Monthly Archives: Annie Month 25

dear annie -

you are 25 months old. well, you have been for a couple of weeks now, but we were in texas and now we're in south dakota and i just haven't had time to update since we've been on the road so much. some amazing things have happened in the last month with you: you are becoming more and more proficient on the potty every day, you are speaking in more clear sentences and with that you are repeating EVERYTHING, you are a piano prodigy (see above)and the most amazing thing is that you've suddenly spawned an evil doppleganger. i will call her anita. evil anita. the first time she appeared i wondered what in the world happened to my sweet little girl. i still wonder that but now i have just come to terms with the fact that it must be your doppleganger and not you because no daughter of mine would ever behave the way you have (i know my parents will probably beg to differ).
so anita. she looks like you but she has this voice - this low growl of a voice that builds up to a cantankerous scream in no time flat. when we were in texas you wanted to go inside when we were all outside, so your daddy and i said no and anita appeared and was yelling "in there!" and daddy said no again and you - i mean anita - turned around, body stiff and upright and she pointed her finger at your daddy with such force and contempt and you screamed louder than anything i've ever heard "IN THEEEEEEERRRRRRRRREEEEEEEE!" it was truly amazing. a brilliant, oscar-worthy performance. your daddy and i (and your aunties and uncles and gammy and papa jack) all had a very difficult time not laughing at this anita person. she's so angry. i don't know why she gets so angry but man does she ever. see, anita thinks she should get everything she wants when she wants it and she just hasn't figured out yet that that is not how your daddy and i roll. anita is a naughty little girl who doesn't nap, doesn't stay in her bed at night, doesn't listen to her mommy and daddy and doesn't ever say 'yes' or 'ok'. it's always 'no' with anita and that is just so annoying. and boring. girl needs a new game plan.

i often wish that you could have a conversation with anita and tell her how naughty she is. can't you see how ugly that is? don't you like your life better when you are rested, nourished and receiving positive attention from your parents? i know you are just testing the waters, asserting your new-found independence and whatnot, but dayum girl you're driving me crazy! i still love you more than anything though.

there's another new thing you've been doing since you turned 2 last month - and that is you are getting out of your bed in the middle of the night. you can reach and turn doorknobs now. great. the first time it happened you showed up in our bedroom at 3 am completely naked. now it's happening all the time. i'm not sure if it's because we've been out of town a lot lately or what, but it's kind of scary. the other day at mama and papa's house you got up after your nap and got downstairs and when daddy went to check on you your bed was empty. we immediately thought you were either out in the cornfield - naked and freezing - or, you were drowning in a bathtub or toilet somewhere. we were comletely panicked. we found you in mama and papa's bathroom - you were throwing papa's towel in the garbage. the night before that you left your room at 3am and visited mama and papa - much to their surprise and dismay. same thing last night. so now you are officially gated in. we bought the silly trick doorknobs and put the gate up outside your room so you don't leave us in the night. it's too scary. i hope you get over this quickly. we think it's related to the sleep apnea thing we are sure you have, so hopefully we'll be able to fix you and get past this weirdness.

you are busy busy busy and cute cute cute (most of the time). we love you so much honeybunny. love, mommy