Your first haircut and other updates

Baby Zoe,

Today was my last day at work for this year. Tomorrow we are flying to Istanbul, to see Nine and Dede. I'm determined to to stay up until I finish this blog entry, which I've been meaning to write for a long time. Here is a summary of last month's events:

On November 12, Brendi, Mamma and Papa's hair dresser, gave you your first hair cut. You sat on a big chair, in front of a big mirror, and started crying, as she tied the big black apron around your neck - Neither Papa, nor I could console you, but a lolly pop did. We took pictures of the event, and Brendi put a few cut   locks of your cut hair in an envelop for us to keep.

I tried to go shoe shopping two days in a row, and failed in both attempts. Both times, you pulled every shoe within reach off the rack, and insisted on trying on the pink, the red, and the shiny shoes with high heels. You are a persistent girl, but the level of persistence you displayed was unlike anything I've seen in you before. So both days I gave up on finding shoes for myself, and eventually left the store. In the end, when the stores were open late, I went on my own.

You are becoming more and more helpful around the house. When we say "dirty laundry," you take the clothes to the dirty laundry basket. You want to help set the table, by carrying stuff from the kitchen to the dining area. When I take my shoes off, you try to put them where they belong, and if you see me barefoot, you bring me my slippers. You are the cutest little monster. And monster you are.

When you see olives, you see nothing else. In fact, you ask me to open the fridge, and point at the olives. Then you put them in your mouth one by one. When full, you start chewing.

You went through a period where you'd scratch kids at daycare if they wanted to join you in play. Your teacher Ms. Elena thought our move might have had something to do with it, and encouraged you to "touch gently." I think your behavior has been improving. Last two weeks, when I came to pick you up from daycare, I found you playing with other kids, mostly with Charlotte and Scout.

There is so many other things going on with you, that if I were to capture everything, I'd have to write several times a day. Your language skills are growing hundred miles an hour, and so are your other mental abilities. You're building towers with blocks or things that look like blocks, putting things inside boxes, categorizing items by color.... You are one smart monster and you make us feel proud every day.

And here are a few things I did for you lately.
You love playing with a doll grandma Roza gave you - the one that has a bath tub, and all the bath accessories. There was a period where you played with her every day, soaping her, putting cream and changing her diapers. So I sewed an outfit for her - a white skirt with lady bugs, and a green shirt, with a ladybug button, to match the skirt.

I knit a red hat for you, and sewed a pair of matching mittens. They are gray and red. I put a little mirror shaped like hart on one hand, and a lady bug on the other. This was my first attempt at sewing mittens, but I think you liked them.

Love,

Mommy