My daughter turned two yesterday.
My baking from a box skills in action.
When she woke up yesterday, she didn’t really understand birthdays but she liked it when we sang the birthday song to her. She really liked helping me make her birthday cupcakes; almost as much as she enjoyed eating them. When she saw her new tricycle, she climbed on the box and sat there delighted like the box was her gift.
She helped her dad put the bike together by sitting in the seat and refusing to move as he assembled it around her. It’s raining this morning so we haven’t been able to take it outside yet, but she loves it just the same.
After her party Saturday, I don’t doubt that her love for her birthday will be solidified. She woke up this morning saying, “Birfday? I’m Two!”
I’ve thought about writing a collection of letters for her. I think a birthday letter would be a nice tradition; maybe I’ll give her a copy each year and keep one back to give her when she’s grown.
Here are some random things I’d like to tell her about who she is today:
- When I make toast for you, you usually only eat the butter. You dip your finger into it and lick it off, saying “Cheese? Yummy!!!!”
- You bring me joy every single morning. When I walk into your room, you say, “HI Mama! A morning!”
- You have a bit of a cough and a runny nose today. I hope it doesn’t turn to fever and no Chuck E. Cheese tomorrow. Every time you sneeze, you laugh and say, “Owww…” If someone sneezes around you, you automatically say, “Bwessyou!” Even to the dog. I love this.
- If another child falls or gets hurt around you, you stop whatever you are doing, run over, and say, “Uh oh. Are you okay?” When you headbutt mommy and I say “Ouch baby, that hurts!” you laugh and do it again. I think this means you will be an empathetic child, but probably not toward me. I’m okay with that, and I hope that you always keep your concern for others when they are hurting.
- Before I had you, I considered myself a fairly patient person. You enjoy finding new ways every day to show me how skewed my self-perception was. I am not patient.
- You call your Uncle Jimmy, a bear of a man, “Aunt JEEMY!!!” Oh, how I cry with laughter every time you say this.
- When you get bored at home and want to go somewhere, you bring your shoes to me and say, “Shoes ON?! CAR?” It makes me smile.
- You’ve recently discovered YouTube. You know how to get there on my iPhone and play all your favorites kid’s songs.
- You don’t know you are tall enough to escape your crib. I’m not going to be the one to teach you this.
- If football is on a television in a restaurant, you point and scream, “GO, GO, GO!!!” It makes your daddy really proud.
- Your dad has some Catholic things around the house. There are some Mary statues, some rosary beads, a whole drawer full of prayer books and a crucifix. You seem especially drawn to this crucifix, and every time you pick it up, you give it kisses. When I ask you who that is, you say, “Jesis!” I think I only told you his name once.
- You call balloons “Boo Mens.”
- You hate it when I try to wipe your nose.
- You love to color. Every time you grab one of my notebooks, I smile. Your artwork covers many of my own random scribblings. No matter what you are coloring, you ask me to draw a ”Kitty CAT!” for you. So I got you a Hello Kitty cake for your party instead of Elmo this year. Mommy is really tired of Elmo.
- I cannot believe how quickly you are growing up. I love you more and more every day, and I can barely remember my life before you. I alternate between extreme joy and wistful sadness that your life is already moving so quickly. But I’m thankful for every moment I get to spend with you, and at times I worry that you are teaching me more than I’m teaching you.
Cake is the best part of every birthday.
I love you my sweet little girl.
My life and lens changed forever the day they placed you in my arms, and words cannot contain or express my love for you.
Thank you.
I would do the birthday letter! I started a journal for each of my boys when they were born…. things they did, foods they liked, funny things they said. As the years moved on and they got busier, the journal got less and less attention. I found them the other day in the basement. When I read a few pages to them (now 15 and 13), they were hanging on every word. I wish so much that I had the time and energy when they were young to write in them more. I think I might start a birthday letter…. that’s a great idea!
That is so sweet! It’s funny how kids really enjoy hearing these stories–my niece loves it when we tell stories about what she was like as a child. I want to do scrapbooks and all that, but I’m already way behind on all of it. I think a birthday picture and a letter in a scrapbooks seems realistic.
