HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY BOY - YEAR TWO

Well here we are again. It is your birthday. You keep on insisting upon growing up, despite your mother's wishes. I can't believe that it has been two whole years since they laid you in my arms and we finally met. Boy oh boy has it been the most amazing two years of my life and the shortest.

This past year you have accomplished quite a lot. I guess the biggest one would have to be walking. You decided that it was time to start walking when you were 13 months old. We were on vacation on a cruise at the time and for just some reason you decided to take off walking while we were on the ship. However, my stubborn little son, you decided for some unknown reason that you weren't going to walk on land for another two weeks after we got home. If only I could read your mind at times to figure out what is going on in there. It would be so much fun, I think.

You have also grown - a lot! You have grown about 4 inches and about 6 pounds. I guess all those green beans that you love have been doing their job. Sometime along the way, you became a kid and no longer a baby. Not sure when exactly that happened, but it seemed like one day you became your own little self with your own little ideas of what you like and dislike. Oh and you are not shy about expressing those dislikes to me and sometimes in a very loud, vocal way.

Speaking of vocal ways, you are talking a lot these days. You are learning new words everyday and you love to put them to good use. Although, I must tell you now that sometimes you don't always get the words out in the right manner. For example, right now you are having trouble saying "K" sounds and instead mix those up with "T" sounds. So when you are cold, you say "told Mama". You yell at the cat by saying "Tat!" and you absolutely love Tars and pretending to drive them. You also refer to yourself as "Baby". It is the cutest thing to hear you say "Baby Hurt" and I have to bite my tongue to not laugh because you just fell off the couch and bumped your head on the coffee table.

You still are very much attached to your stuffed animals. Currently the top 4 stuffed animals are Foo Foo (Doggie), Bear, Murphy, and Wiffer. Foo Foo is your absolute favorite and is very often in need of a bath. But I do have to sneak Foo Foo away from you to throw Foo Foo into the washing machine because the one time you caught me putting your Foo Foo in the feared machine, you almost had a full-blown panic attack. You thought for sure that Foo Foo was going to be dead. Just lately you have been calling Murphy by his name, or as you say it "Mercy". And when you call out for Bear, you have the sweetest voice and full of innocence, it warms my heart.

I also need to mention right now when you are two that your Father and I are going to be in BIG TROUBLE when you hit puberty. You LOVE the girls. An example of this behavior was just a few weeks ago. We were waiting outside a restaurant for a table and there was a little blonde girl who was 3 months younger than you. And you were in love. You climbed up on the park bench and patted the bench for her to come sit down next to you. I had to warn her parents that you would probably try to kiss her, because well you have been known to do that also - walk up and give little girls kisses. So while you were flirting with the blonde, a little brunette girl walked up and you patted the bench on the other side of you for the brunette to sit next to you. Yeah, we are going to need to warn all parents of little girls when you are around. I saw a shirt that said "Lock Up Your Daughters" and I so need to get that for you. So so true.

There are a couple of transitions we are working on at the moment. One of them being is transitioning to the big boy bed. The first night we tried to lay you down for the night in the bed did not work out so well. So we are slowly getting used to the big boy bed. Of course, I as your very emotional mother, cried that first night. Just another proof that my baby is no longer a baby.

The second transition is one that I am looking forward to accomplishing. Potty training. You are not ready for this big step yet. You do have your own potty, but right now you just think it is a really cool chair to sit on. You do however let me know when your diaper needs to be changed. You will walk up to me and say "Di Di" and pat your butt. My cue to change you. So we again are slowly transitioning to the non-diaper stage.

Another big event in our household happened this year. I decided to quit my job and stay home with you and devote my time to raising you the way I want to raise you. I love being home and being with you. There is never a day that goes by that you don't make me laugh. You are so much fun and I love the way you are learning something every single day. You are teaching your mother everyday what the real priorities in life are and how to be patient. There are moments when I want to tear my hair out, moments when you are exerting your will against my will. But you are a really good boy and I am so happy and proud to be your Mama. Everytime you call me Mama, my heart melts and I am reminded just how much you mean to me.

It is so much fun to see things through your eyes. You have shown me that choo choos really are pretty neat and that the airplane flying in the sky is amazing, even for a 38-year-old mother. Thank you Jack for opening my eyes to the wonder that is life and showing me all that is amazing.

I promised you in your birthday letter last year that I would be here every step of the way and I want to reassure you that is the case. No matter what, you will always be my baby boy and I am here for you right now and forever. I look forward to what your third year of life will bring and what new adventures you will experience. And of course, I will be there always.

Love,

Mama