Happy 2nd Birthday, Little Love

Dear Em,
Today is your second birthday. It's really starting to become trite because I've said it at least a zillion times the past two years, but where has the time gone? Wasn't it yesterday we held your little body in our arms for the very first time? Wasn't it just last week that our favorite source of entertainment was to listen & watch you breathe in & out as you slept?

You're a bouncy & boisterous child...the toddler moments have passed us by. You are a little girl now...you're such a girl. You love whirling & twirling & ruffles & bows & pink. I love to watch you spin around & exclaim, "I'm so beautiful!" You are sunshine & you are giggles & you are love.

We went on so many adventures this year. You are my little adventure buddy. We started your year in North Carolina (& traveled back 2 more times). We also went to Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Ohio, & New York City. Each of our adventures were so much better with your giggles & your wide-eyed way of jumping right on in. You are fearless in a way that's scary for your daddy & I. You're so curious & always determined to rise to your own challenge. With each new milestone, you've been ready before Daddy & I have. But Daddy & I have quickly learned that once you're determined to do something, there's no stopping you.

Your year has been full of learning...for all of us. You started the year being able to say just a few words: Momma (your first word), Dada, No, Uh-Oh. Now you have a full vocabulary & talk in full sentences (a couple days ago, you said, "Nonnie, don't be depressed). You know your colors & numbers & many of your shapes. You started school for the first time this year, & your joy of learning & singing & reading has grown even more. Every month, every week, every day we learn something new from you. This month you began to spell your name & it brought joy to our hearts.

Some of your most repeated phrases are:

"I'm so proud of you!"

"Oh...hey, Mommy/Daddy. How's it going there?"

"Now I have dessert?"- said before during & after dinner.

"And, um, so. And, um, so."- your basic conversation when you're talking on your toy phones.

"I want to ride in a fire truck."- this made a lot more sense when we figured out it was a song you learned in school.

"E...M...M...A spells Emma."

From your favorite movie, Tangled: "Mommy, I make your power shine?" "Mutter knows best." "You'll regret it." "Best day ever!"

"Can I watch Super Why? I watch another show?"

"You're so cute."

"Daddy, stop teasing!"

"Ok."

"I have 5 minutes to play."

"I'm so beautiful." & "You're so beautiful."

"I love you so much."- our favorite.

When I ask you "guess what," you reply "I love you." We whisper secrets to each other, & the only secret you know is, "I love you." You give a million kisses & eskimo kisses & butterfly kisses.

You started your second being amazed by mostly Super Why, but your love of TV has grown. When the TV is in sight, you are asking to watch Super Why, Sesame Street (sounding like sha-sha shreet), Caillou, Tangled, Robots, Snow White, & Lion King. You may love to watch TV, but that's typically not the only thing you're doing. You're also twirling, taking care of your babies, reading, and/or cooking in your kitchen.

You love babies. You're obsessed. Nonnie gave you your first baby doll for Christmas last year & you've been such an amazing Mommy ever since. One baby has grown to fifteen babies, & it's not unusual for you to try to carry them all at the same time. You've uniquely named each one of them baby. Your love of babies extends past dolls to real babies as well. A couple of my friends have been so gracious to let you hold their babies (while I've winced from a distance), & you cooed & smiled more than the babies did.

You're such a sweet but bossy friend. You cry when your friends cry. You give the cutest hugs & you are the most adorable sharer (sometimes). You love your friends so much that you make sure to tell them what they should be doing (even when you're not doing what you should be doing). We'll be working on worrying about ourselves this year.

Music is one of your favorite things. You love music & you love to sing. You're not a big fan of the slower songs. You love something with a beat that you can dance to. Your teachers say that you may not sing on key or even on beat, but you love to sing. Some of your favorite songs to sing are ABCs, 5 little monkeys, Ants go Marching, Just the Way You Are, Miss Mary Mack, & Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. When you sing Baby Bumble Bee, my heart melts at the phrase "won't my mommy be so proud of me."

And I am...we are so proud of you. I didn't know it was possible for your daddy & I to be so proud of someone. Our love & our joy overflows with you in the world. You are our world & we are yours.

I'm excited about each new day & excited about this year. This year we'll be tackling potty training (hopefully successfully), eating at the table (& not a highchair), & introducing you to a big-girl bed. I know that there will be tough days, but I know even the tough days are more amazing when we're together.

There are some days I wish we could pause & slow down. I wish you could be a one year old for just a little bit longer, but the days pass & each day we grow a little. So, I'm just thankful. I'm thankful for the gift that you are. I'm thankful that we have a third year of love & all that it will bring.

I love you so,
Mommy