Twenty One Months

Happy Birthday, Jett! Last week you turned 21 months old.


My favorite memory of you this month is from just a few nights ago. Daddy and I were putting you to bed. We had finished changing your diaper, and had wrestled you into your pajamas. Now we were sitting on the floor, reading books. You had laid out the rules like you do every night - assigning each of us, including yourself, a book to read. You are so adamant about these rules. Here they are:

1. We each must sit on the floor with a book in our lap, and we must read the book.
2. If a book sits on my lap unopened, you will open it.
3. If I wait too long between turning the pages, you will reach over and turn the page for me.
4. We must all read our books at the same time.
5. The first person to start reading their book aloud has the floor...
6. Unless you change your mind and give the floor to someone else.
7. You will designate who does not have the floor by placing your hand over that person's mouth and saying "No Nahnning," which translates to, "Stop talking."
8. No matter who else is talking, you always have the floor.

But this night was different. This night you felt like rolling over on to the floor. But I am a good mama, and I follow the rules, so I kept reading. So you start squirming around on the floor, but I keep reading. So you keep squirming, and start laughing. I look over at you, and you have this glint in your eye, and I know where this is going.

I know you are begging for a tickle, a wrestle, a zerbert on your belly, and I give in. Then just as I start to wind you down again, Daddy gets in on the action, and soon you are flying like a plane in the air, turning flips, sliding down his back. You're overjoyed, we're all laughing, and even though I'm loving the moment, I'm wondering how we're ever going to get you to bed. But just at that moment, we all end up stretched out on the floor, breathless, as if we had planned it; your head resting on my leg, my head on Daddy's shoulder. Then as calm as a cucumber, you slide up next to me, turn over on your tummy, and finish reading your book.

Thank you, Jett. Thanks for surprising me in almost always good ways.



Happy Birthday. We love you.