were pissed and not at the doctors or nurses. You were pissed because your dinner was late and you wanted it that very second. Shocker, right?
But that doctor that you flirted with the whole time, he fixed you up with a pack of graham crackers!
(see that bruise to the right of your cut? Your head must of also hit the floor, in addition to the brick, when you fell.)
The moment we got home, you immediately wanted up in your booster and demanded food. And while you didn't eat nearly as much as normal, you still stuffed it in.
You were so exhausted from a long day of play and then all the hospital stuff, you just laid on the table and watched the scan quietly. Back in the room, waiting on results, you were asleep within seconds with your blankie.
Thankfully, the CT scan came back with only a slight concussion and surprisingly, an ear infection. Quite the way to diagnose an ear infection!
Took you a day to get back to your normal self, but you were pretty throughly unamused with any attempts to make you smile the next day. Although, if you had a headache like the doctor predicted, I don't blame you at all!!
I'm telling you girl, one minute you are happy and content,
and the next, you're pissed at the world again!!
The point of me telling you this story in my letter to you, is that despite how emotional, head strong, mean and wild you are, you are truly a delight to me and your daddy. I can't imagine life without you. Your personality is SO strong. You're a difficult child in some ways, but I wouldn't have it any other way. You're perfect the way you are. I couldn't possibly love you any more, yet every time you snuggle me, kiss me, look into my eyes, I fall in love with you all over again and harder than ever before.
You have the most beautiful little smile that just lights up your whole face.
We have had our fair share of rough days, and nights (you still rarely sleep through the night), but even the rough days are great.
You're passionate about what you want to be passionate about. Some things that top that list are your little pink butterfly blankie, your gloworm doll, your milk, books, spiders, sleeping with Mommy, Tucker and brushing your teeth. You love food, but the things that top your food list are bananas, pineapple, meatloaf, ketchup, tastes of coffee, cheese sticks and goldfish.
You take life seriously and teach me patience and love daily. And when you want to, you have a wonderful sense of humor.
I love you and Tucker more than words can explain.
I hope you have big dreams RyBug, because I know you will accomplish anything and everything you put your mind to.
Dream big and love big baby girl.
Love,
Mommy.
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