Two

Dear Tommy,

Today you turn two. At 1:27 am, you will have been a part of our family for two whole years. As I said good night to you last night, I felt overwhelmed with emotions just looking at you. When I looked in on you before going to bed myself, I stood watching you for several minutes, like I do many nights that are not the night before your birthday. I am so proud to be your mommy...you are so smart, so happy, and so amazing. I am sure I am a little biased, but when so many people tell me the same thing, when they tell me a story about something you did, it just reaffirms what I see in you everyday.

Sure, you have your moments, like any toddler, but you are able to bounce back pretty quickly to your regular, happy, sweet personality. You wake up so happy every morning the past few weeks. Sometimes you are calling for us, sometimes we have to wake you up, and my favorite days are those when we open your door and find you awake, but quietly laying there and you get a big smile as soon as you see us.

You are talking up a storm these days...you have most definitely found your voice! You are obsessed with traffic lights and yell out to us as soon as the light changes in case we don't see it. You know that red means stop, green means go, and yellow is slow down! I love the inflections you have with some of your words. or how you say certain words...like "Hi-yo" for "hello" when you pick up a phone. "Otay" for "okay." "Yups." "Oh, yes!" or when someone asks you a question and you say "Hmmmm" while you think about the answer. You are too funny!

Recently you have been on a bit of a feeding frenzy. You must be going through a growth spurt; I can't wait to see how much you weigh next Tuesday at your 2 year checkup. I think breakfast is your favorite meal, though like Mommy, you like to eat the same thing everyday. Cereal bar, French toast sticks, banana. You are a bit tougher when it comes to lunch and dinner, recently refusing chicken nuggets, though you usually are very good with your fruits. No surprise, you turn your nose up at all vegetables. Mommy is in a good place for now when it comes to meals, since I decided to just remind myself that while we may control what foods we put in front of you, you will control what you actually put in your mouth. You prefer to feed yourself, and as difficult as it might be for me sometimes, I have stopped pestering you and find you are eating more of what I give you. But if you had your choice, you would eat ice pops, chips, yogurt melts and cereal bars only!

You are sleeping great and we are over the teething thing for now. Still waiting on those 2 year molars. You had two episodes of night terrors recently, however, which scared us since we did not know that's what it was the first time it happened. When it happened a second time, I had a better handle on how to comfort you and make you feel safe. And that does not include offering ice pops and chips, which you actually had no interest in when offered to you the first time.

You love Dora, Diego and Boots, but are obsessed with watching Wubzy on TV. I miss The Fresh Beat Band...when can we watch that again? You love to play with any kind of ball and are so active that I should not be complaining about never getting to the gym. You will definitely play sports, as you have a great left foot and throw the ball so well that all the boys on our street are impressed and always want to throw with you. You also love to ride and drive the many cats, bikes, ride-ons that take up the one half of our 2 car garage. You are all boy! But you have a softer side too, as you love animals, and get upset if the bird feeder outside is empty, worrying about the birds going hungry. You seem to have a love for all animals, our pets, as well as those we meet while visiting or walking somewhere.

You are thriving at school...now you are a Cheerful Cherry in the 2 year old class. Overall you transitioned like a pro, though the drop offs in the mornings were a bit rough, though they noticeably got better every day. You know all your shapes, colors, and can count to 10 when prompted. You even do it in Spanish sometimes with us when we read one of your Dora books! The teachers all love you that have had you, and the ones who have not can't wait to get you in their class! Apparently everyone knows your name...parents of older kids have stopped us to meet you when they hear me call you Tommy, because their child talks about you at home. I guess you are an outgoing, friendly kid...sometimes I wonder if you are the class clown, but I think you know there is a time and place for that! I think the teachers are really impressed with what a good cleaner and picker upper you are, just like mommy is! If something gets knocked over, you will find every last little piece of whatever it was! And I really need to work on getting that one spot on your carpet out because you point it out and say "Oh no!" every night. I will get on that!

You love to give hugs and kisses, and your newest sweet thing is to give hugs and pat us on the back while doing so....love it! And when you say "Love you Mommy" it just makes me melt a little more each time.

You love you kitty cats Tux and Tails. You love to hold Tails with Mommy's help, and understand Tux likes to keep his distance. When you tell Tails, "No, no no," when he jumps on a place he should not be, or he is trying to go outside, it I so clear to me that you understand so much of what goes on around you. I love you so much, my sweet baby! I know you probably won't want me calling you that in a few years, but for now, you are my baby!