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Dearest Friends and Family,
As the newest member of the McCarthy clan, I have been assigned to give my report on the happenings as of late. Everyone else is extremely busy, and Mother thought I had the most free time. I think she may underestimate the many accomplishments I have acquired- from the physically taxing task of gliding around on my belly, to eating solid foods (steak being my favorite), and especially spreading cheer wherever I roam. Not to mention all the sleeping I have to do to keep growing as much as I have- I’m the only one who has doubled their weight this year! I even have two teeth now! I am certainly not the only one who weeps from time to time, but I think I’m the best at comforting. I, unfortunately, cannot comment on anything from this year before April 21st, but I’ll do my best for the remaining months.
Princess Rose (2 and a half) has become quite loquacious. She has developed a new found love for Disney princesses. She is highly skilled at putting on her own clothes and shoes, and even better at their removal. When she is not dressed up as royalty, she spends large quantities of time sporting her birthday suit instead. Her adorable smiles are almost as cheering as mine and her giggling prolific. Rose loves doing preschool with Mother or pretending to be a pony riding on the backs of her sibling-owls.
My big brother Toad (6) makes many interesting contraptions out of cardboard, tape, and other detritus. He loves building with blocks and also drawing pictures of monsters and other peculiar creatures I hope never to encounter. Recently, Toad has commenced horse riding lessons and discovered an interest in breakdancing. Watch out when he gets going! He just completed his Kindergarten math book, and is learning to read new words every day with Mother. I love it when he hugs me and he encourages me to ride on his tummy while he scoots around the floor on his back.
Hazel (10) can usually be found inventing, dancing, or reading- in her pajamas. She loves to be cozy, and I love being with her. She has developed a fondness of the piano this year and performs for me frequently throughout the day. She also resumed ballet instruction and stars as Clara at her school’s Nutcracker. She is very good at negotiating with Princess Rose, who can be quite demanding (as princesses often are), and loves constructing and imagining with her siblings and our bursting bins of Legos, which I am not allowed to touch yet… Mother says I may choke.
Peach (12) is my other mother. She plays with me the most and helps Mother by changing my diapers and clothes and readies me for my mini slumbers as well. I love spending time with her and tangling my fingers in her long, silky hair. I marvel at her canorous choral rehearsing and I pine for her when away at volleyball practice, horse riding, or young women’s activities. She allows me sit on her lap while she practices the piano and saves me from my other siblings when their play grows rambunctious.
The Frog (14) is my biggest big brother. I love it when he is flying me like a rocket or lolloping me on his lap. He keeps requesting to hold me, even though I seem to regurgitate on him the most of anyone, and he is the most distressed by it. The Frog is very busy attending early morning seminary and still enjoys his USA Ninja Challenge class. This year he dabbled in volleyball and tennis and also started piano lessons. Indeed our home is one flooded by music. I cannot wait to join in The Frog's Dungeons and Dragons sessions he organizes and to grow enough teeth to ingest pizza with them!
Father is so warm and strong. I have spent many hours napping on him while he programs at his standing desk. It seems all those weights and squats have proved essential! He has the best nose for grabbing and when he jiggles my bum in his somnolent way, I just cannot resist falling asleep. I love receiving his tickley beard when he smothers me with kisses, especially after a refreshing, cold shower. I feel so blessed that he can work from home and I get to see so much of him most days, though he has been traveling all over the world for his company this year.
Mother has an aptitude for releasing my giggles and I love her raspbellies after she changes my diaper. Mother is quite the chef- producing unmatched, gourmet milk for me whenever I require it, and her roasted mushy carrots are divine. She insists that food is best ingested, but I immensely enjoy the feel of mushy eggplant between my fingers. I adore Mother so much, that I wake her up several times every night, just so I can be enveloped by her attentions. She is teaching me to sleep in my crib, which I do not prefer, but I am graciously adjusting.
Grandmother Janet is so sweet and gentle. I love it when she holds me and perambulates so I can observe Mother’s doings in the kitchen and the thieving squirrels in the yard. She also serenades me on our meandering journeys. Grandmother’s melodious piano music wafts through house and she has made it her personal mission to reunite all wayward leaves back into the forest. When our family goes for nature walks, it’s always Mother, Rose, Grandmother and I trailing far behind the others, enjoying the beautiful New England woods. Grandmother’s frequent sweeping prevents me from eating little bits of craft projects, food, and other miscellany on the floor. I love her quiet, peaceful presence.
I am excited to experience my first Christmas this year! It sounds like a wonderful time of year when love and peace abound, and we celebrate another special baby- baby Jesus! I hope your Christmas is full of joy that lasts throughout the year!
Love,
Newt
