Happy 2nd Birthday Char Char!

Dear Char Char,

You are 2!! I could cry...I can't believe you are already 2-years-old. It seems like you were just born. This has been the most fun year with you (I guess I only have two to choose from) BUT I don't think a stage could get cuter than learning to walk and talk.

In the last month or two you have been talking telephonically (per Daddy). You just put a bunch of nouns together and it's so cute....

"Mommy leave...Charley Mae sad" (that was Mommy leaving to exercise).....

"Daddy stay home with me?....Mommy stay home with me?" (that was before work)...

"No Ry Ry" (usually said in a whine)...

"My birthday....2...happy birthday" (will hold up 5 fingers and sing the words "happy birthday")....

"Ry Ry 4"...

"No Mommy" (again usually said in a whine)...

You seem to be a ham. You love to make others laugh but at school you have been very quiet. However, recently your teacher (Kandie) said you woke up from nap very hyper and funny. I think you must have been acting the way you do at home. Speaking of school, you had a hard adjustment. You started at the end of the summer while Ryan was still in the preschool and did very well. Then, Ryan changed schools and you got a stomach virus followed by hand/foot/mouth disease, followed by two rounds of strep and you just weren't loving school. But, now you seem to like it...not love it but you don't cry when we drop you off. When I tell you randomly that I love you you will say "me....up....school." You have equated me loving you with me picking you up from school. You get so excited when Ryan and I get there to get you. You run smiling and yelling to us and give me a big hug. Pure joy in your face. Every bit of your face lights up.

You aren't the best listener but you are getting better. You seem to look at us with a cute mischievous look when we say "no" and slowly proceed to do what we tell you not to do while watching for our reaction. You only act this way around Mommy and Daddy. We were at Gin Gin and Bubby's about a month ago and you got mad because we told you "no" about something and you broke out into tears running for comfort. They said they had never seen you do that! Your teacher told me that you are generally very quiet and obedient at school. It was cute to see you with your class at the Halloween party. Before lunch you all did your routine and sang a song that told each child when to go wash their hands. You sat quietly until it was your turn and then you hopped up and toddled over to the sink to wash and dry your hands. Words can't describe the cuteness!

You say "Amen" alot. I'm not sure where this came from. You have a stuffed angel that says a prayer that ends in "Amen." You'll say something like "baby night night...Amen." You also pretend to go to church. You get your stroller with a baby or animal and take off saying "bye bye." We ask where you are going and you say "chuch." I'm not sure why you would pretend this because you scream bloody murder when we leave you in the nursery without Ryan.

You love The Wheels on the Bus song very much. You call it "Round and Round." You like to dance. It's too cute. You bounce in an uncoordinated way bending and straightening your knees. Or you will turn in circles and fall down. You love the U-2 Lullaby CD I bought in Seattle when Ryan was just 1-year-old. You say "night hmmmm hmmmm." The "hmmmm hmmmm" is you singing a tune saying you want the "night night music." You know your colors and can say them: "red, green, blue, yellow, orange, purple, black, & white." Today we figured out you know what a square is.

I love my Tuesday and Thursdays home with you. Last year we went to Bible study but this year I am going to a Mom's prayer group at Ryan's school. Ashton keeps you for an hour and you don't love it but you adapt fine. I tried Bible Study again but you had a rip roaring fit so I decided this isn't the time for me to do this. I stay home on those days to be with YOU and not do things for me (that sentence is just a little reminder I need to hear every few weeks to minutes). At first I thought that was giving up and was frustrated I couldn't do something so positive for myself but I have figured out that you are only going to be this little for just a little bit longer and then I'll have time to go to all of the Bible studies in the world. I will never regret a minute of my time with you and can study my Bible at home:) You have helped me learn even more to be less selfish with my time and self. I'm actually adapting to that. I used to think (10 minutes ago) that I needed various "me-time" activities or things to be a certain way. But, you are teaching me to be flexible and selfless and I am actually surviving. You are teaching me that God will give me what I need when I am exhausted and there is no break in sight. I'm not depending on myself as much and am depending on God more-what a gift you have given me already in your two short years. Makes me a little nervous for any future gifts:)

I stare at you alot and you still look like a baby. You are so pretty and your face still looks just like a baby. You have fat cheeks. I can't describe what makes your lips look like baby lips except they are kind of pouty. You have the BIGGEST belly I have seen. You are so tiny...the smallest one your class. You've been at the 10th percentile but I think your belly is at the 95% percentile. It is huge and so cute. You look like you are with child. Your booty is also at a high percentile and you are swaybacked and it is so cute too. You still have a bubble bootie with your diaper on. You still haven't had a haircut yet and you have fine, baby hair (sorry, but the fine part will always be there). You still need lots of love and reassurance from Mommy and Daddy. You like to be held alot when I'm trying to do work in the kitchen. I try not to be frustrated so I pick you up and find a way to hold you while I do what I was doing because soon you won't want to be picked up as much. I know soon you won't look like a baby anymore. I look back at Ryan's pictures from this age and it's so hard to remember details and I just want to soak it in because you are so precious to me and I want to remember this wonderful time forever. I've been doing more videos of you because you are at an age that I think is just one of the cutest ever. I want to remember how you say different words and what your voice sounds like and how you walk and everything about this. But, I know with each stage I will love you more and I will love each stage even more (maybe not adolescence). You are such a blessing and I love you so much.

OK, I need to finish this but there are a few unrelated things I want to add....

1. You love your big sister so much and do everything that she does. It's so sweet. Luckily for us (unluckily for you as a teenager) she seems to be a good role model. As I was typing this you came in and told me you wanted "what Ry Ry has" which is cranberry juice after I fixed you a milk...

2. Today we went to my office and you said to Johnnie "my birthday....2"...you are so proud you are two!

3. Someone had a random quote on Facebook today that said "It kills you when they grow up but it would kill you faster if they didn't." Ha! Fits how I feel about you:)

I have a hard time leaving this disjointed with more to say but I don't want to dread blogging because of a mild case of OCD and perfectionism. Anyway, the point is I love you so much and God most definitely has plans for you because I am so undeserving to have you as my daughter so He must be up to something and I can't wait to see what you do with your life. I just so hope that you will love and follow Jesus in everything you do and that He is the center of everything.

Love Love Love!! Mommy

P.S. I have some great pictures from your birthday party and the computer isn't cooperating. Will add a few later:)