For Zoe

Before you were born, I thought I wanted a boy. I grew up with a lot of male relatives and I was convinced a boy would be easier. I was shocked when the sonogram revealed a girl, and it took me awhile to get used to the idea. I now think you're so perfect, I consider myself an idiot for ever having any doubts about how utterly amazing I would find you.


This is the hair-do that inspired us to name you Zoe. When they brought you to us in the hospital, you had a mohawk. Even though your hair was a superficial thing, it somehow seems like a good early indicator of your personality.

You are incredibly, ridiculously friendly. I call you a baby stalker because when we are in restaurant or other public place, you will zero in on someone and stare at them until they talk to you. When we were at the caucus in March, you did this to the woman sitting next to us and when she finally succumbed, you tried to crawl into her lap. Later while we stood in line, you did the same thing to a woman behind us, staring and staring till she finally paid attention to you.


This was when you fit on a pillow. Now you are a big girl, 90th percentile in height the doctor says. You typically wear clothes about six months ahead of your current age.

Other things are changing. You're entering a clingy phase (separation anxiety right on schedule, according to Baby Center). You cry when I leave the room; you want to be held, oh no, wait, you want to go on the floor, oh no, you really actually want me to hold you, oh wait ... I'm sure that moving to a new town and daycare are great for this (I'm sorry!) but I do think you'll like growing up in Austin.

You have gotten the hang of the walking thing. But now you're so excited about walking that you try to run and sometimes fall.

You have had a bloody nose and a bloody lip from falls on my watch. Your father has been luckier, no blood.



You really like to eat. Always have. When you were breastfeeding, you would sigh and grunt and smack. Now all of your teachers say, "She's a good eater." I haven't found anything you don't like yet (except cow's milk). Although when you are done with something, you'll throw it off your high chair with perfect dismissiveness.

You still smack your food when you really like what you're eating.

You mostly behave very well in restaurants, unless it is close to nap or bedtime.

You hadn't had sweets until your birthday and now you looooove cake and cupcakes (though you sleep like crap afterward).

You make "jokes," like putting food in my mouth and then laughing when you look for it and it's gone. I guess you got that liking to eat from somewhere ...

You have started hugging people by grabbing onto their legs.

You love to snuggy.

You've only been around for a year, a fact I find hard to believe. It seems strange, for example, that you weren't with us when we got married. I guess you were, in a way ...

I had my tarot cards read a couple of months ago. I was told that you are going to be very creative, an exceptional person, and that I need to prepare myself for that fact that you will know more than I do (what parent doesn't want to hear how fabulous their child will be?). "Don't get in her way," I was advised. "She'll know what she needs to do. Just be there, behind her, in case she falls from time to time."



I've had good practice, watching you learn to walk and fall and even get a little bloody at times. So I'll try to not get in the way of the person you are going to be, mohawked, friendly, foodie, funny, perfect.