Little Dude is 2

Dear Little Dude,

(April 2008)

What joy you have continued to bring to our family this past year. You just keep getting more and more fun!!!! I'm sure the fun won't stop anytime soon either!!!

(May 2008)

You were about 14 months old when you started to take those precious first few steps. Now that you are two you are running and dancing and trying really hard to jump!

(June 2008)

You weaned nicely from mommy to a sippy cup....it took awhile though because mommy kept getting sick every time we'd wean out a feeding. Your appetite has grown and you will eat just about ANYTHING!!!! You are a grazer and will often ask for a 'nack. For whatever reason you touch your nose when you do this too. As far as I know, touching your nose is not the sign for snack, but I understand!! :)

(July 2008)

Since you eat just about anything we give you, there aren't really any favorite foods I can think of. You certainly like "treats" though!!! Just like your great-grandpa, grandpa, daddy and brothers!!!

(August 2008)

In addition to inventing your own, you learned to sign several words this year....more, please, eat, milk, cookie. Not many, but all the important ones at least!! You are pretty good at mimicking other signs I show you every now and then too.

(September 2008)

At your 18 month well check up I had some questions about your language skills. But these past six months you have picked up several new words. You are even able to put a few words together when you need to get you point across.

(October 2008)

You have adorable names for each of your brothers. When they are away at school you ask where they are. I think one of your favorite times of the day is when they get home from school! I want you to know how blessed you are to have such wonderful big brothers. They both do an amazing job playing and teaching you. They help mommy out a lot!!

(November 2008)

You also get excited when your daddy comes home at the end of the day too. You also ask about him all day long when he is gone and whenever Max barks, you automatically think it's your daddy coming home and you get excited. You have so much fun wrestling with your daddy.

(December 2008)

Some of your favorite things this past year have been Clifford (any dogs really), baths, playing outside, (especially sliding on slides and playing with bubbles) Sponge Bob and playing with your brothers toys.

(January 2009)

Sleeping, well, we need some work on that one still. You have slept in our bed so much that we may as well consider you a co-sleeper....and NOT by choice either. Although you are still a little guy, and I enjoy that snugly closeness with you...some nights I just would like to have my own pillow to myself for the entire night. You hog the bed and kick mommy and daddy and sleep just fine. Mommy and daddy on the other hand.....hope to be sleeping much better by the time you turn 3. :)

(February 2009)

Some things that have happened this year have been a family vacation to the Wisconsin Dells. You did pretty good!! There was one dinner that was rough, but oh how you loved mini golfing!! You also slowly began to enjoy the pool too. You took swim lessons with mommy last summer and I'm hoping we can do that again this summer too. You became a big cousin in September. We are getting better at running errands with mommy and you are warming up to other people taking care of you. You had what we think was an allergic reaction to some amoxicilian. You also had RSV early Spring. Even though you were a pretty sick little guy, you didn't need to be hospitalized.

(March 2009)

You have a sense of humor and you like to make people laugh. Your laugh brings smile to my face. You are a climber!!! I'm slowly getting use to that. You may have a little bit of an anger issue...but I"m hoping that it just a stubborn "two" thing that will pass. You can be very persistent when you want something also and you aren't afraid to let us know when you aren't happy. Most times though, you are a happy little guy who is just a joy to be around.

(April 2009)

I can't even begin to tell you how loved you are by so many people. Your mommy and daddy and big brothers, your grandparents, your aunties and uncles, and cousins friends and you have been blessed with a loving church family who adores you. You have brought so many smiles and laughs into so many lives. I'm looking forward to all of the adventures and fun that two will bring. What a blessing you are to our family and what joy it brings to my heart to hear you call me "mommy".

Happy Birthday my sweet boy. Mommy loves you so much!
XOXOXOXO