Dear Scarlette,
Look at you. I don’t even think I’m being biased when I say you are the most beautiful little girl in the entire world. Even though you are sagging your shorts like you are gangsta. I can’t find pants to fit your skinny little body + fluffy cloth diapered booty so half of the time your bottoms are falling off and I’m trailing around behind you, hiking them up and singing “pants on the ground, pants on the ground…”
You are still obsessed with anything that sparkles and this princess wand is your latest must-have accessory. You were playing in our closet the other day and of all the shoes strewn about in there, you emerged wearing my silver sequined flats. “That is her mother’s daughter” your father said as you clomped into the living room, trying unsuccessfully to put on one of my sequined headbands and stopping to sling a purse over your shoulder. Then I realized you were playing dress up and burst in to tears because YOU ARE GROWING UP TOO FAST.
Your vocabulary is picking up and right now you love to say words that start with the letter B, like book and ball. You point to a sheep and call it a “Baa Baa.” I’ve been trying to teach you your colors because I’m an overachiever and the only one you can say is “Blue.” I’ve been doing this using the different colored balls in the ball pit so now you like to run in the kitchen and excitedly yell “BLUE BALLS!” That’s right. I’ve successfully taught you exactly three phrases and one of them is blue balls. I’m winning all of the parenting awards. In my defense, you can practically sign all of “Jesus Loves Me” and most of “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” so that totally cancels it out right?
That also makes me cry because when you were in the critical room in the NICU, your roommate’s mommy and I would sing to you and Isaiah together. We’d sing “He’s got the itty bitty babies in His hands” and we’d hold one another’s hands and pray that you’d both grow up. Look at you.
We have therapy twice a week now to work on your feeding issues because your evaluation came back and told us that your eating skills were at the level of a 9-10 month old. I could have told them that. Actually, I DID tell them that but when you get older you’ll learn something about something about this thing called “RED TAPE.” So most of our day is spent with me trying to cajole you into touching some sort of food stuff. The stubbornness that served you well during the five and a half months you spent fighting for your life is making it’s appearance in the form of you clamping your lips shut and shaking your head wildly when you see food approaching.
Unless it’s cheese. You love cheese and you’ll wrap your arms around my legs, smile up at me and say “CHEESE!”
Your daddy always gives in to that.
I love you Lettie,
Mommy
About Kayla Aimee
Hi Kayla Aimee,
oh this post nearly made me cry. I still remember reading the first day of Scarlette in the NICU and look how wonderful this little girl is!! You can be so proud of her. By the way, my little girl seems to know only one color: it is green. She turned 2 last weekend and when I asked her how old she is now she looked at me, smiled and said “GREEN!”
Have a great weekend
Tascha
KA, Madison still has feeding issues so we give her what she wants (most of the time) and listen to her ped cringe about the choices. And, when we look at the entire week instead of each day individually, it isn’t so bad. Who doesn’t like cinnamon toast waffles, pepperoni, chicken, cheese and orange juice as diet staples.
btw, we all think you are doing fine as a momma and I bet Scarlette does too!
Happy 19 Months sweet little Scarlette – thank you Kayla Aimee for allowing us to all enjoy in God’s miracle of watching her grow and change. Blessing upon you all!
She is the most beautiful baby. Such a sweet girl. Your story is absolutely beautiful and I am so thankful you share the little bits and pieces here. Thank you. And happy 18 months to that precious babe.
Thanks for sharing this with us _ I think she is just adorable and love to hear about all the things she is learning. Your a wonderful mom and the post brought tears to my eyes.
I just discovered your blog via a Blog Her link and I’m loving it already. I don’t have time for lots of blog reading since I have a 14 month old, but I will definitely add you to my very limited blog list. I love your authenticity about what Motherhood is really like. I too am a SAHM, and though I wouldn’t trade it for anything, it can be exhausting! Keep up the great writing and photos!
Love this!
She must be eating something right otherwise how is she growing up into such a beautiful girl. Show her Dr the photos of when she was in hospital and they will see she has grown ALOT in the last few months.
She is so cute and adorable and always looks well dressed to me no matter what you say about pants falling down LOL:)
Thank you for sharing these special moments with us. I too love to see her photos and read about what she is learning and doing. Enjoy all these precious moments xxoo
She is truly so beautiful! And those outfits–I WISH I had the style to dress my daughter so adorably!! Where did you get the headband from in the picture?
Thank you for sharing these with all of us!
Just loved this post, as I usually do
My niece was in the NICU for 4 months. She was so tiny her daddy’s wedding ring fit around her bicep. She had NECK and had an illeostomy, came home on a feeding tube. She is 4 now and still wears 18 month old clothes. She is a gift from God and quite the little spitfire! My sister likes to say God wasn’t ready for her and the Devil was afraid she’d take over. I think she survives on an “anything chocolate” diet. Your baby Scarlette is beautiful and I think you’re a wonderful mommy, she will eat when she’s hungry! God bless her and your happy little family, thank you for sharing your experiences with us!
Thank you for taking the time to share with me, that gives me so much hope for Miss Scarlette! And I LOVE that phrase “God wasn’t ready for her and the Devil was afraid she’d take over.” I am totally stealing that from your sister
BLUE BALLS!!!!
That is fun to yell. I can see why Scarlette likes it.
Also, very smart of her to realize that blue is the best color and that she doesn’t need to bother with any of the others.
KA, my daughter will not eat anything either. It’s so FRUSTRATING!!! I’m ashamed to admit this, but if I sit her on my lap and turn on a show that she likes to watch (right now it’s Dora…I know don’t judge me) and then slyly feed her while she’s too excited to notice, she eats like a champ. She’s 16 months and in the 2nd percentile for weight so whatever I can do. Good luck!