Two Many...

Dear Olivia,

A few days ago, I asked you how old you were going to be and you said "two many!" I laughed. If you think two, is too many, then I'd hate to know what you thinks of my age! But you were right. You are too many. You are growing up way too fast. I can hardly believe that in just a year, you have gone from a baby, into a toddler and now you are a beautiful little girl.

Just a year ago, you weren't even walking yet and had a vocabulary of 7 words.  Now you are all over the place and are having conversations.

I love everything about you and this age and cherish every moment of it because I know it won't be long before you are grown.  I love how you need me.  I love how you want me to play with you.  I love how you want to cuddle with me.  As you get older, I know you'll become more independent but I hope you will always need me, always want me to play with you and always want to cuddle with me.

I love that you are a mommy's girl.  You definitely love your daddy and there are some things that daddy just does better than mommy, but you are hands down a mommy's girl.

I love how girly you are.  You love to play dress up and you love shoes.  You even love to wear my shoes!  You love jewelry and you love to accessorize.

I love your little big personality!  You know exactly what you want, when you want it and once your mind is made up, that is it.  This can make things difficult sometimes, like putting on your pajamas or socks because for some reason, you are most particular about those.  They say you have to learn to pick your battles and this is one that I have had to give in because you are determined about what pajamas you will wear to bed and what socks you will wear on your feet.  I guess a girl has to have her standards, and you definitely have yours.

I love how cautious you are.  I haven't had to worry about you climbing on things or hanging from things which is good because you are also clumsy and if you weren't cautious there would probably have been many trips to the hospital this last year.

I love how smart you are.  I'm not just saying this, you really are smart.  What you lack in coordination, you make up for in intelligence.  You have the best memory.  I am so amazed by what things you remember, no matter how near or far the event may have taken place.  You point out everything and tell me what it is.  You want to learn.  If you don't know what something is, you point and ask, "mommy, what is that?"

I love when you sing.  Lucky for me, you love to sing and do this all the time.  Your choice of songs change from month to month but for a little while now, your favorites have been "Ba Ba Black Sheep" and "Mary had a Little Lamb."

I love that you are a good eater.  For the most part, you aren't picky and will eat just about anything.  However, there are days when there is just too much you want to do and just don't want to eat because there just isn't time for that.  This is only for lunch or dinner though, you are never too busy for a snack.  Your favorite foods right now are pumpkin bread, shrimp, macaroni and cheese, chocolate milk, yogurt, green beans, just about anything sweet and most fruits.

I love that your favorite color is pink.  I hope it will stay pink for awhile as I have no intentions of repainting your bedroom in the near future.

I love that you will cuddle under the covers on the couch with me (and Bell) and watch TV on the occasions we watch TV.  Of course it is always Mickey Mouse Clubhouse because you are obsessed with that show and will not watch any other show, but I must admit, I'd prefer to watch this over most of the kids shows out there right now. 

I love all the kisses and hugs you give me.  I love that you like to give nose kisses, eye kisses, chin kisses, cheek kisses, hair kisses, ear kisses, forehead kisses, elbow kisses and mouth kisses.  I love how these "body part kisses" can also get a smile out of you when you are trying so hard to be mad at me for making you go to bed.

I love that you love to read stories with me.  We usually read 2 bedtime stories together each night, sometimes more if you are working those pouty eyes really well.  You still love all the Llama Llama books, but we switch up the books nightly because it started to feel more like I was reciting the books to you and not reading them.  You have found a couple new books that you love reading all the time also and those are "Mommy's Little Girl" and "The Ballerina and her Dream."  You love "The Ballerina and her Dream" because you love all the tutus and the unicorn in the book. 

There isn't a moment or thing I don't love about you.  Even when you are at your worst with 2 year old behavior, there is still something so cute about the way you throw yourself on the floor in this big dramatic scene like the world is ending because you had wanted mommy to take off your jacket, not daddy.  Of course, it is never that cute in the moment, but the sweet hug, kiss and sorry afterwards are all too precious.

We love you so much Olivia and we are so thankful that God gave us YOU.

Happy 2nd Birthday!