My dearest little SB,
How is it even possible that you are almost two years old? It seems like just yesterday I was pregnant with you. How the time flies by!
And you are such a joy. Your vocabulary has long been huge, but the explosion into full on sentences is just amazing. For more than a month now, you have been capable of full conversations. You tell me things in complete sentences, in perfect English. . .and sometimes with a bit of Spanish thrown in. "I want to get down," you told me this morning, as you sat in your high chair. "I want to jugar." (Which means, "to play."). You are charming, smiley, mischievous, and full of energy. You are also so much FUN! You love to laugh, and you love to make others laugh. You love to say "that's so silly" and then giggle.
At night, you get to pick out a book (or two, or three) to read. You never want me to stop, and I often indulge you in another. Your sister likes me to tell her stories off the top of my head, but you love to pull books off the shelf and look at the pictures.
You are still sleeping in your crib. You can get out, but you've stopped trying. For a few days a month or so ago, you got out every time we put you in, but you seem to have decided that it's too much work. Now, when you want to get out, you yell for us. If we don't come immediately, you yell a bit more, and then cry. It breaks my heart to hear you cry. . .you must have snuggles IMMEDIATELY upon waking up, or you get so sad. And then, once up, you immediately want breakfast. "Come!" you'll say, as you grab my hand.
You eat all sorts of foods, including vegetables. Your favorites, however, are fruits of all sort. You are deeply in love with mandarin oranges right now, and I can barely keep enough of them on hand. You also love pineapple and strawberries, but they give you a terrible diaper rash. It looks just like a chemical burn. I have to ration your pineapple intake so that it doesn't happen. You also love grapes, and the little tiny bananas that they grow here, which are sweeter than regular bananas. Oh, and blueberries are one of your most favorite fruits ever.
You and your sister have a symbiotic relationship when it comes to eating pizza and toast. You prefer the crust; she prefers the middle. The two of you trade off. I think it must be because you are teething, and the crusts feel better to you. Whatever the reason, it cracks me up to see her handing you her crusts, and you ignoring the cheesy parts of the pizza for them.
You have just about all of your teeth. The last of your molars and the incisors seem to have popped through this month. You've been drooling like crazy, and chewing on everything in sight. We just realized that the crib is a bit worse for wear. . .clearly you've been gnawing on it at times that we didn't even know that you were awake and standing up!
You love the iPad. In fact, you are deeply obsessed with it, and ask me to use it all the time. We recently flew to the U.S., and used it then to keep you entertained, and ever since then, you adore it. There are a ton of children's games on it, most of them in Spanish, and you just think they are a blast. It cracks me up to watch you, and sometimes I relent and let you use it. It's a good thing your grandmother bought you your very own Leap.pad for your birthday. You are going to be thrilled--although, less so when you discover how much we will limit your screen time!
You love to run around the park, and especially love to try to get in the many ponds and little streams that are there. If there is something to get into and to get messy with, you are in it in a flash. It might be because you also love to take baths. You ask to take a bath constantly, and scream when we take you out.
We are also delighted that you have already shown an interest in using the potty. You frequently ask to use it, and often really have to go. Unfortunately, those two things aren't neatly happening at the same time, but we'll get there. The other day, I let you use it, but thought you were messing around and I didn't make you sit on it for long. You stood up and peed on the floor. Oops!
You adore your sister. Now that she has started school, you ask for her all day long. You play wonderfully together, and then fight terribly. You are unbelievably close, but neither of you gives the other an inch. You give as good as you get. You are equals--no "little sister" stuff for you! I love that you are fierce and loyal and independent even at your young age. The two of you stick up for each other, too. It is awesome.
When someone takes something from you that you wanted, like a piece of food or a toy, you yell "Hey!" in the most indignant way. I have no idea where you learned it from--probably your sister. It's pretty funny, and I love it, even as I know I need to sometimes reign you in.
You are in 2T clothing now, although it is a bit big. You are a skinny child, probably because you mostly want to eat fruit. You aren't very picky about your clothing (yet), thankfully. You proudly wear things you know we think are cute. You sometimes will allow us to pull your mop of curls back from your eyes with a barrette, but often you tear it out. Your hair is long enough now for two cute short ponytails on either side of your head, and you are just ADORABLE with them.
You love to talk on the telephone, and will sometimes demand to call your grandmother. You insist on holding the phone, and run away from everyone with it. However, you just sit and listen with it up to your ear, and rarely say anything. You yell and scream when we try to take it away from you.
You also throw temper tantrums, which is a first in our house. It can be over something big or something little, but you throw yourself on the ground and wail and thrash. We are a bit bemused by this behavior, I admit, and we have no idea where it came from. We simply ignore it, and hope that it will pass. Secretly, I am a bit amused by your commitment sometimes, and the strength of your emotions. But I'm not giving you an inch--I don't want you to think that is an appropriate way to behave, because it most certainly is not.
But overall, you have a sunny, delightful demeanor, and I really treasure every moment with you. You and Miss M are so alike, and yet so different. You are both smart and outspoken and active and engaged. And yet your personalities are totally unique. I love that about you girls, and feel like I am the luckiest mother in the world. I am so lucky to be your mother, and enjoy our time together so much. I can't wait to see what this next month brings, and see all of the ways you change and learn and grow.
Love always,
Mom
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