Dear Lev,
You're 10 months old. It's just too much for me to think about- you being pretty much all the way through your first year with us. I get choked up when I think about it. You've become such an active and fun little man to have around- always showing up in time to mop or vacuum with me, and listening well while Pop reads in Russian, or attempting to touch every single animal that come into your reach. Oh, and you are a camera ham. You LOVE it. Pop and I were watching you play a couple of weeks ago, and we commented about how we lost our baby and gained a toddler:
You drink from a sippy cup, and can use a fork, although we have to limit fork usage since you like to poke yourself and others with it. You pretty much just feed yourself.
You crawl, unless a hand is nearby and then you just walk and hold mine or Pop's hand.
You climbed all the way up the stairs on the first try, and now we follow you closely while you climb the stairs, becuase we think that if you can, and like to, you should do it yourself.
We have a baby gate on the stairs, and one is going in your doorway soon.
You're giving up your morning nap- in 4-6 months it will be totally gone! Yay! Morning nap is more like a morning snooze on the way to afternoon nap.
You made up your own signs for "pick me up", "more", and "come with me", all involve waving your arms around in some form or another and distinctive grunts or squeals.
You play with everything but your toys- pots and pans, the vacuum cleaner, curtains, etc.
You babble sounds like words. We especially love it when we ask you questions and you say Uh-huh or nuh uh for yes and no. We think that's just so funny.
One of my favorite things about you this month is seeing how much you love being around other kids. You just LOVE them. You pay them nicely and squeal at them, and generally just have fun. I love that about you, because it shows that the Lord is answering my prayers for you, that you would love other kids, and help them to loved God more. It makes me pray extra hard for you.
And yet, you've experienced a lot as well- your little friend Savvy G is with Jesus now, and we're all still really sad about it. I still cry a little every day, because I think about the high hopes I had for your friendship and how much she loved seeing you and you her. And I think about how you wont really remember her, and how I have to remember her for you. And I'm happy to do that, becuase I'm your mom and that's my job. She was your first friend, the first person you ever interacted with besides me and Pop. I wish that we didn't have to walk this road while you are so young. You don't have any idea what happened, but it makes me treasure your life, and the miracle that it is that much more.
And after all of that, you are going to be a big brother! We're going adopt another little guy who needs a mom and dad too, and he'll become a Starchenko just like the rest of us. He won't be much younger than you, but he'll be your best friend, and you'll be his best friend! I am looking forward to seeing you both play together and and love each other and God dearly. It's going to be a long road to that point, but we'll get there, and when we do, it's going be exciting!
We love you sweet boy, and we pray for you to be a godly man.
Love,
Mom
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