Letter to My Son

Dear Son,

 Mommy did not make a post for your second birthday.  We were busy having too much fun decorating, planning and having your party.  It was a great success, with lots of family and friends here to share smiles and laughter. 

Because you love Mickey Mouse, Mommy went with this theme and focused on a lot of handmade crafts and even some Mickey Mouse themed food.  We had a piñata, which all of the kids enjoyed.  With the blessing of beautiful weather, the backyard got a lot of use from swings, bag tossing game, slides, etc.  I loved seeing all of the children (and adults of course).

Here are some pictures, (more pictures are on Facebook and Picasa from your party) more stories follow the pictures.

You also had your two-year old doctor appointment.  No shots, thank goodness.  You had sniffles, but no cold, no fever per the doctor.  In length you are in the 93 percentile.  When people see you, we often here, “He’s big for his age!”  Tall, not big.  You are 50 percentile for your weight, at 28 pounds, and the doctor said that’s great.

The only concern we have and the doctor agreed, was your lack of speech.  Parents of older children tell Mommy and Daddy, “Enjoy the quiet!  Once kids start talking, they don’t shut up.”  But we are eager to hear more words from you.  You have not added many to your vocabulary.  The doctor recommended getting you into two programs, the Early Steps Program and a Speech Therapist.  Apparently both take a while to get started, so by doing both at the same time, one will pan out without wasting time.  I know some people might think it’s too early and we shouldn’t be worried, but if a doctor tells me that he recommends it, then I’m going to give you whatever is needed to help you.  You have an appointment with Early Steps on Tuesday.  It’s difficult getting into the program, so we’ll see how it goes.

Fun Times at the Zoo

Giving Hugs to Great-Grandmother

Celebrating birthdays; you love time with Uncle Jerry

Some cute stories… Daddy wants you to build blocks.  If we count the blocks, you will often times stack them.  But if someone else stacks the blocks, you are Gregory, the destroyer!  One night, Daddy built blocks up and you swung your arms to take them down.  Daddy sat on the sofa and pretended to cry.  You started crying, so hard you had tears rolling down your face and you walked over to Daddy.  Daddy picked you up and you snuggled.  After a while, Daddy got back on the floor and built up blocks again, ten high.  Clearly, you were chomping at the bit to play destroyer, but you hesitated.  Even when Daddy said, “okay, knock it down” he had to say it three times before you did so.  The next time Daddy built up the blocks he specifically told you NOT to knock them down.  So you did some problem solving.  You circled the blocks a few times and instead of swinging your arms, knocking them down, you ever so carefully took one block down at a time.  We laughed so hard!  You followed instructions, but did what you wanted as well.

Favorite Store!

You might like cars, trucks, planes and trains.  But you also love all colors.  Who cares that it's a pink and purple car!  You aren't color gender aware.  You just love the bright colors.

You might not talk, but you understand.  When Oma told you, “If you want to go home, you need to get your shoes.  Your shoes are on my bed.  Use your step stool to get on the bed and bring me your shoes.”  Within a few minutes you had both shoes in your hands.  When Oma said, “Sit down so I can put your shoes on.”  You planted your butt right there and held out your feet.

Your birthday was on Ash Wednesday.  Which meant that the weekend before your birthday, we had a lot of parades going on around the city.  This was the first time you went to parades and you loved it!

We spent time with Shane and his family on the parade routes; they were very sweet to you.  The second time they saw you, Shane picked you up and you were happy, catching beads and watching the floats.

Daddy thinks he has a keen sense of observation, but Mommy thinks that you have Daddy beat.  You observe and learn and soak up everything.  When Mommy wanted you to come sit next to her on the sofa, she patted the sofa next to her and said, “Come here.”  You did.  That’s not the surprising thing.  What shocked Mommy was, the next day, you were playing on the iPad.  You looked at Mommy and patted the bed right next to you.  Mommy wasn’t sure if you knew what you were doing, so she hesitated.  Then you patted the bed again and when Mommy joined you to play on the iPad, you laughed.  You knew what patting something next to you meant.  Simple things that we take for granted and you are learning so quickly.

Meet Caroline - she babysat for you twice.  The first time you were shy, but the second time she played with you on the swing, had bubble time and did chalk drawings with you.  You had a new buddy and very quickly!  This made Mommy and Daddy very happy.

When your Uncle Rob called to talk to Oma and Opa, he asked, “Have you spanked Gregory yet?”  They said they have not.  Uncle Rob said, “Come on.  He is almost two (this conversation was right before your second birthday), he has to have done SOMETHING wrong by now.”  Sweet Son, you have a temper and you are stubborn, but you are a sweet boy, even during those times.  Most of the time, the temper and stubbornness are born of being overly tired.  If Mommy and Daddy don’t like something you are doing, we raise our voices.  This will stop your behavior and often times make you cry.

You love going to the Kenner Boat Launch.  There's plenty of places for you to RUN.

And we run too!

And make silly faces with you!

And make mistakes.... as you can see with the next three pictures...

Daddy is singing and walking, "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands.."

"If you're happy and you know it clap you hands!"

"If you're happy and you know, then your face will surely show it..."

"If you're happy and you know it... don't trip on Daddy's feet..."

You cried, we cried... you were okay, just a scratch under your nose.  

It hurt our hearts though.. those scratches on you are leaving scars on us.

Later that day, we played with bubbles.

You reached for the bubbles and then reached for the bubble wand.  Now you know what makes the bubbles and you want to make them yourself!

Mommy bought you a shirt that reads, “2s aren’t terrible; I’m having a blast!”  That’s the truth for you and for us.  You keep us on our toes.  You are independent, yet you are affectionate and you love hugs.  You are shy, but will open up to new people (largely based on their expressions and playfulness towards you).

I look forward to you talking, just to hear your creativity and soak up your thoughts and stories and love.  It’s still amazing… to think you are two, when it feels like it was just yesterday that I gave birth to you.  As you Daddy said, “It was great being married, being happy just the two of us, but now we have something incredibly special, being parents, being a family.”  We would have missed out on something this special, this bonding, this complete.. if it weren’t for you.  Thank you, son, for giving us this… for creating “our family.”

Love Always,

Mommy