Dear Maddux...

Dear Sweet Maddux,

Tomorrow.... you are turning two. It feels like a few months ago we were just leaving the hospital with you. It is unsettling how quick two years has come and gone. Every single day... I wish for more time.... just a few more hours to play with you, talk to you.... or even just to watch you. One of the best parts of being a mom... is being able to observe you.. and watch you become this little amazing person. And your dad and already claiming personality traits. And at two... I can see an equal balance of your dad and I in you. You are hard-headed and stubborn like your momma. You have your fathers imagination and facial expressions. You are gentle at times... crazy at others. The sound of your laughter ... makes me smile.

At the age of two...

You adore your Papa and you Grandpa... and since they have been coming over the new house with tools helping us fix it up. You have developed a strong obsession for tools. And the play ones wont do. You are only satisfied with the tools they have. You walk around the house and pretend to screw on door knobs.... screw together table legs... etc.

You cannot fall asleep without the teddy bear your great grandma gave you last Christmas. This has become your security blanket. You have named your Bear "Oh no" ... which I love.

You still love your dog Nala more than anything. You search for her first thing in the morning... the first thing when you walk through the door... and you have to have her in your bed to fall asleep. This relationship brings tears to your sappy Mommy's eyes even thinking about this as I type.

You are quite grasping the concept of Christmas this year... not yet. You are understanding some things. You see Santa and shout out "HO HO!!" You have been loving all the Christmas cookies... maybe a little too much ;) You love sitting under the tree and playing with your choo-choo. Which makes your daddy smile because that is a memory he had with his parents when he was young too. A few concepts this year that we are struggling with... the advent calendar.. we have given up on. you don't understand that the one treat a day is actually something to be happy about. you point at it... shout.. and actually stomp your feet (as if screaming welcome to Age 2 mom!) And Christmas ornaments... you see them as "Balls" which get thrown as hard as you can into a wall 10 inches from you... which also isn't all that fun for mommy.

Your favorite foods are Macaroni and Cheese, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Tacos, Cottage cheese, and Apples. And well you of course have a sweet tooth like your Momma. Thankfully, because daddy never wants sweets... so now I have someone to share with :)

You are starting to put words together now... and most of the time I can understand what you are trying to say. Which is surreal. I mean a few short months ago you were barely saying a few words and here you are communicating. Again... time is going by too fast!

We have moved you from the crib into a big boy bed. You still aren't completely sold on the idea yet but we are making progress... slow but steady progress :)

Your favorite game is running.. and having anyone around that is willing chase you. You could run for days.... I am falling down from exhaustion and you are ready and willing to keep going... as people say "I wish I could bottle up that energy and sell it"

You love coloring. You could sit and color for hours....

Mommy's Favorite Moment as of currently.... The nights daddy has volleyball... we crank up the music and pretend like the broom is a microphone... and we dance and dance... You love to sing and slide on the kitchen floor. Best.Moments.Ever.

You still love to read books... I hope you keep that love of books forever.

And even though I loved your long hair. Cutting your hair... and spiking it... is the cutest thing I have ever seen! 

After you sing, fall, laugh, play.... anything... you will randomly throw your arms up and yell "ta-da" which is pure awesomeness.

You love spending time with your cousins. Which makes me feel this sense of warmth... watching you play with them. Family means a lot to me... and most of my fondest memories include my cousins... so that is something I want you to experience. I hope you are as close to your cousins as I am to mine. Family is important and this is something me and your father hope to instill on you.... We hope you learn that those are the people you support, confide in, and love. They become your best friends... and are there for you when you need it. As you are for them.

It is mind blowing to believe that 2 years ago... you were a tiny baby.... who couldn't talk, walk, smile, giggle... run... scream...

I have the noisy house of a toddler... and I wouldn't change that wonderful noise for the world.

Happy Birthday My Handsome Boy!

Love,
Mom