Sweet Seventeen Months

Dear my little poppet Sheraz,

You just turned amazing 17 months old. The last time I wrote you a letter was three months ago. I really am missing it. It’s not that I had nothing to update, you’ve been progressing and developing really well, infact. I wrote your update on my little notepad which I got it missed place a few weeks ago. But I hope I won’t delay any updates on you from this instance.

A more matured little boy you are now, we are just so proud of you. I don’t know where to start, so let’s begin with counting those pearly whites you have. So far you got 16 of them. You don’t let us check on them so we had a little peek when you were sleeping. You are having a lack of interest in brushing your teeth. I have to sing the “this is the way to brush your teeth” song to encourage you to start brushing them. You do brush but most of the brushing is more like chewing the toothbrush. You're still on the stage-two toothbrush which is made of rubber. I prefer it because you like to bite, pulling out the bristles of the stage-three, one by one. So far I have to make you deal with it, as long as you brush. I hope you do, since you had started eating real food and we need to pay attention on the dental care.

You learn very fast in imitating what we do. You pray, sujud and babbling. The babbling which looks more to chewing is something I never expected. You do it as if you’re saying a prayer. It’s just funny to see it. You also learn a lot how things should work. For instance you know that the keys are meant to open the doors. That’s what happened a few weeks ago when the padlock landed on your toe as you were trying to open the grill. You also know how to unlock ayah’s iPhone, slide your little finger correctly. You like to play the baby game on it. And yes, you prefer ayah’s touch screen hand phone rather than bunda’s boring QWERTY.

You also like to lead our fingers to point the picture in your book and when you don't know how to open the bottle or when you don't know how to put the phone screen back to 'home'. You also hand the remote control when you are not sure how to get to your favourite channel.

You like to 'read' books and you don't feel bored to read the same book or the same page over and over again. Now that you know how to put on your shoes and I can tell that you're obsessed on putting and taking them off all over again. However you always concern on the right side only and proceed walking without putting the shoe on the other. You also know how to help to put on your own clothes and get undressed when I ask.

You are smart and growing up. Your milestones are incredible. You're consistently ahead. But the biggest thing I want you to do for the time being is to TALK. But you haven't. I hardly understand what you say, but most of the time I quite get what you want. And you understand what I say. Fairly well, I suppose. Except when you're being stubborn by choosing not to pay any attention. When I say "go and get your towel", you know what to do and perfectly get the correct towel. It's pity but still am proud of you to know the fact your only close pronunciation so far is 'clock' in which you say "ock ock". I just have no idea why you have to say it twice. I need you to say something important like calling me! Say "Bunda", but you haven't. Whatever it is I believe that the fact you understand what I say is a wonderful start. After all, comprehension is the beginning of a spoken language. I'm so much ready to hear you speak.

Sheraz sweetheart, remember you did your 'destructive' behaviour like unloading the drawers or throw things on the floor. Unloading the drawers, yes still on, but no more throwing things, which is good. Instead, you sometimes like to put things back to the proper place. For instance, putting back all the remote controls back to the remote pockets, placing the cushions on the sofa or put the mega blocks into the dump truck. You also know how to build a tower of four blocks before you smash them back on the ground.

Sheraz, you're my grown up baby but you're still lovable indeed. You started playing hide and seek not long after you first crawled, you still do it today, plus asking people to chase after you so that you can run and hide behind the sofa or the bed or the wall. You're a funny, cheerful child. And you seem to have music in your mind all the time. Your head, hand, body or those little toes like to follow the rythm of music, by any chance when you catch it. Even when listening to the slow jingle on the TV or the background music of a drama. I want you to stay happy and please be a good son, a good believer. I want you to be some body one day, a good person and a loving family member. We love you so much.

Hugs and kisses,