Seven Months

Dear Sweetest Nugget,

I'm writing your letter early this month because you've just had a really big day and I need to get all of this down before I forget.  Today was a triple whammy: Papi's birthday, Halloween, and...your baptism!  Talk about BUSY!

Mamie Nelly, Papi Daniel and Aunt Dorinda have been staying with us for a week and you cannot get enough of them.  I'm already worried about how you'll react when you wake up on Friday morning and realize that it's just me and daddy hanging around.  No more constant stream of kisses and hugs and bouncing knees to play on?  Oh girl, you're gonna freak out.  They've been around for some of your cutest milestones.  In the last few weeks, you've learned how to sit up for REAL, how to scoot on your belly (which is quite a sight to see), how to "wave" good bye, and how to say "bah bah bah bah bah" four thousand times in a row.  You are really piling on the cuteness these days.

Watching you and your daddy interact with the family from France gives me such a warm and fuzzy feeling inside.  My French is getting a little bit better with each visit, but I can't wait to hear you speaking French very soon.  Papi, Mamie, and Dorinda like to make lots of silly faces for you, and they're all champion peek-a-boo players, so you're pretty much in heaven these days (so much so that you've decided to stop sleeping while they're here because you just don't want to miss all the fun).  But every once in a while, when they think no one's looking, I've caught each of them staring at you, or trying to steal a quick snuggle, or talking to you in that soft, sweet voice that you love so much.  You reach out for their faces and they smile as you run your fingers over their skin and explore every inch of them.  When you lock eyes with them, I can see their hearts melt.  You have three more members of Sylvia's Fan Club, and they've signed up for LIFE!  What a lucky little girl.

One more thing before I go.  You were the most beautiful and well behaved little girl in church this morning while we all celebrated your baptism!  Aunt Dorinda and Uncle Jordan stood with Mommy and Daddy in front of the whole church and Father Bill blessed you with oil and water and welcomed you into our community.  We all pledged to keep the light of Christ in you as you grow and I took one look at your sweet face and thought, "Wow, there's the light right there.  I can see it.  I'm holding it in my arms and I can't wait to watch it shine as she grows!"  You didn't make a sound for the entire mass.  You held onto your doudou and chewed on its ears; you went back and forth between Mommy and Daddy; you smiled at all of the family sitting in the row behind us; and you rode in your stroller back to the house where we all celebrated your special day.  You have so many people around you who will love you to the ends of the earth, my dear.  You are so blessed, and we are so blessed to have you.

All My Love,
Mama