Mama-Come-Lately

You are 21 months old.

You kiss all the “boo boos” on the banisters:

You say “hi” as sweetly as possible after you get scolded.

You have met Santa a few times and you think it’s fun that he waves at you, but you are not inclined to get very close to him.

You have a toy phone, but you use the TV remote to call your grandma in India.

You are cutting at least one molar. We know because you are gnawing on everything, including your fingers, like you’re four months old again.

You understand that sheet music is to songs as books are to reading. Luckily, the music we have out is at the “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” level, so Mama can play it for you.

You are happy to mix up a pretend drink for yourself while Mama cooks, though you sometimes require her assistance with pouring in some pretend salt or honey (two of your favorite taste treats).

You are trying like hell to draw a circle so you can draw a cat. Which explains why you scribble over every cat we draw for you — you’re teaching yourself to draw. Duh.

You occasionally claw at Mama’s face, usually when you’re tired or scared. But we still have chats about why that’s not okay.

You will now eat hard-boiled egg whites if there’s enough seasoning on them. You will also eat cheese crackers because Elmo is on them.

You demand music during car rides.

You adore your play food and are particularly fond of making sandwiches. Cheese-lettuce-whole cucumber-and-pretzel sandwiches. You also like to send the lemon, ear of corn, and tangerine on short trips into space.

You are also really into some soft play tunnels we just brought out, and the few new books we’ve gotten you recently.

You want to run all the time: Before diaper changes, after diaper changes, freshly out of the car, as soon as you finish your morning bottle. But most interestingly, when you are a little uncertain or shy about a social situation.

You encountered your first train table last week. We more or less had to rip you away from it when the train store closed. Now we’re figuring out how to fit one on our main level.

You are 21 months old. How did that happen?