Two and Five

Dear Noah,

This weekend you will be 29 months old…so close to two and a half that it’s scary. It feels like it was only yesterday that they were placing you in my arms for the first time. It’s hard to believe that you’ll be busting your three’s wide open in just a few short months. Why are you growing up so fast, kiddo? Mommy needs a little more time to adjust to the fact that you aren’t a baby anymore. And you don’t seem to be slowing up at all.

You’re talking up a storm these days; adding a good 10-20 words to your vocabulary a day. I used to could keep up with what you could say, but not anymore. You’re just going too fast for your poor mom. And I mean that both figuratively and literally…especially since you never slow down. You’re up and running wide open at 7:35 [yeah, your schedule is that exact right now] and you aren’t slowing up until naptime. You’ve gotten in the habit of just crashing wherever you are when you get tired. In the car, on the couch, in your hounds-tooth bean bag, on the floor…

It’s really cute. I’ve taken tons of photos of you sleeping lately because you are just so darn sweet. Since we’ve arrived in Kodiak, you’ve passed on sleeping and snuggling your blankie and clung to your puppy [who you, have appropriately named ‘dog’]. I’m not sure where this new-found love came from, but it’s so sweet. You carry it everywhere, feed it at supper time, pet it, kiss it, hug it. It’s true testament to your affection side. Because you, my son, are a loving and affectionate boy. Through and through. I think you get that from me. You like to hug, love to give kisses…just all around a sweet child.

You’re also independent. You like to do things on your own while daddy or myself oversee. One of your newest conquests is changing out your DVD’s during the day. You know exactly which button to press to open the player, how to take it out, put it in the box and get out a new one. I have to help, of course, because sometimes your tiny little hands can’t get the box open. Your protest sometimes, but usually, in anxiety of watching your movie, you just let me do it. And then you hold your hand up for a high-five and tell me proudly that “I help! I help mama!” The look of triumph and success on your face it so sweet!

You are starting to look more and more like me lately. I think it’s more your facial expressions than anything. But this excites me. From the day you were born, I’ve heard all about how much you look like daddy. It does my heart good that people can see me in there somewhere. And it’s still a toss up as to whether you are a mama’s boy or a daddy’s boy. We’ve just settled on the fact that you are both…taking to and prefer us both equally. While you tend to like to play and roughhouse with your daddy more than mommy, you like snuggling up and cuddling with your mom. Maybe you’ve realized early in life that mommy just doesn’t have the athletic ability that daddy has and that’s why you don’t much prefer to play sports with your mom.

You’re adjusting to the snow and the cold. Sometimes when we venture out, you take a deep breath before we head outside and let it out really slow so you can see your breath. Then you’ll look at us and shake your head, grinning, and say simply “Mama/Daddee….it COLD!” We’ve finally got you trained in putting on a jacket before we leave and gloves if we are going to play. The gloves you weren’t real crazy about, but after the first day of sticking your bare hand in the snow…you learned, just as I knew you would.

Toddler tantrums have made their appearance lately. Lots of people have told me that they get worse as kids get closer to three, and with you, that is ringing true. You don’t have them every day, but sometimes. Usually when you don’t get your way or mama and daddy don’t do something you want to do fast enough and exactly when you want it. Oh! And when we don’t take you down the toy aisle at Walmart. Boy does that upset you! But you’re such a smart child. A spanking isn’t generally necessary, and most of the time I can get down on your level and talk to you—explaining what’s going on, and you chill out. I love that about you. That I can reason with you and talk to you like an adult. Because you just get it. Time-outs prove to be effective, as well. You really hate when you can’t get up to play with your “Queen Cars” [aka Lightning McQueen]. And that’s ok. Mommy doesn’t cave very often and you do what you’re told. When time-outs over, you always give me a hug and a kiss and go about your business.

Two years and five months. Wow. Baby boy, you’re growing up. Hard for me to accept. Hard for me to embrace, but you are happy and healthy and I couldn’t ask for more!

Lastly, today you weighed 32.4 pounds and are standing tall at 35 inches or so [mommy didn’t measure…just an educated guess].

We love you Noah. More than you know.

Love,

Mommy