Chunky beach monkey, checking out the scene in Porto Cesareo (on the west coast of Apulia)
Dear Sugarpie,
It’s been another month of firsts! I’m writing this from Lecce…our trip to Italy has been such an adventure. But first, let’s back up and review what you’ve been up to.
I guess the biggest news is that you started crawling! In the afternoon of August the 20th, you finally stopped rocking and took your first crawling steps! It is unbearably cute when you crawl.
Crawling on the floor in Sant’Angelo in Colle (Tuscany)
Two days before, you also said “mama!” As clear as day…I still wouldn’t have believed it if Nanna hadn’t been there to confirm. In a long string of babbles, you stuck mama right there in the middle. And guess what? You also said dadadadadada for the first time a couple of days later!
Sugarpie, you also did something that made Mommy’s heart melt, we were in bed in the morning and you grabbed my face and planted a big slobbery kiss on Mommy! Oh will never forget how that felt, your little hand turning my face toward yours!
Waving has become a staple of your routine, although you don’t always do it in the right context. You’re getting better at knowing when to wave and pretty soon you’ll be saying “bye bye” too 🙂
Your new friend Adalyn waves a lot, I think you just really like to do what she does. She’s fun and you like to watch her!
Eating has become a real moment of joy in your day. You eat like a champ and know just what you like and don’t like. You’ve even learned that you can open your little hand to get the food out! And you like to grab things sometimes with your developing pincer grip.
Your 7th tooth came in! Wow, you are really in a hurry, aren’t you? 😉
On the Tuesday before we left for Italy, you got your first stomach flu 😦 You had a high fever and you were just so pitiful! You lay in Mommy’s arms and let me snuggle you. You threw up twice and we went to the doctor. But you were all better by bedtime–happy as ever again 🙂 Whew! I was so worried.
And oh my goodness–now we’re in Italy!! You are SO good, Doodlebug, and you are having so much fun. You love meeting all the people and hearing the funny way that they talk. Spending more time outside makes you really happy, and your favorite people are the nonne (grandmas).
The grandmas sure loved talking to you! And you loved to touch their faces.
You have your Mommy and Daddy together every day! You really love that. It’s fun when Daddy and I sit on the bed on our computers and you play between us. You even succeeded in pulling up for the first time in your bed in Tuscany! You wanted to pull up on the chairs in the kitchen, but Mommy didn’t want you to fall and hit your head on the tile floors.
What a view! That’s from Sant’Angelo in Colle
You’ve been such a trooper as we’ve gone up and down the whole length of Italy. You hardly cry in the car–only when you’re really hungry or tired. And speaking of hungry, you love love love pasta–any kind! We went to the beach yesterday and you relished in the breeze, and even enjoyed touching your hair as it blew in the wind. I brought you in the water totally naked! That was fun 🙂 Have a look at this video, Sugarpie…you are such a doll:
Anyway, we love you so much and are so glad that you’re such an amazing travel companion. We’re looking forward to getting you back home, in your bed, and in our native time zone, but being with you this way has been the adventure of a lifetime. I’m sorry you won’t remember it, but we’ll never forget 🙂
I love you, darling baby girl! You make Mommy love you more every single day. Who knew that was possible?!
xoxo,
Mommy
Sugarpie 