What a treat you have given your daughter for when she’s older. She’ll love reading over this list. And there really isn’t much that can compare to being greeted with a big smile and a “Hi, Mommy!” in the morning, is there? Now I get mostly grumbles and snorts, but that’s okay. If my teenager flung himself in my arms every morning after gleefully bounding out of bed, I’d be very worried…
Hahaha! Yes, I would be a little concerned with that too. I know these days are numbered, but with no pressure to drag her out of bed yet, we all still wake up relatively happy
I’m all sniffy inside now ~ Happy Birthday to your little Two Yr Old- she’s lovely. The birthday letter rules – do it. It’s already written!
Never be sad about your child growing – it’s an amazing thing that happens. No one really wants a baby forever – all the things she does and develops into are more amazing than no development at all.
So true.
Oh, this is so sweet!!! What a great gift, to have these things to share with her when she’s older. Happy birthday, little one!
Thank you!
Happy birthday to your daughter. She sounds gorgeous!
Thank you!! She’s pretty neat, in my very biased opinion
Happy birthday, sweet girl! I hope that two-years-old is a super good time for you all!
Thank you! I’m sure it will be a great adventure.
Adorable! Makes me want to ditch my “baby in 4-5 years” plan. Absolutely write a letter- it would make a wonderful gift for an 18th birthday, or graduation, or when she makes you a grandma. I wish I knew more of what I was like at that age. Great post, as always
You are too kind. Oh crap, she’s going to make me a grandma! Hahaha!
Beautiful! Sounds like you are raising a wonderful girl!
Hope you go with the letter writing.
and of course, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Thank you! I think I will give it a go on the letters.
Precious. Now I’m weepy that mine are 12 and 8 . . . there it passed. Still, she is adorable and that’s a good tradition – unless you plan on more kids. I haven’t finished my second daughter’s scrapbook yet . . .
Haha! Whew, that was close! I know, if I have more kids, I’d like to think I could handle one letter a year for each kid, but the reality is it might fall by the wayside. I still haven’t finished her baby book. And that’s just with one.
beautiful post
Thank you! Thanks for commenting!
Looks like she got the whole cupcake thing though -ha! Happy Friday:)
She did
hope you’re having a great weekend!
A birthday letter is such a neat and precious gift! She is adorable, by the way, and she sounds like a very caring little girl. Happy birthday to her!
Thank you!!!
So sweet and so true. I’ve got an 18-month-old and have a journal for her (though I’ve been writing in cursive which may be problematic when she gets older) with little stories and thoughts. You’ve inspired me to get it out this weekend and write an update. Such a sweet 2-year-old letter to your little girl – how lucky for her! And #15 is right on.
Happy to have inspired your update! I think it’s something they will enjoy reading someday.
Happy day of birth! I also think the letter idea is awesome.
Thanks, Chris! Hope someone got you some grape juice this morning.
Ha ha!
Happy birthday to your beautiful daughter! I love your list, she’s going to adore reading your letters some day, you should definitely go for it!
Thank you!!!!
Rachelle,
Wonderful mother you are. A very happy birthday to your daughter. I really hope she enjoys the clown you have hired for her birthday.
Le Clown
PS: Have you sent me the plane ticket yet?
Thanks Le Clown. I’m scouring the Internet for cheap fares, and researching sliding scale therapists. Surprising how difficult it is to find a clown trauma specialist who minored in giant rodent night terrors (Chuck E Cheese).
This is such an adorable post ! Definitely write these letters to her- she will love them and we forget those little things that are huge right now. You think you will never forget these things, but they fade. Thanks for bringing tears to my eyes.
Thank you and thanks for commenting today
Happy Birthday to the sweet little pixie! I read your list and think of my own children now grown. I have one child (out of six) left at home and she’s 9! I think the letter would be a wonderful gift.
One thing I did for my children when they were small was tell them adventure stories of their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles when they were young. I remember listening to them giggle to each other after the story commenting on how silly their “______” was.
That’s a great way to pass on part of your family legacy. The stories are so important!
i like the birthday letter idea!!:)
Thank you! Thanks for stopping by.
Such a sweet letter for an adorable two-year-old! Oh, how I wish I would have written things down when my boys were little guys.
Thank you! I hope I can keep up with it!
Tears and more tears. Your writing inspires; your daughter is beautiful and so is MINE
Love you!
Thank you for this post – it made me remember that not all is evil and cruel in this world. Happy Belated Birthday to your daughter!