Dear Marcelo

Querido Marcelo
It has been a while since I wrote you mi amor, but that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about it.  You y tu hermano keep mami soooooo busy, but I keep all the fun details on a notes page in my phone so I don't forget until I get it to the bloggy blog.
Important details like your first haircut:

Of course, four months later we are back to the original mexi-mullet that is obviously a signature Espinoza style. (so classy classic!)

I also recorded the first time you went pee pee in the potty. (which was just last week)  You were so proud of yourself.  I would not say you are ready for official potty training yet, but you are interested in the potty.

Marcelo, my funny Marcelo.  You are a walking, talking machine.  At 18 months you were saying over 40 words. 

Now, at 20 months you are belting out new ones daily hourly.

I can't keep up, because now you are just repeating everything. Here's a list of some I remember.
Tunnel, hustle, egg, tree, dough, candle, teeth, paste, please, Annie, India, tight, Rob, kitchen, couch, shoe,  pasas, si, hug, tickle, hug, painting, map, ham, toe, loud, green, coffee. coff coff, bingo, body, butter, hat, toast, meat, ding-dong, beer, fishy, honey, O-H-I-O, down, [te] cais, Frosty, potty, cool, gracias, hey dude, oh-maaaaaaan, to name a few.

This amazes us, because your big brother was only saying a couple words at your age.  (of course now he won't be quiet!)

You recently started saying "thanks."  Only it doesn't sound anything like thanks.  It is more like "geets."  Everything we ask you is "No geets."  Ernesto and I can't stop saying it to each other either.  I think this one is going to stick.  It's hilarious.

Yep, no geets, or si.  You do actually say "si," but it is most commonly communicated by an exaggerated nod of the head... like so...
 More word play:

*  Any meat is "ham"

*  If you are asked "where is so-and so?"  and you can't see them.  The answer is always "in potty"

You are an AMAZING dancer.  You started at a young age [as seen in this here video] and you have perfected your craft since then.  The second music is heard, you go into your signature dance.  Arms bent and raised to chest level, swinging up and down. All the while you're alternating feet are going up and down.  (you can catch him doing it in this Christmas video) Just in the last week, you have started to take on the dance style de tu hermano.  Which is to stand, feet planted wider than shoulders and swing straight arms as fast as possible.  I notice more and more that all you want to do is copy your brother. So cute!

You were a wonderful sleeper right from the beginning, and this has continued.  You are happy with a few books before you lay down, and as long as you have your Elefante and agua, it's rare to hear a peep out of you for a couple hours at nap time and 11 hours at night.   Last month you woke up a few times screaming due to the four incisor teeth that were popping through.  Ice water, or just cuddles with mami got you back to sleep.

Speaking of your elephante, it has a chuper (pacifier) connected to it. You still love that thing .  It was my "plan" to take it away at 18 months (like we did with tu hermano) pero you are waaaaaay more attached than he was.  Before you just used it to sleep, but when you were teething last month, you started to carry it around.  I do think "out of sight, out of mind" is the case with stopping the chuper, however when we are in the car and you are tired, this magical piece of rubber (bpa free of course!) is the difference between falling asleep in one minute or crying until we get home.  You suck away mi amor, I'll let you have it a little longer.

You are so friendly. In the grocery store or walking down the street, you will say "hi" to anyone who will listen.  If they don't listen, you will continue to yell "hi hi hi hi hi" until you get a response.
(You may have gotten your mami's persistance.)

You LOVE books! You can sit and flip though them on your own for quite a while, but will usually bring one to me and climb on my lap.  You love Hand Hand Fingers Thumb and Miss Spiders Tea Party and .....I won't go on because the list is too long.  Books!  You love Books!

You are proving to be a true Espinoza by loving spicy food!  Actually, there aren't too many things that you will not eat.  Avocado, pickles, salsa and more salsa!  You tell us its hot and then keep on eating.

My beautiful Marcelo, you are a ham!  You really crack me and your papi up every day.  You are so sweet with all your hugs and kisses too.   We love everything about you!! 

Te quiero mucho,

tu mami