Presenting: Overwrought Sentimentality (it's adorable!)

Before I had Xiao Mei, I would have gagged a little at what you are about to read. Now that I have XM, I think it's adorable. You may gag a little, and for that I apologize in advance. I wrote this letter for my mom today.

Dear Nana,

I have four teeth now, and I am an expert at biting. I love to chew on all kinds of things, like cords and Freya’s tail. Unfortunately, my mom moved all the exiting, chewable things out of my reach. However, she did add a nice, cushiony pad along the edge of the fireplace hearth which is perfect for chewing on. I think she put the pad there because she knew that was my second favorite place to crawl to. My favorite place to crawl to is the TV stand. One day I’ll make it to all the cords behind the stand.

My mom has been trying to prune the bushes and trees in our yard because it looks like a jungle. She takes me outside with her. She tries to make me stay in the play pen, but that is SO BORING and I tell her that after a few minutes. If I tell her long enough and loud enough, she will move me to a blanket on the grass. My mom hopes that I will stay on the blanket, but I am SO OVER the boring colors and designs in the blanket. Instead, I am really interested in grass, twigs, and dried leaves. At first, my mom wouldn’t let me put any of those things in my mouth. But, after a while, she pretended not to notice and I ate plenty of grass and leaves. It was great, and only kinda yucky.

My mom keeps trying to get me to eat yucky things like carrots and pears. I don’t like them, and I tell her that each time she feeds me. She feeds me bananas, and they are kinda ok because they remind me of you, Nana. I love oatmeal, and I wish she would just feed me that instead of those other things.

You know what else I love? Pulling hair. My mom tries to put her hair in a pony tail so it is out of my reach. But, I can reach around her neck and grab all the little hairs at the top of her neck. Sometimes she gets mad at me, but I laugh and then she is not so mad anymore.

Papa, it’s your birthday soon. My mom bought you a present, but she hasn’t mailed it yet so it won’t make it to you on time. My mom used to be able to go to the store, go home and wrap a present, and then go to the post office to mail it all in one day. Now, it takes her three or four days to do all those things. I hope you have a happy birthday.

I love you Papa and Nana. I am getting so big. I still have those beautiful hands with long fingers. My mom wonders what I will do with them, and I wonder that too.

Love you,

Xiao Mei