Dear Mommy and Daddy,

I heard you. Even when I was still inside Mommy’s tummy, your voices always surrounded me. It didn’t bother me one bit, I enjoyed hearing your voices! Mommy, you sang songs to me and I always thought you had the nicest voice. I kicked every time to let you know I liked it and I’m sorry if that hurt but it was the only way I could let you know. I felt you, Daddy, when you rubbed Mommy’s belly. It made me feel safe! When you held me in your arms for the first time ten months ago, I knew I was home.

I know it was scary for you at first, Mommy. When you cried before leaving Grandma and Grandpa’s house that day, I know it was because you felt you didn’t think you and Daddy could take care of me on your own. You were also upset for a while because you felt like having me changed so many things for you and Daddy, but you sure caught on and adjusted to me real quick!

You teasingly fight over who I am most like, but you know for sure that I got all the good stuff from you both. Just like you, I already like music – I think they’re the best parts to all three of my favorite cartoons! And that Beyonce song makes me dance every time (though I’m pretty sure you’ll agree that the dancing must have come from someone else we are related to)! I like watching Daddy play the drums or the piano or the guitar and I like listening to Mommy sing! I want to learn to do all those someday – will you teach me?

You tell everyone about how active and chatty I am. Well, Momsie says Daddy was super energetic and talkative when he was a baby too! (Shh. Don’t worry, Mom, I won’t tell anyone that you secretly like that you have to always run around after me because you lost all that baby weight so fast!) It makes you laugh when I try to fold my blankie, or wipe my crib clean with my bib – but I only try to do it because I watch you do your blankie or clean up the room, Mommy!

Daddy, I love it when you make silly faces or run to me from across the room just to make me laugh and laugh! You also think it’s okay when I take over all the space on your side of the bed when I sleep with you and Mommy. You let me pound on your computer keyboard and watch you play your games, I have the coolest dad! 🙂

Mommy, we spend a lot of time together – I love it when you read my books to me, or play my toys with me, or sing songs to me. The best times are when we cuddle before we get out of bed in the morning and before we sleep at night. You smile and squeal whenever I kiss you and I like to do it again because of that! You don’t mind that I leave my drool on your face. 🙂

Bath time is a treat – you’re both always there for it! I get to splash around in the water because I have four hands to make sure I don’t slip. You know, I still don’t like it when you wash my hair, but I’m getting used to it. Also, I’m sorry if I give you a hard time when you clean me up after I poop. I just don’t think it’s fun to lie down for so long when I’m not sleepy – and it’s so embarrassing (I don’t think you’d like it too, if your Mommy and Daddy had to do that to you)!

I’ve been trying to learn how to stand and walk for a while now, and you always tell me “Good job, sweetie!” and clap your hands even when I fall back down every time. It makes you happy when I try to do the actions to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”, or count my fingers. You especially like it when I say “Mama” and “Dada”.

You tell me how quickly I have grown – I will be turning 1 soon! This makes you happy, but also a little sad because I will not be a baby anymore. But I can’t wait to learn to say how I feel and whisper back the words you want to hear: “I love you too, Mommy and Daddy!”

Love, Sophia

P.S. – I know sometimes you feel guilty that we don’t have our own house yet and I don’t have enough space in our room to move around. But for right now, I have all I want and need in this room.

Oh, and the grocery of course!

Written as part of MamaKat’s Writer’s Workshop for the prompt: Dear Mommy and/or Daddy…(write a letter to yourself from one of your children) (inspired by Denise from Laughing With Spoons).