Happy first birthday! You have to stop having birthdays now, because every time you have a birthday, Dad gets a new job. The first time, it was okay, it just made his commute a little longer. But this time he took a job all the way across the country! So from now on, you're going to get older but we're not going to celebrate your birthday any more, because I'm scared to think what next year will bring.
Unless that's when we happen to move into a new house. That might be okay.
You are a funny kid these days. You babble at us all the time, and I swear you sound like you're saying words. The other night we were sitting at the table eating dinner. You were waving your hands at your bottle and I said, "Drink? Do you want a drink?" You said, "Dra!" I said to your dad, "I think her first word was just 'drink'!" He said, "She's your daughter!" Such a funny guy.
Your temper has started showing. When we take something away from you, or take you away from somewhere, you throw yourself around and yell. Hopefully you'll never be the kind of kid that throws terrible fits or tantrums. Although if you did, I suppose we all know what your dad would say about that, don't we?
Your hair is getting longer, but it's still fine and wispy. Sometimes you'll get a curl somewhere, if you've had your hat on or something. It makes me wonder if you'll have hair that's not thick and straight, the way Corbin and I do. Just more proof that your Asian genes are taking a backseat. You are our surprising kid.
For your birthday, Grandma and Grandpa Thorne sent you a box of books and a donation to your college fund. (Congratulations! You have a college fund, now!) You also got a book from Grandma and Grandpa Lam. You love reading books. I've gotten you into the bath-books-bedtime routine now, so now when you've got your PJs on, you head straight over to your book box. You'll even hand me a book and then crawl onto my lap. It's pretty cute. Corbin and Dad and I gave you a Horton the Elephant and a Cat in the Hat, both of which you seem to like.
I have been thinking about what your life might be like in California. I know you probably won't remember anything about living here in Minnesota. It makes me a little sad, so I've been trying to think of ways that we'll be able to spend time back in the Midwest, especially up at the Cottage or with family. It really feels odd to know that you won't have the same kinds of memories as I do. I have memories of watching the geese migrate. You will have memories of the gray whales migrating. To someone with a strong attachment to her own family history, thoughts like that are unsettling to me. I think we will just have to make sure that we have a lot of adventures together. You know, for my sake.
Love,
Mom
Playing "put it in, take it out":
