Wednesday, December 4, 2013

A Birthday letter to Leah

Happy Birthday Leah!
I can't believe you are two years old already, that was one fast year - maybe not for you but for both Daddy and I, it was.  Sometimes it even feels like we just brought you home from the hospital but then there are other days when I can't remember you not being a part of my life.
You have learned a lot this past year - you are now sleeping in a big girl bed, which you love.  You are learning and saying new words every day, sometimes every hour!  Ok maybe not that fast but it seems like it.  You can actually communicate with Daddy and I, most of the time and we can understand you!  Remember when you tried telling us what you wanted but you didn't know the words and we didn't know what you wanted and oh then everyone was in tears.  We don't have too many of those days anymore do we?  Yea!
We've started potty training.  Well, we've taken teeny, tiny steps towards potty training but that will be this year's goal.
There have been some challenges this year too haven't there?  Like when I tell you to stop climbing on the chairs when you try to reach whatever food is on the counter, or when you try to email your friends on my computer.  Yes, those aren't fun time and sorry to say there may be more of those too this new year but good job on your climbing and figuring out you need a chair to do that.
And I'm sorry about having to give you eye drops, you know there were because you caught pink eye from Grace and they were to help you not harm you as you tried to make it sound like I was doing to you.  Hopefully we won't have to go through that again.
You are an amazing big girl and so smart too.  Do you know that you teach me things all the time?  you teach me to take in the day, to look at things - to really look at them for what they may be and then to look at them in a different way.  I am trying to learn the lesson, your older sister is still trying to teach me, but I appreciate that you are both trying.  One day I will really get it.  You teach me to laugh at silly things like when you pretend your empty cup is a hat or your bowl.  I love that you like showing off what you know like every time I hold you, you point out my ears, nose, mouth and glasses.  You know you don't always have to touch my glasses right?
I love that you love books - just like Grace and I do.  Sometimes too much is a bad thing.  You know what I'm talking about.  That night I found you surrounded by pages of what use to be a library book but is now ours because someone, and I'm not pointing fingers (you) was looking at with sticky fingers and the pages got stuck together so we couldn't return it.  Remember that night when I found you?  You were sleeping on your floor and there were pages and little pieces of pages around you.  I'm not even going to assume what had happened but I suspect that you just love that book too much.
I love that you are curious and while it may get you into trouble, like the time you push the emergency button in the elevator at the doctor's office, please don't ever stop being curious.  Life gets boring when you stop wondering about it.
I hope that you had a good year.  I am very proud of you, even if it doesn't seem like it am.  I know you are learning about the world around you and trying to figure things out and yes that still means you only write on paper not the walls.
Could I ask one thing of you though please?  Can you please keep the tantrums this year on the more low key side?  I promise we will have a lot more fun if that happens.
Happy Birthday Leah!
Love Mommy.