Deux

Don't be fooled by the smile. I keep my mom on her toes!

Yes you do, little one. Yes you do.

So I guess this is where I write my yearly ode to the Little Miss. There's just one problem. Mama is exhausted. I think the entire year of toddlerhood has caught up with me. My ears hurt from the screaming and the squeals. My voice is tired from all of the positive redirecting. But, since I already made your cupcakes and we plan on eating them at 7 am for breakfast because it is the only time we will all be together as a family before 7 pm tomorrow night, which will totally make me mother of the year, I think I'll muster some strength and put this to paper so you don't complain about being the screwed second child when you're 18.

Dear Little Miss,

As you turn two, the biggest thing that seems to amaze me on a daily basis is that you are your own person. You are a stubborn, insistent, charming, and strong-willed trailblazer. You roll with the punches as long as it doesn't mean that mommy is leaving your side, in which case, watch out because there might be some incessant crying. I'm happy to report this is getting better, but you're not one to let go easily when you're not ready for Mommy to leave. I do have to admit at being relieved and proud the other day when I told you that I had to go out and you told me that you wanted to race me down the sidewalk and you said, "I'm ready for you to go now!"

It's been a long year of holding you. "Mommy, hold you!" is what you always said, until about a week ago when you decided that you understood the correct placement of pronouns. You are also quite a talker! About a month and a half ago, you were streaming a few words together and getting frustrated that you had to repeat yourself a couple of times. Then there was a moment in the car when you said, "I want to go to Daddy's office to show him my sticker" and you have been pretty much talking in complete sentences ever since. It's fun to listen to you and J have "conversations" in the car now. I love to hear you laugh at each other.

You really like coffee. Thank goodness Mommy drinks decaf. It makes me laugh when you say, "How about we go to get a coffee?"

You enjoy watering the garden and taking your baby doll for walks to get the mail. You insist on taking your purse with you and you look like a little old lady walking down the street as it hangs around your elbow as you try to push the stroller. You haven't quite figured out how to get all the way down to the mailbox and back, and carrying you, the stroller, the baby doll and the mail all at once can be a bit difficult at times.

You love the water and you have no fear of jumping in. I wouldn't be surprised if you swim early. If we could just get you to stop drinking all of the bath water, we'd be in good shape!

You also love books, but you're a creature of habit and if I don't read something exactly the way I'm supposed to, you turn back to that page and make me do it over. I have to admit that this is a little annoying, especially when I feel like we're in a hurry to read before naptime. I am impresed by your memory of a story even if we've only read it once or twice.

I think the cats have come to accept the fact that you aren't going away. I'm not sure they like it much, but I think they'll be okay as long as you don't try to pull off their tails too much.

It cracks me up when J gets put in a time out for something and you walk over to where he is sitting and give him a talking to. You say, "J, listen to me! Listen to me, J!" You turn your head as if you're very disappointed in him and let him know exactly what you think. For awhile you just babbled at him, but now you are starting to talk logically to him.

You sometimes act like a valley girl. You say, "Ohh!!!" whenever I explain something to you and I often can't tell if you've understood a thing I've said. Maybe there's a career in politics in your future?

You love ice cream. I can't say you've had that much of it, but we've been talking about having ice cream on your birthday for months thanks to your brother. I'm so glad your birthday is here because it's been hard telling you that every other day is not your birthday and that today is not a day for cake and ice cream. It was pretty funny tonight when we said, "Tomorrow is your birthday!" and you replied, "No it isn't!"

You are incredibly tough. You have to get hurt pretty badly to start crying. Most of the time you just pick yourself up and continue with what you were doing, almost as if it was supposed to happen that way.

The terrible twos are tough and we definitely have our days where I hardly recognize you, but in the end it's fairly simple. You smile, laugh, giggle, try to get away with something, have fun, learn, and grow every day. You're starting to show an interest in potty training. You even ask to take a nap when it's time. I can't complain too much.

We love you, Little Miss. Even when you turn on us at the drop of the hat and scream "No!" at the almond butter sandwich I have placed before you after it's what you told me you wanted for lunch. Even when you try to bite your brother. Even when you want to get out of the car when there's no possible way to do that. Even when you ask me to read The Dr. Seuss ABC book for the 30th time. We love you and can't believe you're two.

Happy Birthday!
Love,
Mommy

P.S. Thank you for sleeping until almost 7 am on most days. I really appreciate it