Dear Marshall,
You are developing so fast now. Every day you learn a new word or do some other interesting thing, or we have so much fun together that I actually stop and think how wonderful it is to spend time with you. I want to document it all. Right now, I have so many things to say and no mental energy with which to shape it, so I’m just going to tell you all the stories, random though they may seem, and worry about form some other time.
We bought you a new twin-size bed. You seem to like it, though we haven’t put you to sleep in it yet (we’re still not prepared to let your roam free in your room all night). But your father and I love it because it provides us with a nice place to lie down for a few minutes while you’re playing in your room. A few days ago, both your father and I were relaxing in the bed and you jumped in, and I yelled, “People pile!” You enjoyed being part of a people pile so much, you kept climbing in and out of bed, saying, “Peepa pa!” And you’ve said it every day since!
The Sunday before last was Mother’s Day and we brought you kids over to your grandparents’ house so that we could give your vovó her present. We were just about to leave when you ran up to your vovô and gave him a kiss. It was so sweet and unexpected. You really made his day. I am still amazed at how naturally affectionate you are while also being a typical boy (i.e., constantly moving, barely staying still long enough to hug).
With all the ticks around here, I’m not comfortable taking you out in the yard right now, even though your dad mowed (thank you!). So one day, because I knew you really needed some exercise and fresh air, I brought you to the state park around the corner. There’s a brook there, so your father and I sold you on the trip by calling it “The Other Water.” The park is mostly sunny and mowed and (I hope) tick-free if you stay out of the woods. Many people walk their dogs there. The first time you spotted a dog, you said, “Eon!” I explained that lions were much bigger and that what you were looking at was actually a dog. You understood immediately and switched to “Puppy!” You got to see many puppies and we had a great time together. We even talked to some other people, which I’m sure was good for both of us.
Recently you’ve started using some new Martian words, including…
Paypoo = paper
Abba = pretzel
Boop = book
Ory = orange
Nana = banana
Gan = again
I think, though, that your favorite new word is “no,” which you pronounce the Portuguese way (sounds like “now”). You like this new word so much that you use it to answer every question, even this one: “Marshall, do you want a cookie?” We know you don’t really mean it, though, so we still give you cookies. You also use the word as part of the phrase “neet now,” which translates roughly as “Hey, look at me! I’m doing something that I shouldn’t!”
BTW, I finally figured out something about Martian—it’s related to French. I’m surprised I didn’t notice this sooner. Many of the things you say are preceded by “le.” For example, you call me “le Mommy” and a book “le boop.”
You’ve always been a climber. First it was the dining-room table and chairs. We had to move all of the chairs into the kitchen. We had to take away your little table and chair set, too. And your riding toy, because you used it to climb onto other things. We had to buy that twin bed for you (and we need to switch you to it soon) because you’ve learned how to climb out of your crib. And we also had to move the couch, because you were using it to get onto the knee wall. We had no choice. It was upsetting to walk into the living room and find you running around several feet above the ground!
It seems like everything we do is for you, Sweets, but you reward us richly for it every day.
Love,
Mom