Two

Dear Buddy,

Tomorrow you turn two and I can no longer say it seems like yesterday that we brought you home on a negative 14 degree night, with your daddy sick with the stomach flu. It actually feels like two years ago, and I wonder if that's because you're still our baby. Our last baby.

What does seem like yesterday is you starting to walk. Where has the past year gone? When did you become a little boy, able to follow direction, and pick up, all the while singing "Clean up, pick up, everybody do their share"? When did Rosie start asking you questions and when did you start being able to answer them?

You're quite the little guy, you know. You are as affectionate as all get out, and it never fails to tug at my heart strings. I love that you still love to cuddle, sometimes thumb in mouth, sometimes not. (By the way, I'm not worried about your thumb-sucking. Your sister stopped sucking on her fingers to soothe herself at about 2.5 years old, and I have no doubt you'll be the same way. Regardless, we'll cross that bridge when we get there!). You still love to be held and carried around on occasion, and your mama, who realizes she only has one day left of ever having a one year old, well, she's quite okay with it.

I love you, little man. I love the way you pick a receptacle- grocery cart, pocketbook, doctor's kit, etc- and fill it with items you find interesting. I love the way you line all the trains up on the train track, and ask me to help you when they don't go together the way you'd like. I love the impish grin you give me when you find something particularly delightful, and the huge smile you give me now when I ask you to say "Cheese!" for the camera.

You really do touch the hearts of everyone you meet. You've made particularly good friends with one of the ladies who bags groceries at our grocery store, and you are more than happy to let her walk out with you to our car, with Rosie and I following behind. Rosie, by the way, adores you. She loves having you as her 24/7 playmate, even if you do take toys from her on occasion.

I can also tell you look forward to being just like daddy someday. You watch him stack the wood, and drive Grampy's truck, and I can tell you would love to join in if you could.

Thank you, Buddy, for teaching me how to be a boy mom. Not only a boy mom, but a boy mom to the very best son that I could ever imagine.

I Love You,
Mama