It’s become a bit of a ritual, that after we finish reading books at night, after we lay you in your crib, after we turn off the light and turn back again to sit in the rocker until you fall asleep… you quietly sit up.
You whisper
“day. day. day.”
I walk over and you look at me in the darkness and say it again, louder this time.. “day, Momma”.
I pick you up (you always ask that we bring your blanket with us) and we sit back in the chair together. And from there, we go over the day… tiny detail by tiny detail, working our way to na-night. You whisper and repeat after me with each line. “Breakfast… breakfast. And then you did art with your friends… art with Deac Deac”.
On and on until we’ve quieted your little mind and I lay you back down with your three paci’s.
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But today!
Today is YOUR DAY… my baby boy.
Your 2nd birthday.
Here goes:

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Two years on this planet

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What a bright shining light you are.

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The most enormous personality


You have us laughing every day.


I smile the minute I open your door in the morning




And miss you the second I slip out of your room at night.


Dancing in the kitchen to Bob Marley: “song! birds!” echoing the phrases as we sing loudly.
Those oh-so-normal, just a random Tuesday night, are the ones I want to bottle up and replay forever and ever.


You are so smart. Your teachers tell me this all the time and I’m inclined to believe them because they’re professionals when it comes to little people like you. They also tell me when you push your friend off a table (“we think he was trying to help him down…”) or kick someone (“not on accident”) and I have to sign the incident reports. So clearly they only speak the truth…good or bad. || I should note that you have also been on the receiving end of such pushes and kicks… life in a Toddler classroom!


Pizza! Ice cream! Pasta! Cereal! Carb lover all the way.


Over the last few months we’ve made early morning grocery shopping our little ‘thing’. We get to Trader Joe’s just after it opens and we mostly have the place to ourselves. You help me remember our list… “milk! Bananas! Avocados! Pasta! Sauce!” and you love the stickers at checkout. Before we even reach the car you always yell “coffee!”… which means we walk over to Starbucks and you get a little scone. Those mornings are my favorite.


Hearing you sing. Bob Marley, ABC’s, the Hot Dog song, and the other day it was a little Tom Petty.
Such a sweet, sweet sound.


Over the last few months you have started sleeping with a group of buddies in your crib: Elmo, Ernie, Sully, Mickey and Blue Elephant. They each have their own designated spot and I have to give them a kiss and lay them down in order to get you to sleep. In the morning, you say Bye to each of them by name as you wave and walk out your door. You are so cute it hurts.




You are wild


And all boy




Like running with a hat over your eyes is not an issue at all


In fact you just run FASTER!


We flew quite a bit over the past year and I’m amazed each and every time at how awesome you are. My favorite moments of one trip: after being delayed and during a flight you didn’t nap, you were content to sit in the aisle eating cookies. You would yell “someone coming” while jumping into our row as that person came or went to the bathroom. And then in the jetway upon landing, we were all lined up waiting for our bags to be brought up. The flight attendant would say ‘black bag coming up, green bag coming up and so on and people would walk up to get it. The minute she yelled out red stroller you screamed “red stroller!” and ran right up to get it. Hysterics from about 150 tired, weary travelers. Oh, and then you waved said “buh-bye!” to every single person as we walked back up the ramp. You.are.the.best.




You are the sweetest little thing.
Whenever we cough… “Mommy, ok? Daddy, ok?” You are so genuinely concerned.








Books. You love love love books.


You are so easy going. You are happy down to your core.


You are hysterical. And you know it.




Did I mention that you never.stop.moving?


You are so busy. You are so curious.






I love over hearing the conversations you have with your Dad. I’m not kidding that yesterday morning it was about “big pasta poops!”


You make up fun games, and rough house. The other night you rocked out to Pearl Jam together. If you’re ever playing it loudly in your room someday, Daddy said he’ll come in and encourage you to turn it up louder.


But it’s Mommy you favor.
There is no question, and no argument from Daddy, on this fact.


You ask for my help with everything and anything.


If given a choice between Daddy and I… it’s “Mommy do it” Mommy help” 1000% of the time.
I could never shower you with enough kisses. Or steal too many hugs.
I stare at you for hours.


And it blows my mind I’ve only known you for 2 years.
You are my whole heart.
My entire world.
And then some.


You are my little boy.


You will always be.
I love you. I love you.
Happy 2nd birthday, my Peej-man!!
Mommy