Letter to Addison on her 2nd Birthday

Dear Addison,

Today you turned 2 years old. I can hardly believe that it was two years ago (9:11pm to be exact!) when we first met you out in the world. You were independent and strong from the very beginning. Your Daddy and I knew your cry within minutes. Even then you were so engaged and observed everything around you. In the last year you have learned to do many things: walk, eat with utensils, ask for what you want using words, count, sing, and so much more. Each time you look up at me with you big blue eyes, I am reminded of God’s presence in the world. You are such an amazing little person. You are curious about the world and now you not only sit back and watch everything, you ask questions and often try to figure things out on your own. Oh, what happened?; Where did X go?; What’s that? You are cautious at times and often shy around a lot of people. And yet you are still so independent. You love to help everyone in all of his or her tasks and everyone adores you and loves spending time with you. At night after we read books and say prayers you often look up at me and smile. Lately, you have reached up and rubbed my cheek and we exchange smiles and kisses before we snuggle again on the rocking chair. I have come to cherish those moments and hold them close to my heart. Some nights we read many books and you actually let me read the books. Other nights you read to me. And most recently you prefer to flip through the pages to tell me about everything you see after counting the various items on the page. This week everything is “5” and last week “7” – I wonder what next week will be? You can still spot a bird from miles away and you get excited as if it is the first bird you have ever seen. You also still love to color and when we draw together you often look at the picture and exclaim, it’s beautiful! And I must say you are already a flirt. I didn’t realize it until recently…I thought I had years before I had to worry about flirting but no it has already begun. Just the other day when we were out to lunch, a man lunching with his wife smiled at you. You turned away in shyness and then peeped over your shoulder and batted your eyes. I almost fell out of my chair. You love to sing and can now count to 20 although you usually skip 14. You love Sesame Street. You adore Dylan although you boss her around. You tend to tell everyone what to do and we are trying to get you to do so nicely so it doesn’t come off so demanding. You often reply, ask nicely. You still love to pour things from one container to another and like to put some things in a certain order. You are very sweet and love to give us hugs and kisses. You are caring and when you think one of your toy friends has been hurt you always ask, are you okay? are you hurt? and give them a kiss. You try to stake claim on everything, and we gently remind you that you do not own the world and that everything is not Addi’s although you proclaim that it is indeed Addi’s! Everyday you ask to try tomatoes and everyday you take a bite and make a face and hand back the tomato. You love to pick the garden, and I could listen to you say the word pepper (aka peppa) over and over again. I can’t even explain how you say it.  Every time you see a tiger, you yell out Go Tigers! and we beam with pride and joy. It seems like only yesterday that I was rubbing my belly and talking to my little Poppy. It seems like only yesterday that we exclaimed in joy when you rolled over. It seems like only yesterday that you signed milk for the first time. It seems like only yesterday when you took your first steps. It seems like only yesterday…

Sometimes in the most chaotic times, you will do or say something and your Daddy and I just stop to take you in – to take in the moment – to slow down – and to enjoy it.

Happy birthday my little Poppy Addison.

With love always and forever,

(Addi’s!) Mama