Today is your 2nd birthday and I can't believe how big you are. My baby is no longer a baby by any measure, but especially by size. You measured 33lbs on our unscientific-while-wearing-clothes home scale the other day and although I don't know exactly how tall you are, when we measured you on Nana's "growth wall" in October you looked 4-5 inches taller than your mark from just May last Spring. This last year has seen you go from a baby to a toddler and work hard to catch up to your sister (which it seems you are doing). Here are some fun things to remember about you on your 2nd birthday:
- You will eat most things but you prefer to eat them one by one. If we give you a plate full of vegetables you'll eat them but if we give you 3 different kinds of food on a plate, you'll pick only the one you like best and throw the rest on the floor.
- You still love your bottle and yes, we still let you have it because you have us wrapped around your finger. You will pronounce bot-tle if we sound it out for you but most of the time it's "Mommy/Daddy baable!" meaning "now!"
- You adore Reese 80% of the time and fear her the other 20%. You follow her around (and, of course, she loves to order you around when you are compliant) and want to do everything she does. You are learning so much so fast. Your current payback is biting which we are trying to teach you not to do (although between you and me, sometimes she does deserve it).
- You know your ABCs and can count probably up to 20. You love going up and down the stairs in our new condo and counting them as you go.
- You definitely have a mechanical mind like Daddy. You love to take things apart and put them back together. Your favorite "toys" are an empty sippy cup and lid (which you can screw on and off all day long) and the safety latch from the fridge, which you've now learned to undo so it's not much of a safety latch. We thought we were being tricky when we simply moved the latch higher so you couldn't reach it but you and your sister outsmarted us when you teamed up. She pulls it down to where you can reach it and you undo it. You two are too smart for your own good.
- You are a blanket boy. Not only do you love/need your blanket when you're sleeping or scared but you are particular about which blanket you'll have.
- You may have a future in cleaning supplies because you love the broom and the dustpan and the vacuum. You don't necessarily like it when we turn the vacuum on, but you like to drag it around the house whenever you can.
- You've had two trips to the emergency room already in your life, both in October (1 each year) and both for (luckily minor) head injuries. We hope to stop that trend next year as you are starting to turn into your Uncle Jeff. This year you got a few staples after falling into a charger in the wall. The following day, Reese may or may not have pushed you down the stairs. Mommy wasn't watching closely enough but she did get there in time to catch you before you hit the bottom. I'll try to do a better job protecting you in the future.
- You've started to throw basketballs, footballs, anything round. In fact, when we decorated the tree last weekend, you just wanted to throw the round ornaments across the room instead (luckily we were smart enough to buy the unbreakable plastic ones this year). We got you a basketball hoop for your birthday so this will be the year where Daddy starts teaching you his mad skills.
- In the last few months you've started to show an interest in books. You especially like "Go, Dogs, Go!" You are also adorable when you play with the lamb or one of the dolls and "tuck" them in to go to sleep.
- Your favorite songs are ABCs (you call it ABCD), Little Cottage and Row, Row, Row Your Boat because Daddy sings it to you before you go to sleep most nights.
- You are a true meat eater and love most animal products. You are a big fan of Salmon which I am happy about. You love goldfish and string cheese, but probably mostly because that's what Reese asks for with every meal and you, of course, want to be just like her.
