Happy 2nd Birthday!

In the last year, you have grown in so many ways:

• You love to run around outside, climb on benches, go for rides in your wagon or stroller, splash in puddles, and stomp on leaves. You yell "play!" whenever you see a playground, and you rush to climb up the stairs, go down the slides, swing, and jump on the bridges.
• When we're inside, you like to push your cars and trucks around the house, announcing whichever vehicle you've chosen ("Car! 'chool bus! Dig! Poopah truck!").  You also like to color with your crayons and play with the Play-Doh accessories (you're still not that interested in the Play-Doh itself). You pick letter magnets off of the refrigerator and usually get them right (because you look for the ones you know -- which include O, F, M, E, L, and S -- and ignore the rest).
• You love to read books, especially your growing collection of Dr. Seuss books from A-Mah.  You're getting better at taking care of your books, although there are still a few books awaiting treatment in the book hospital ("Awwww, poor book. Break.").
• You are quite the chatterbox and usually provide a running commentary of your day.  You pick up new words quickly and put them together in the most clever ways.  You have little quirks that make us smile, such as saying "hngh" instead of "two", mimicking people's laughs and coughs, and asking for things by saying, "xie-xie please" while stretching out your hand.  You say, "Haloo knock-knock" to greet people and call out, "Oh Donts YUM YUM!" whenever we pass Mighty O Donuts.
• You love to wash your hands and call out, "Shi shou!  Shi shou!" whenever you see a sink.  In fact, you love to clean things in general and spend a lot of time vacuuming up Cowboy's fur with the dust buster or "cleaning" the table with a rag.  Yesterday when I picked you up from playgroup, the rest of the kids were playing with the parachute while you were happily sweeping up the corner of the room. My sweet Cinderfella.
  
• You go to a drop-off playgroup once a week and love it.  When we pull into the parking lot, you yell, "PLAY!!" and can't wait to get out of the car, put on your backpack ("pack-pack") and climb up the stairs.
• You try to be gentle with your sister, although sometimes you rock her car seat or cradle a bit vigorously.  You give her kisses on top of her head and you say, "Awww, Mei-mei" when you hear her cry.  You help me change her diaper by holding on to the top of the Vaseline jar, and you say "Mei-mei poo poo!  Change!" in case I forget what I'm doing.
• You like it when I climb into your crib with you after your nap and we cuddle together for a few minutes.  You say, "Mama sleep!" and wait for me to close my eyes so you can poke them while saying, "Mama eyes!"  You climb on top of me and point out my various body parts ("Mama nose!  Mama knee!  Mama hand!") and then you announce that it's time for me to leave ("Mama down!").
• You sometimes share a room with your sister, and you don't even stir when she screams in the middle of the night.  However, if you hear me come into your room, you pop straight up so that you are standing up, say, "Door!" and then go back to sleep.
• You put on a cheesy grin for the camera, squinching up your eyes and nose.  You even do it when you see someone else taking a picture (of something else), just in case you happen to be in the shot.
• You are very independent and headstrong, and will throw a tantrum with the best of 'em when you are frustrated or don't get your way.  However, it's usually pretty easy to redirect you, especially if "cookies" (cheddar crackers and graham crackers) are involved.
• You hate having to hold my hand when we walk, but you put up with it while we cross streets or walk in dangerous places.  You stop at corners and say, "Look!  No car.  Walk!" although you don't actually look, and you say "no car" even if there are cars (we'll continue to work on that).
• You like to sit on the potty, but you have yet to actually use it for what it's intended.
• You look for the moon at night so you can say "Night moon", and you let us know when you want to go to bed by rubbing your eyes or your entire face and saying, "Night night, Blue..." (Blue is your favorite stuffed dog, with whom you sleep).
• You love to use your tooth brush to brush everything except your teeth ("Toothbrush!  Brush hair!  Brush nose!")
  

I could go on for two more years listing all of the funny and sweet things that you do, and I still wouldn't be able to keep up.  You add something new every day, and every day I am surprised and enchanted by how clever, funny, sweet and unique you are.

On this special day, your second birthday, I want to thank you for all of the joy and magic you bring to my life every day.

I love you, sweet boy!

Love,
Mama