Dear Rosie,
Today is your second birthday! I can’t believe my baby is 2! Can I still call you my baby? In some ways, it feels like you were born yesterday and in other ways it feels like we’ve known you forever! I can’t imagine our family without you.
I can’t believe how much you have grown and changed in the last twelve months. Looking back at your first birthday, it’s funny how I thought you were so old then! I look back now and think you look like such a baby. Last year you had just taken a few steps and were drinking bottles. This year you are sprinting through the backyard and speaking in full sentences. What a difference a year makes, I still cannot believe it.
I never want to forget what you are like right now (on your second birthday!) I love the sounds you make when you chew, your perfect ringlet curls, the way you move your hands, your hilarious facial expressions (the furrowed brow or the surprised face are my favorite!), your laugh, constant chatter, and how you boss people around. You are the perfect mixture of sweet and tough, you go from hugging Minnie Mouse to digging in the dirt and I love it.
I never want to forget our moments just before bedtime. I love when you grab both sides of my face, play with my hair, and babble sweet little things. Then you say, “mama night night” and I know you are ready to sleep.
I can see how caring and compassionate you are already. You love to care for your baby dolls and stuffed animals. I see how you kiss them on the head, feed them bottles, and put them to bed. You are such a sweetheart! I love when I get a spontaneous kiss from you or when you run over to hug my legs. You haven’t always been affectionate, and my mama heart is eating it up! When I see you puckering for a kiss, I will stop literally anything I am doing to get that kiss.
You are extremely independent, adventurous, and brave. I love that you run straight into the water at the beach without looking back. In fact, I spend a lot of my time staring at the back of your head as I run after you! You have such an amazing spirit and you are so fearless. You love to make new friends now and very rarely get shy. I love when I hear you say “hi friend!” to someone new and I hope you keep that outgoing personality.
I LOVE when you tell me about your day. We spend most of our days together (and of course I know what we did that day), but I love to hear your interpretation and what was special to YOU about the day. You will say, “I saw a giraffe, I saw a zebra, I saw a monkey” and also remember so many details! “It was a big one and he was eating grass!” You are just the cutest little storyteller.
Watching you grow up is so bittersweet for your mama! I am sad that I don’t have a baby anymore, but I am so happy to see the girl you have become and I am so excited to see who you will be in the future. Next year is going to be full of changes for you (potty-training, a new bed, new activities!) and I can’t wait to do it all with you. You are going to light the world on fire child, and I will be cheering you on the whole way. I love you sweet girl! Happy Second Birthday!
Love, Mama
p.s. I hear you trying to call me “mommy” and I will continue to correct you because I am not really to let go of “mama” yet!
