You're TWO!

Dear Lily,

You are two! Over the past few days Daddy and I have spent a lot of time looking at your baby pictures. If there is one thing I will never regret, it is taking too many pictures of you! Each and every picture brings a smile to our faces. You have changed our whole world over the past two years and to be honest neither of us can remember what we used to be like, before we were a party of three. To me you still look exactly the same as you did when we brought you home. Your tiny features are still so perfect and your eyes are always smiling. Daddy and I are positive that you are, in fact, the most beautiful little girl in the entire world.

Not only are you beautiful but you are so smart (maybe a little too smart) and sweet as can be (except for when you are not, in those cases we call in the exorcist). I can't wait for you to meet your baby brother because I know that you will just love him with your whole heart. You are a very affectionate little girl and love to give both me and Daddy lots of "sweet kisses" throughout the day. In fact if you are being whiny and not so nice, a sweet kiss will usually snap you right out of the funk. You love to spend time with Mimi and Doe and Grammy and Grampy. We are all so lucky to have so many people who love us so much! When it comes to talking on the phone or over skype you have become quite a ham. You love to watch yourself on the screen while we talk to Aunt Kate.

Speaking of talking, oh.my.gosh (one of your favorite phrases right now), you're vocabulary is sort of ridiculous. Most of the time Daddy and I have no idea where or how you pick up the words you do, but you have proven time and time again that you are listening and that you don't miss a thing! You have been speaking in complete sentences for several weeks now. You have such a vivid imagination and spend most of your day playing with your dollhouse dolls and winnie the pooh figurines, acting out elaborate plot lines. You also LOVE stuffed animals and no matter how many times Daddy and I cull the heard you always have an full entourage. Right now your bedtime inner-circle consists of your cabbage patch dolls, Sophie and Baby, Elmo, Tiny Elmo, Dog, Max, and Ruby...throw in blankie (which you still call "B" occasionally) and it is more than Mommy can carry up the stairs in one trip.

A few weeks ago you started sleeping in a big girl bed! You have done such a great job. For the most part you obey the rules (aside from completely destroying the mini blind!) and every morning you are so proud. You have started to distinguish between big girl things and baby things. You seem very excited about the idea that your baby brother will be sleeping in the crib and eating in the high chair. (Did I mention you eat all of your meals at the table/counter in your big girl seat?). A few days ago you found an old paci in Mommy's drawer and proudly announced that "pacis are for babies" and then you walked over and rested the paci on my belly for your brother.

We spend a lot of time playing at home. Partially because even though we had no snow this winter it was still too cold to play outside and partially because Mommy is having a hard time keeping up with you with her big belly. When we do venture out you love to go for walks, especially if we find ourselves at the playground. You also like to go to the library and right now you are really in to going to the grocery store to look at the lobsters. By far your favorite outing of the week is to Music Together. You can (and do) sing so many of the songs word for word, you also love to dance in the center of the room with everyone watching. When we are at home you spend time after dinner playing piano and the guitar with Daddy. You have always seemed to respond to music, even when you were just a tiny baby you loved for Mommy to sing to you. We are really curious to see if your love of music now will continue in the future.

For the next few weeks Mommy and Daddy are trying to make the most of our time as a party of three. We talk about how things will change when your brother gets here, but I know you have no idea what's about to happen. No matter what it is so important to me that you know that the more love we have in our house the better, and bringing home the baby means more love for all of us! I wake up every.single.day thrilled to be your mommy. Even when you are acting naughty (and some days that is all you do) there isn't anything I would rather do than be here with you. I love you so much coo coo girl. And just now when I called out to you and told you I loved you so much, you replied with a grin "I love you SO much Mommy!".

I told you, you are pretty much the best thing ever.

Love,
Mommy